A dog's life : [the autobiography of a stray]

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Title:

A dog's life : [the autobiography of a stray]

Author:

Martin, Ann M., 1955- author.

Dillon, Wendy.

Summary:

Squirrel, a stray puppy, tells her life story, from her nurturing mother and brother, to making her own way in the world facing busy highways, changing seasons, and humans both gentle and brutal.

Audience:

Ages 9 to 12.

General Note:

Subtitle from container insert.

Unabridged.

Edition:

Library ed.

Physical Description:

4 sound discs (ca. 65 min. each) : digital ; 4 3/4 in.

Genre:

Audiobooks.

Subject Term:

Dogs -- Juvenile fiction.

Orphaned animals -- Juvenile fiction.

Dogs -- Fiction.

Orphaned animals -- Fiction.

Author(s):

Dillon, Wendy.

Publisher:

Random House/Listening Library,

Publication Date:

2005

ISBN:

9780307283474

Publication Information:

New York : Random House/Listening Library, p2005.

Call Number:

CDB J MARTIN

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607002600115	Juvenile Books on CDs	MARTIN	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

Summary

"I can't speak for all dogs.
Not all dogs are alike.
And most certainly, not all dogs
have the same experiences. . . ."

Squirrel is not like most dogs. Born a stray, she must make her own way in the world, facing busy highways, changing seasons, and humans both gentle and brutal. Her life story, in her own words, is marked by loss, but also by an inspiring instinct to survive. And when it seems she will roam the woods and country roads alone forever, Squirrel makes two friends who, in very different ways, define her fate.
At once heartrending and hopeful, Ann Martin's exquisite story of a dog's life is told with her trademark grace and insight.

Summary

Author Notes

Ann Mathews Martin was born on August 12, 1955 in Princeton, New Jersey. She received a degree in elementary education and psychology from Smith College. She worked as a teacher, was an editor of children's books for both Bantam and Scholastic, and then became a full-time writer.

She is the author of several series including the Baby-sitters Club series, Baby-Sitters Little Sister series, California Diaries series, and Main Street series. Her other works include Ten Kids No Pets, Here Today, On Christmas Eve, and Rain Reign.

(Bowker Author Biography)

Reviews (2)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 4-6-This is Ann Martin's first person account of life as a stray dog (Scholastic, 2005). Squirrel and her brother Bone are pups living in a country estate's garden shed. When their mother fails to return one day, Squirrel follows her brother to look for a new home. Mother had taught them basic survival skills-to hunt for food and beware of humans. On the road, they learn another life lesson-to be wary of highways with cars. Squirrel and Bone become separated, so Squirrel moves on alone. She befriends Moon, another stray. The two dogs watch out for each other, changing homes with the changing seasons. A fatal car accident separates the two. Squirrel again sets out again on her own, employing survival skills until she meets a woman named Susan and finds a stable home. Wendy Dillon's warm, calm voice is the perfect match to tell the tale of the experience-worn Squirrel. She adds nuances of pitch and tension to her voice when reading the few passages of dialogue. This story begs to be listened to multiple times. A good choice for animal lovers.-Stephanie Bange, Wilmington-Stroop Branch, Dayton Metro Library, OH (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Publisher's Weekly Review

Martin's (A Corner of the Universe) winsome novel, written from a canine's point of view, is sure to melt the hearts of animal lovers, as she traces the dog days of a stray named Squirrel from birth to old age. The pooch spends his first few months safe and warm inside a shed. She first ventures out into the larger, more threatening world after her mother disappears and brother Bone decides it is time to explore the woods. From then on, life becomes a battle of survival for Squirrel, scrounging for food, avoiding busy streets and remaining wary of humans who may or may not be friendly. During her life, Squirrel gets separated from her brother, finds and loses a canine companion named Moon, and stumbles upon a handful of temporary owners who do not always prove to be loyal. Besides offering a glimpse of how strays learn to fend for themselves, this saga of a lonely dog delivers a subtle but strong message to potential dog owners, conveying the negative effects of neglecting, ditching or abusing a pet. After following Squirrel's harrowing encounters with freezing temperatures, dangerous enemies and near starvation, readers will utter a sigh of relief when she finds a human who needs Squirrel as much as Squirrel needs her. Ages 9-12. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

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Reviews (2)

School Library Journal Review

Publisher's Weekly Review