Kepler's 2020 Project in the News:
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Young Waggit, a puppy, has been betrayed and abandoned in Central Park. Like a Dickens orphan he is adopted by a new family, a pack of feral dogs living in the park hunting and scrounging for food, hiding from dog catchers, and keeping each other warm and alive during the "long cold" of winter. The dogs in this pack live by a strong moral code dictated by a compassionate leader dog named Tazar. They appreciate each pack member for what he/she can contribute and protect those who are ill and weak. They do, however, demand cooperation from all. Waggit, instinctively an excellent tracker, must learn to hunt down small animals. This is difficult for him, but he must help feed his family. Their struggle to survive is deeply suspenseful and moving. How long will Waggit be able to endure with his family in the park? And are any humans worth trusting again? This lovely story is, if you can imagine this, a mix of the best elements in The Lady and the Tramp, Lassie, and Oliver Twist. With the preponderance of fantasy books, and multipart series for young readers, this tender single story about a brave young dog living in the present sans magical spells or time-warp gimmicks, is at once old-fashioned in the best sense of the word and refreshingly contemporary. Reviewed by Vivian |
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