The Poet's Dog
Author(s): Patricia MacLachlan
From Newbery Medal winner Patricia MacLachlan comes a poignant story about two children, a poet, and a dog and how they help one another survive loss and recapture love.
3 starred reviews. "Just what I needed," raves Brightly. "It's a heart-warming story of loss and love that filled me with hope for a better future and renewed my belief in good."
Teddy is a gifted dog. Raised in a cabin by a poet named Sylvan, he grew up listening to sonnets read aloud and the comforting clicking of a keyboard. Although Teddy understands words, Sylvan always told him there are only two kinds of people in the world who can hear Teddy speak: poets and children.
Then one day Teddy learns that Sylvan was right. When Teddy finds Nickel and Flora trapped in a snowstorm, he tells them that he will bring them home—and they understand him. The children are afraid of the howling wind, but not of Teddy’s words. They follow him to a cabin in the woods, where the dog used to live with Sylvan . . . only now his owner is gone.
As they hole up in the cabin for shelter, Teddy is flooded with memories of Sylvan. What will Teddy do when his new friends go home? Can they help one another find what they have lost?
Review(s):
★ “Magical. A quiet, elegant, poignant story suffused with humor, heart, and goodness.”
★ “A spare, moving tale. Using simple words that even youngest readers will understand and enjoy, MacLachlan tackles subjects such as death and mourning with understated grace.”
★ “Readers will find their own jewel in this gem of a book.”
“Though this contemplative fantasy explores grief, it is also about overcoming loss and is resolved in a way that will comfort sensitive readers. A strong purchase for larger fiction collections.”
“Dog-lovers and budding poets with a taste for quiet whimsy, or fans of MacLachlan’s measured and lyrical writing, may want to check this out.”
“A tender story of love and grief, The Poet’s Dog perfectly illustrates how special friends can heal a broken heart.”
“This enchanting tale of friendship—of the canine and poetic kind—will warm your heart like a firelit cabin on a snowy night. I loved it!”
“A master storyteller in gorgeous form. The Poet’s Dog is a joy from page one.”
“An evocative gem, laced with the power to nurture every reader’s inner poet.”
“Patricia MacLachlan’s spare, direct words allows room for the reader to crawl inside the spaces between. The Poet’s Dog is so satisfying and poignant.”
ISBN: 9780062292629