Two Stars— The Dog Who Belonged to No One

A book that I am very proud of is coming into its own. Check it out.

The Dog Who Belonged to No One.
Hest, Amy (Author) , Bates, Amy (Illustrator)
Sep 2008. 32 p. Abrams, hardcover, $15.95. (9780810994836).
A “wisp of a girl named Lia” and a small alley dog are the principal players in this touching story. The
friendly dog wanders about town, but no matter how helpful he is, no one ever pays him much attention.
Lia is a lonesome girl who dreams up stories to serve as friends as she goes about her day. A fierce storm
propels the two toward a serendipitous meeting, to the delight of both, and thereafter they “belonged to
each other.” The pencil-and-watercolor artwork is homey and handsome, presented in glowing sepia tones
that suggest simpler times and quieter lives, until the storm washes the pages in deep and forbidding grays.
Throughout the book, the little pup is irresistibly, almost heartbreakingly cute—too cute to stay unloved
for long. The lesson, that you may not know you’re missing something until you find it, makes this simple
and eloquent story especially suitable for children who hold out hope for the day when that perfect dog
will cross their paths and warm their own homes.
— Ian Chipman


The Dog Who Belonged to No One receives a *STARRED* review in School Library Journal’s August edition as well!