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Meet Chance. He is the current "roommate" of Ruffles at the animal shelter. That's right, Chance is a dog. As it turns out, he's not just any dog either. He has been chosen by a new "mommy" for a forever home, her home. Along with a cast of other rescued souls, his new Mommy shares her endless love with her young son, Ryan. Ryan is a special child, apart from the fact that he has Autism. Ryan's special factor lies in how he came to be with his current family. You see, Ryan and Chance are very much alike. They both have had to adjust to new surroundings; both have had several "mothers" throughout their lives. Above all else, their common bond lies in the fact that they were both....adopted. Follow along with Chance as he learns the ins and outs of his new domain, discovers the amazing connection amongst his new family, and finally learns the true meaning of a forever home. A touching story for readers of all ages, and an eye opening look at new ways to open our hearts.
I must say that I was thoroughly surprised by this one! I did not anticipate the narrator being Chance, but it definitely worked for the story. How cute is it to see a book from a dog's perspective? (Oh, I forgot, you probably haven't read it yet...but trust me, it is definitely an experience.) Knowing that this "tail" (pun INtended) is based on true life events makes it all the more memorable. Another interesting aspect (in my humble opinion) is the fact that the human characters take a backseat to the animals throughout most of the story. You meet P.J., Little Rascal, and Shelby (or as I like to call them the "Pom Squad") (yes, they are Pomeranians) throughout the course of Chance's thoughts. My favorite scene, although so hard to pick, was when young Ryan explains adoption to Chance. Due to his special abilities, Ryan is able to communicate with his furry pals better than most, and so this conversation is especially heart-warming. He explains that their new mommy made "the unselfish decision to adopt" and that this means they are "loved forever". Now how can you truly compete with a message like that? (WARNING: Have a tissue handy, just in case you get weepy eyed....it's not said, just heart-breakingly sincere and beautiful.) (Oh, one last note, a portion of the proceeds for each book sold go to the Humane Society....a very fitting and noble cause, if I do say so myself.)
Review copy access courtesy of Nicole at Tribute Books! (Thank you!) You can see their other titles online or check them out on Twitter for news and updates!COMMENT CREATOR
Adoption is a tall order for many. It is an undertaking that requires a lifelong commitment from both parties...the adopter and the adoptee. Let's take a look at this process of love and share our own stories from this topic. Have you ever adopted someone (whether furry friend or fellow person)?
I myself have 2 dogs (of my several) that were adopted from the local shelter. Britney, a chow/lab/shepherd mix (so loveable and cute!), came to her new forever home as a puppy, but my other little one, Winston (daschund), was already an older gent. Needless to say they are both well loved, happy, and healthy little pups (hey, no matter how old they may get, they are still PUPS!)...even if they do perhaps get a few too many treats now and again (what can I say, I love to spoil them).
Until next time....happy reading!
8 comments:
Wow this sounds like a truly inspirational book. In the past I have worked with children with special educational needs plus our nephew is on the autistic spectrum and have seen what a huge impact animals can have - and especially dogs though in our nephew's case it was cats. Thanks for this great review.
Dear Gina,
Thanks for getting to the heart of this story and for letting it shine through. Your reviews are always well done - thanks again.
I adopted my first dog, Gin-Gin from the Humane Society when I was 10-years-old. She was an elderly Shih-Tzu and would have been euthanized if we did not take her. She was the most well-behaved dog I ever met :)
Petty Witter: It really was! Those experiences must have been amazing as well....any chance you have to help change a life, definitely is a gift.
Tribute Books: Thank you for the kind words! Gin-Gin sounds so sweet! I always feel bad when I visit the local shelter...I just can't stand having to leave them there when all they want is a home of their own. I want to adopt them all! It was great to see in this story the love she had to share helped her create her extended family.
I can tell already that I would be a crying, slobbering mess by the end of this book! This is a timely post for me as we've been struggling with our decision to adopt our current dog.
We have a 14-year old basset hound that we rescued in '97, and he's such a great dog. (And you're right, they are always pups). We also have a 4-year-old pit bull/rhodesian ridgeback/shar pei mix (?-we think) who fell (or was thrown) into our yard on Christmas morning in '05. We took her in, and she's really sweet, but every once in a while she goes crazy and attacks our basset hound. So far, she's put a few good holes in him and narrowly missed his eyes a couple times. This happened again last night. We know this isn't fair to him, but we know if we give her away, she will just run wild out here and probably become a bigger bully than she already is, and if we give her to the humane society, there is no way they would adopt her out. *sigh* Where is Cesar Milan and his therapeutic pack of dogs when you need him?
Sorry to write a novel on my first comment here, but I needed to get that off my chest. At least it was on-topic!
Dreamybee: Hi there! Nice to have you on board! (Oh, and no problem on the "novel", I LOVE comments, so feel free to share!) Sorry to hear about the doggy situation....geesh that's certainly a tough call. Are you certain that the shelter couldn't help? I know some (depending on where you live...grant it not in my three horse town...) have a type of rehabilitation program for these situations to help the dog adapt. It could even be something "physical", like a chemical imbalance or damage from when they were a puppy..perhaps a vet could offer some insight as well...
Best wishes no matter what happens! =0)
Agreed! I have two adopted dogs too. One of mine actually looks like the dog on the cover.
Dreamy: Maybe you could help her find a new home by placing an add on PetFinder or Craigslist. Maybe you could tell the prospects the dog is meant to live in a one dog only household.
I feel for.
Something like this happened to my husband and I.
In the end we found the aggressor a really good home.
And my passive dog adores the flavor of Neosporin now from all the times he was stitched back together.
Juju: Hi there! Welcome back stranger...=0) So you have two adopted pals....so sweet! Dogs are just some of the best companions I have to say... Sorry to hear about your other dog (both the aggressor and the injured pup)....perhaps your advice will help out Dreamy with her dilemma.
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