Customer Reviews

A Dog's Life: Autobiography of a Stray

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Squirrel tells her story in simple, yet powerful language. The images are vivid. It is a testament to the heart of the will to survive, never giving up, and trying to remain optimistic. I would highly reccomend this book for pre-teens, teens, and adults. Some of the best literature out there is Juvenile/young adult fiction. The Autobiography of a Stray is one of those books. Make yourself a comfy bed, turn around on it 3 times and settle down contently to read this book.

Puppies Squirrel and Bone come into this world in a toolshed behind a summer house. The toolshed already houses cats and birds, even some mice. But there's always room for another, so Squirrel and Bone, alongside their mother, take up residence in a wheelbarrow inside the toolshed. While food is scarce, and often hard to find, the family is warm, and safe from predators. During their short time in the toolshed, Squirrel and Bone learn the rules of hunting from their mother. But when she disappears one day, after setting out for food, Squirrel and Bone know that they must leave the shed in the hopes of finding a better life for themselves. But when the two siblings are separated, Squirrel must get used to being alone. That is, until she meets up with Moon, another dog who resembles Bone. Over the course of their time together, they meet up with humans - both good and bad - and many dangerous obstacles that stand in their way to make a better life for themselves, but they never give up hope, and keep trucking, dreaming of a day when things will be better for themselves.

I have been a fan of Ann M. Martin for over thirteen-years, since her BABY-SITTERS CLUB days. And, as an avid animal lover, and the proud parent of three handicapped cats that I rescued from shelters, I was ecstatic to stumble upon A DOG'S LIFE. While it will bring a tear to your eye, and often cause you to put the book down for a breather, A DOG'S LIFE tells the brutal life of a stray animal. The abuse they take at the mercy of the hands of humans - both kind and unkind - and what they go through on a daily basis simply to find food. Told in first person - or dog - narrative by Squirrel, Martin has woven a remarkable novel for readers of all ages that will touch the hearts of all, and bring about hope that maybe, someday, all animals will live in peace, and none will be left "unwanted."

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

A Kid's Review:
I think that anyone who loves dogs should read this book because it is just the best book I've ever read. I'm nine years old and I'm obsessed with dogs. A Dog's Life was so good I could hardly put it down.

There were a lot of emotional ups and downs in the book. I think the writer gave very good details so you could see a really good picture in your mind.

I was so inspired by this book that I have now written a book about the life of a horse!

Squirrel, the puppy, is born in an old shed. She doesn't have any humans to take care of her, but her mother loves her very much, feeds her and keeps her warm. Squirrel spends her first summer playing with her brother, Bone, learning to hunt, getting to know her neighbors (like the orange barn cat), and snoozing in the sun. She also learns that humans are only good for one thing --- their garbage. Squirrel finds some yummy things to eat in what humans throw out.

One day, Squirrel's mother doesn't return to the shed. Bone and Squirrel wait for her, but she is gone. Though they miss her dreadfully, Bone decides to do some exploring and Squirrel tags along. They attempt to cross a busy highway and narrowly miss getting hit. Two people stop and pick up the puppies, but their help is short-lived. After only one night of accidents, howling and trash diving, the puppies get tossed out in a mall parking lot. A shopper decides to take Bone home, but leaves Squirrel, who is now alone.

Squirrel learns to survive. She must discover food to fill her empty belly and find shelter from the drenching rain and frigid cold. She continually must be on watch for the starving dog packs and other aggressive animals, and is always wary of people and their cars. Every now and then, she finds a kind human --- like the boy who feeds her chicken, the women who leave out plates of food in the parking lot, and the gentle vet who sets her broken leg. But will Squirrel ever find a human to love, one who needs Squirrel just as much as Squirrel needs her and is willing to give Squirrel a good home?

Prepare to shed some tears as you read Squirrel's story. This heart-touching tale really brings to light the serious problem of homeless animals. By giving readers a firsthand look through a stray's eyes and heart, A DOG'S LIFE will inspire all to work together to eliminate this desperately tragic way of life that so many animals must suffer. Ann M. Martin herself volunteers for an animal rescue, and she has successfully brought her true-life observations onto the pages of this amazing book. A must-read for everyone!

--- Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman, author

The Beginning

The book I'm reviewing is A Dog's Life by Ann M. Martin. The setting is mostly in towns and woods.

Bone.
It all starts for Squirrel in a wheelbarrow. Her mother has many puppies but only two survived, Squirrel and her brother Bone. They live in a shed never entered by humans. As they grew their mother taught them how to hunt and feed off garbage heaps. But one day Mother leaves and never returns. Bone and Squirrel leave their shed and travel a long way when they stand before a highway with cars zooming by. Suddenly a car screeches to a stop and a married couple step out. They adopt Squirrel and Bone. Squirrel and Bone are later thrown out of the married couple's car once again strays. Bone is separated from Squirrel in the mall parking lot and they may never see each other again. But it's not all to bad. Squirrel meets a dog named Moon. Will she ever find Bone?

