DOG LOST

In her first novel published in the United States, Canadian author Lee takes on negative attitudes toward pit bulls with this tender story about a boy and his dog. Eleven-year-old Mackenzie O’Rourke’s dysfunctional home offers him little comfort until his widowed, alcoholic father brings home a pit-bull puppy won in a card game. Mackenzie christens the dog Cash, and the two become inseparable. Months later, Cash fiercely defends Mac from his drunken father’s rage. Angered by the dog’s ferocity, Mr. O'Rourke takes Cash and abandons her in a field. Throughout the next several months, Cash barely survives. Meanwhile, as a debate about outlawing the owning of pit bulls heats up in town, a mysterious pit bull performs several acts of bravery. Is it Cash? Will it be enough to change voters’ opinion? Without moralizing, the author argues that dogs, regardless of breed, can be trained to be violent—or not. Several scenes where dogs are treated cruelly are well presented. Based on a true story, this moving, fast-paced tale will appeal to fans of Shiloh. (Fiction. 9-12)