SURPRISE AT THE BEACH

A man, a dog, and a kitten come together in Bellringer’s playful novella.

Luke Garrick is a builder by trade who likes to take his rescue dog Buddy to the local beach; Buddy gets his kicks chasing after seagulls. One day, there is a surprise: Buddy comes across a kitten among the dunes. The kitten, whose name is Freddie and looks as “if he’d been out for a night or two on his own,” comes with a phone number. He belongs to the Jones family, and though it seems like it would great fun to keep him, he must be returned. The Jones household is, however, not the ideal place for a cat—the family consists of two unruly young children and their indifferent-seeming mother. The place is messy when Luke arrives, and the children do not even properly thank Luke for bringing back their pet. To make matters worse, when Freddie is handed over, he shivers. Luke starts to wonder if Freddie might be happier elsewhere…perhaps with him and Buddy. It’s certainly an idea that Buddy seems to approve of. The text is brief at fewer than 60 pages, and the story moves quickly. The focus is on the bond these three creatures share; it feels authentic, evidenced by the way Luke enjoys watching Buddy run on the beach and how Buddy is immediately protective of his new friend, Freddie. The narrative is light on conflict—at one point it seems as though Luke might be in trouble for bringing Buddy to work, but it turns out the boss loves dogs (he may just be “Buddy’s biggest fan”). The Jones family does sound an odd note, but readers never learn all that much about them. The ending proves pleasant for man, dog, and kitten alike.

A fun, if minimally dramatic, tale of human and animal bonding.