A Dog for Life Book

The story of a boy, his dog, and their unforgettable journey to save a life.

You've maybe heard the story about how John Hawkins "ran away with his pet dog." But the truth is that John and Mouse, the pet dog, left to save Tom. This story starts when Tom becomes ill and the doctors say they have to send Mouse away for fear of infection. The boys know they have to do something. At the pound Mouse will die and without Mouse, Tom will never recover. So Tom's journey begins, but what starts as a trip to find a temporary home for Mouse turns out nothing like the way they planned.

Publishers Weekly

Butler's pronunciation is so crisp, clear and perfect that at times, it is a bit distracting. His enthusiastic impression of John Hawkins, the protagonist of Matthews's (Fish) latest book, suffers a bit from this overarticulation. John, who runs away with his dog, Mouse, in order to save both Mouse and his very ill brother, is a likeable character, and in many ways, Butler is right for the job. Energy-wise his portrayal of John's chipper and sometimes naive personality seems right on the mark. But John's narration is never quite natural. It is a bit stilted, as if being read for the first time. Butler's range with female voices seems limited to the comical, which is appropriate in most cases, except with Mouse. Thankfully, he doesn't give her one of those farcical voices, but listeners do need to keep reminding themselves that Mouse is a she. Despite the imperfect match-up of reader and material, this production remains an engaging listening experience. Ages 10-up. (Oct.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.