Nicky Flynn’s life just got a whole lot harder. His parents are going through a messy divorce, and as a result he’s starting a new life, in a new city, in a new school. Now his mom has brought home Reggie, an eighty-pound German shepherd fresh from the animal shelter, who used to be a seeing-eye dog. At first Nick isn’t sure about this canine intrusion—it’s just another in a series of difficult changes. Soon, however, Nick is on the path to finding out why a seeing-eye dog would be left at an animal shelter, and along the way discovers that Reggie is a true friend that Nick can rely on. But when he tries to reconnect with his dad, Nick puts everything on the line, including the life of his new best friend. Art Corriveau is a brilliant new voice for middle-grade fiction. How I, Nicky Flynn, Got a Life (and a Dog) is a heartfelt and honest look at the effects of divorce and the wonders of friendship. F&P Level: T F&P Genre: RF

Moving to inner-city Boston after his parents' divorce, eleven-year-old Nicky struggles to cope with the changes in his life, including acquiring a former guide dog that leads to a mystery for Nicky to solve.

Gary Paulsen has owned dozens of unforgettable and amazing dogs, and here are his favorites--one to a chapter. Among them are Snowball, the puppy he owned as a boy in the Philippines; Ike, his mysterious hunting companion; Electric Fred and his best friend, Pig; Dirk, the grim protector; and Josh, one of the remarkable border collies working on Paulsen's ranch today. My Life in Dog Years is a book for every dog lover and every Paulsen fan--a perfect combination that shows vividly the joy and wisdom that come from growing up with man's best friend.

What can you say about Moose? a lovable canine? A consummate professional? A bright star in the Hollywood universe? Yes, you could say all those things. Or you could just say that he was the little dog that could. The little dog that never took no for an answer. The little dog that never said, "I can't," but always, "why can't I?" The story of Moose is a classic rags-to-riches story of how an average pound-bound puppy barked, jumped, and mugged his way up the ladder of success to become a major superstar. Not since Lassie has America cared so much about one of its four-legged creatures. At least, that's what Moose would say. I would say that working with that dog has been a nightmare. I had to be at his beck and call, any time, day or night. You don't know what it's like to get a call at three o'clock in the morning because "someone" has something he wants to add to the Frasier chapter. Did he think I had no life of my own? Or that I slept by the telephone waiting for him to call? Yes, he did. Because, like most uber-stars, he thought the world revolved around him. From the moment I committed to working with him on this book, it's been nothing but Moose, Moose, Moose. But I have to admit he's had a fascinating life. To be plucked out of obscurity and thrust into the limelight may be the dream of every actor in the world, but in reality it's more of a challenge than most people realize. It's hard not toget caught up in all the glitter and hype of Hollywood and completelylose sight of what's really important--family and friends. As egomaniacal as Moose is, he has never forgotten where he came from or taken for granted the fans that got him where he is today. He's a complex guy--selfish and independent, demanding and feisty, impatient and intense, arrogant and stubborn, and strong-willed. But heis also loving, caring, thoughtful when he wants to be, charismatic, funny, charming, and above all loyal. In short, Moose is a Jack Russell terrier with an attitude. Is there any other kind?

“People who love dogs often talk about a ‘lifetime’ dog. I’d heard the phrase a dozen times before I came to recognize its significance. Lifetime dogs are dogs we love in especially powerful, sometimes inexplicable ways.”–Jon Katz In this gripping and deeply touching book, bestselling author Jon Katz tells the story of his lifetime dog, Orson: a beautiful border collie–intense, smart, crazy, and unforgettable. From the moment Katz and Orson meet, when the dog springs from his traveling crate at Newark airport and panics the baggage claim area, their relationship is deep, stormy, and loving. At two years old, Katz’s new companion is a great herder of school buses, a scholar of refrigerators, but a dud at herding sheep. Everything Katz attempts– obedience training, herding instruction, a new name, acupuncture, herb and alternative therapies–helps a little but not enough, and not for long. “Like all border collies and many dogs,” Katz writes, “he needed work. I didn’t realize for some time I was the work Orson would find.” While Katz is trying to help his dog, Orson is helping him, shepherding him toward a new life on a two-hundred-year-old hillside farm in upstate New York. There, aided by good neighbors and a tolerant wife, hip-deep in sheep, chickens, donkeys, and more dogs, the man and his canine companion explore meadows, woods, and even stars, wade through snow, bask by a roaring wood stove, and struggle to keep faith with each other. There, with deep love, each embraces his unfolding destiny. A Good Dog is a book to savor. Just as Orson was the author’s lifetime dog, his story is a lifetime treasure–poignant, timeless, and powerful.

My Life as a Dog is the funny, heartwarming and moving story of a life shared between a black and tan dachshund and his owner. Drawn from their many years together, it explores how Kevin overcame his cruel upbringing to flower into a self-confident dog that left people spellbound, and his owner learned to navigate the difficult times they faced.