Sounder Book

"I had a father and a dog named Sounder…"

Believe it or not, this was my first time reading this classic Newbery award-winning book. I'm not sure why I didn't read it as a child - I certainly read my fair share of animal books. I have to wonder if I would have felt the same overwhelming sense of loneliness I felt reading this now. I suspect I would have to some extent at least.

The story revolves around a poor, African-American family living in the Deep South. They struggle to get by on sharecropping and hunting. Issues of racism loom throughout. Though the title of the book points to the dog as the main character, it really is much more a coming of age story of the young, unnamed son of this loving, hard-working family. There are plenty of themes to explore here for both young and old readers - loyalty, faith, and determination to name a few. Aside from the dog of course, I also loved the boy's desire to learn to read. He took solace in the stories his mother told him, and he yearned for books of his own. "The boy liked it when she told her stories. They took away night loneliness."

The boy learns some tough life lessons - some from his devoted mother and his loyal dog, and some on his own. It's a story that will make you gulp a time or two, but there's also that glimmer of hope that makes this such an endearing and memorable little book. 4.5 stars rounded up

"… there was no price that could be put on Sounder's voice… It filled up the night and made music as though the branches of all the trees were being pulled across silver strings."