Dog Lost - Hardcover

INGRID LEE is a writer and a schoolteacher. Her first novel, DOG LOST, is based on a true story. Ann M. Martin called the book "wonderfully heart-rousing." Lee lives with her family in Toronto, Canada.

Grade 4–6—Mackenzie's father wins a pit bull puppy in a card game and, in an uncharacteristic gesture of kindness, gives her to his son. From the moment Cash enters the boy's life, she is a bright spot in a sea of darkness. With Mackenzie's mother dead and his father uninterested in raising him, he and Cash must take care of themselves in their rough neighborhood. Things go smoothly as long as they stay out of Dad's way, but when Cash tries to defend Mackenzie from one of his father's rages, the furious man takes the dog away. Life on the streets is not easy, but Cash has brains and a warm heart and survives until she's captured by a teenager who is part of a dog-fighting ring. After she escapes, Cash begins to perform brave deeds, dispelling local concern about the viciousness of pit bulls. All the while, boy and dog continue to search for one another. The writing is not stellar, and the ending predictably pat, but the simply told story is gripping. The kindness of some neighbors and the unfair attitudes of others toward the breed raise questions about stereotypes and fairness, making this an interesting book group selection.—Sarah Provence, Churchill Road Elementary School, McLean, VA
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