Like or Dislike?

I really liked this book because it's told from a dog's point of view instead of a human's. It also has a great vocabulary word choice so it's more interesting. It may not keep you on the edge of your seat but it will make you want to read more. It's sad at some points for example, Squirrel and Bone's mother leaves and never returns when they are just puppies and still have much to learn before they can be on their own in the woods. There is also some happy parts in it like, Squirrel and Moon meeting when Squirrel thinks she'll be alone for the rest of her life. Their travels are filled with fear of predators, excitement and kindness shown by town residents. This book was great in my opinion!

One more thing to know

Sometimes along the way to new places Squirrel and Moon get into some fights with desperate dogs in search of food. She and Moon get hurt many times and sometimes need a few days to recover before traveling again. They also go in and out of towns in which they receive kindness from the residents and they see pet stores, bakeries, and toy stores. She stays away from humans the best she can. But finally when there's an accident she's taken to the vet by a small family who later adopt her. What was the accident? Will this be her permanent home or, will she once again become a stray? The answers are to be found in A Dog's Life by Ann M. Martin.

Recommendation

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes dog's or who like's Ann M. Martin's books.

Squirrel was born a stray with her brother Bone in a shed with their mother, Stream at a summer house. Squirrel befriends the residents in the shed a cat named Yellow Man and all the mice. Mother teaches her puppies everything they need to know. But one morning after mother vanishes Bone and Squirrel decide to leave. The shed was the only place Squirrel knew, but she would leave if Bone left, he was her brother.
Bone and Squirrel face many challenges, a highway, which two people take them home from. They don't live there very long. After one bad night, with garbage taking, barking and going to the bathroom in the house, the husband takes the two puppies to a parking lot and throws them out. Two woman come along and take Bone, which makes Squirrel alone.
Alone Squirrl faces new challenges, the cold of winter, starving dogs who will kill to eat, roads, and people. One night Squirrel finds a dog, who she says resembles Bone. Her name is Moon. Squirrel is happy to have a companion. They live together for some time, until a speeding car takes Moons life.
Squirrel gets a home but only for the summer, her owners move away. Alone again Squirrel finds a scent that sends her searching... Bone's, but it saddly only leads her to the parking lot where the husband threw them out a few years ago. "And i was smelling place, the last place in which i had seen my brother." Sqirrel tells us. Squirrel lives on through the cold of winter and the heat of summer, till she is an old dog. An old dog with black fur beginning to turn white, a filmy eye, bad hearing in one ear, and very achy bones in the shoulder and leg I had broken when I was young. I was weak too.
Squirrel finally gets a home with an old lady who names her Addie. A Dogs Life is a very very sad and heartwarming tale of a dog and her life. I am re reading it again because I love it so much. Anybody will love this book. Squirrel makes you feel like you are right there with her. It is a very emotional book.

"I've known of dogs who dined on fine foods and led pampered lives, sleeping on soft beds and being served hamburger and chicken even steak. I've known of dogs who looked longingly at warm homes, who were not invited inside, who stayed in a garage or a shed or under a wheelbarrow for a few days, then moved on. I've known of dogs who were treated with the gentlest touch, dogs who were treated cruelly by human hands, dogs who starved and dogs who grew fat from too many treats. I've known all these dogs, and I've been all these dogs." This is what Squirrel said. Squirrel lives many different lives and survives through good and bad. She loses her mom, brother, and her best friend, Moon.
You are able to hear what Squirrel is thinking, and it all relates to any dog you may have met. You are able to understand her thoughts as she goes through all her hard times as a dog. Squirrel meets new friends, new enemies that try to attack her, she even goes long amounts of time without eating, because when snow comes, it's hard to hunt so she has to find garbage heaps.
I enjoyed reading A Dog's Life, and I liked the way the book was put together. Kids who like animals, like fiction, and are around 11-13 years old would really enjoy this book.

I liked this book from the very first time saw this book. i looked in the back and i knew i just had to but it. I think it is the best book ever. I think animal lover will just fall in love with this book. I think children should read this book and that there should be a 2nd part to the book or something because it is great and I whould buy the copy and tell my friends about it to. That is how great i think it is

I really enjoyed this book.Ann M. Martin is a tremendous author.This book also won a newberry honor award for its awesome work. A dogs life is a wonderful fiction for teens and adults.It is one of the best novels i have ever read.I enjoyed this book because is is very suspensful and amazing.This book is pretty sad but it was still an awesome book.

As a special education teacher who has elementary students with some very difficult home situations, I watched kids shift from silliness to rapt attention and deep connection to this dog as I read it aloud. Any book that can allow these students to make text to life connctions about enduring hardships is top notch in my book. They beg me to read more every day!