Say Good-Bye (Wild at Heart No. 5) (Paperback)

by Laurie Halse Anderson (Author) "I'm up early, making French toast-not the Wonder Bread kind, the real stuff, with thick, day-old French bread, fresh strawberries, and powdered sugar on top..." (more)
Key Phrases: therapy dog, Nurse Bennett

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Grade 4-6-When Zoe's mother moves to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career, the girl is shipped off to live with her grandmother, Dr. J. J. MacKenzie, a veterinarian who runs the Wild at Heart Animal Clinic. This fifth installment in the series finds Zoe struggling to deal with her mother's absence and learning to adjust to a new school. Her major project, however, involves her efforts to housebreak a new puppy, Sneakers, that just won't behave. Zoe learns through volunteer work at the veterinary clinic and advice from her cousin that sometimes the owner's lack of patience is the problem. Zoe also meets a therapy dog that was recently diagnosed with cancer. After working with Yum-Yum and his owner at the children's hospital, Zoe realizes how important the dog has become to the patients, and worries about how his death will affect them. Fans of animal-centered fiction will enjoy the undemanding story line and Zoe's dilemmas as she learns to fit in with the gang at Wild at Heart, train Sneakers, and prove to herself that she and her pet can make a difference in the lives of the hospitalized children. The author includes end matter about therapy pets.
Jennifer Ralston, Harford County Public Library, Belcamp, MD
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description
Seeing Jane's dog, Yum-Yum, help cheer up children in a cancer ward makes Zoe think about having her puppy, Sneakers, trained to do therapy, too, especially when Yum-Yum becomes very ill.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 125 pages
• Publisher: American Girl (March 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1584850515
• ISBN-13: 978-1584850519
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,021,005 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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• This is item 5 in The Wild at Heart Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Saying Good-Bye, June 23, 2001

By	Kristin Rattigan (In Bed) - See all my reviews

This story takes you with Zoe,a girl who lives with her grandma nad her cousin Maggie.She has a dog named Sneakers who is very not-behaved. She helps work with her grandma as a vert volunteer along 4 other children who all love animals. In this adventure the story meets Zoe's favorite customer ,cute little Shih Tzu Yum-Yum.Yum-Yum is owned by Jane,a hairstyliist and she loves t do Yum-Yum's hair too ! Well Yum-Yum who is very well trained goes to the hospitial and sees kids wit cancer.It helps cheer them up and get happiness. When one little girl mentions that YUM-Yum has stinky breath Jane gets allworried because she does brush his teeth everyday and he has treatments.After they leave the hospitial they go see Zoe's grandma for a checkup on Yum-Yum. The results aren't very well. They found a cancerous tumor ,will they have to say Good Bye ? This is a great book and I really loved it. I am an animal lover so that's one reason I loved this book.It also is realistic,not everything is all happy all the time ,this book was also very sad as you feel like you become Zoe you feel like her ,cry with her, and rejoice with her. I believe any animal lover ought to read this.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best summer reading!!, August 13, 2003

A Kid's Review

This book was about a dog, Yum Yum, who entertained the children at the cancer hospital. I loved Yum Yum and so did the children in the book. Yum Yum stole a place in my heart!!!!!!!!!!! I am going to read all the wild at heart books!

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Book, February 24, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Say Good-bye (Wild at Heart) (Library Binding)

Zoe, the main character lives with her grandma because her mom is an actress in Hollywood,CA. Her grandma gives her a dog and she names it Sneakers. Zoe's grandma runs the Wild at Heart Animal Clinic. One of the clinic's patients is Yum-Yum, a dog that visits children at the hospital who have cancer. The children teach Yum-Yum tricks and everything. Yum-Yum is the highlight of their day. Yum-Yum's ower takes Yum-Yum to Wild at Heart Animal Clinic and they find a tumor. I think this was a very good book. I think it is a good book for people who like animals, especially dogs.