TINA

After rescuing an abused dog named Tina, Dublin native Harbison works to build a hospital in her honor on a Thai island.

Off the grid, in the jungles of Koh Samui, the author runs Happy Doggo Land, a sanctuary that delivers nutritious meals to street dogs, sterilizes as many dogs as possible, and finds homes for rehabilitated dogs. With humor, heart, and delightful photos, Harbison shares their stories. There’s Buster, a neglected pitbull described by the owner he was rescued from as “extremely aggressive”; with loving care he’s revealed to be a caring goofball who lets puppies steal food from his bowl. Abandoned puppy Buttons strolls out of the jungle and is adopted by Oasis lead singer Liam Gallagher. And there’s Tina, the golden retriever who, after being rescued from squalor, greets each day with gratitude, joy, and a tennis ball in her mouth. Inspired by her resilience, Harbison builds an animal hospital for Thailand’s sick and injured street dogs, taking readers through the ups, downs, and detours in his journey. The descriptions of animal abuse and care are candid, although readers will find themselves shedding many happy tears too. With short chapters and accessible prose, this story is well-adapted for middle-grade readers from the adult edition. Harbison sensitively expresses the life-changing experience of a dog’s friendship and the honor of witnessing a beautiful canine life, lived to the fullest.

Heartwarming and memorable: an ode to every good doggo and a call to action for animal lovers.