Customer Reviews

Mad Dog (Starlight Animal Rescue)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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Wes Williams is a 14 year old foster kid from Chicago who wants nothing more than to be with his mom, who is currently in rehab. He has some anger issues, and is also gifted in training dogs. The mother of his foster dad, Georgette ("George") gives Wes the task of training some dogs for a pilot program for the local assisted living retirement home. His foster family is pretty awesome, and while there is some resolution to some of his anger and challenges in the end it is definitely not a "pat" answer.
I enjoyed this book and recommend the series for both pre-teens, teens, and adults as well!

Mad Dog, the second book in Dandi Daley Mackall's Starlight Animal Rescue series, tells the story of 14-year-old Wes Williams. Wes is from Chicago, and all he wants to do is return home. The only thing holding him back is that he has to wait for his mother to get out of rehab; but once that happens he'll be far away from the rescue farm and he'll never be coming back. Until then though he'll spend his time with his dog Rex, and he'll also be working on training rescued dogs and trying to place them into good homes. But when one of his rescue projects gets to be too much to handle, and he has to turn to another foster on the farm for help, will he finally snap, or will he ultimately allow God to get a hold of him?
This book was just as good as the first. Mackall does a really amazing job writing about both people (especially teens), and animals. What I love is how real her characters are. None of them are perfect, or anywhere close to being perfect, and yet you really can't help but love them. In my opinion, she has once again she has woven together another winner.

I could go on and on... I LOVE Dandi Daley Mackall, my number 1 favorite author!!!!!!!!!!!
I've read: Wiinie the Horse Gentler Series, Starlight Animal Rescue, and even her new series, Horsefeathers! GO FOR IT!!!!

Our family LOVES this series...we've got all of them now. Would love to see a movie based on this book...my daughter loves these books! I've also read them and they're an easy enjoyable read.

Bought this book for my 11 year old animal loving daughter. She loves this new series by Dandi Daley Mackall as much as the "Winnie the Horse Gentler Series".

When almost 16-year-old Dakota Brown learns she is being placed in yet another foster home by social services, she begins plotting her escape. After all, she has run away from seven foster homes already and starts creating a list on how to quickly make this newest placement number eight. Little does Dakota realize how the quirky Dr. Annie Coolidge and her stay-at-home husband will pull at her heartstrings.

With hearts of gold and actions to match, the Coolidges demonstrate unconditional love in the most simple and practical ways that even the cynical Dakota can't resist. Their love for one another and for the teens living in their home far outshines even the most painful past reminders of other adults who have let the foster kids down in earlier times. That and their assortment of horses, dogs and cats make for even more interesting adventures as each child finds his or her own special niche with these wounded animals. Dakota, Wes and Kat learn to relate better to each other and give back the love they've never received.

All in all, the Coolidge farm makes for a lively, unlikely family who are slowly allowing their broken hearts to mend through faith, hope and love.

--- Reviewed by Michele Howe