Thirteen-year-old Cassie is lonely and miserable. She gets teased about her weight, her best friend started hanging out with other girls, her parents are split and she suspects her mom is dating a new man. She feels like her mom criticizes her too much and at one point thinks of just running away. Then a big white dog shows up in her backyard. She starts feeding it, thinking it can become her pet. Does odd jobs for neighbors to earn money for dog food. Reads books about dogs from the school library, but "her" dog doesn't seem to fit any of the descriptions. Then a teacher loans her a book about wolves (it's Of Wolves and Men!) and she is shocked to find that the dog might actually be an arctic wolf. Now Cassie feels she has even more problems: what's a wolf doing in her neighborhood? can she really tame and keep it? is somebody looking for it?

I really liked some things about this book, and had issues with others. It's a very nice, refreshing depiction of wolves in a book for kids- the animal's behavior is realistic and bucks stereotypes; it highlights how friendly the wolf can be after it finally trusts Cassie, how mischievous and independent and also destructive, when at one point she coaxes it into the house. I liked that Cassie showed some character development, and it was rather subtle- she overcomes her shyness to find work, realizes she misjudged some people in her life, starts to socialize more with a kid at school, and even looses weight (taking long walks uphill with the wolf). However the writing style is rather flat and simple, and some aspects of the story I felt were way too obvious, as if put in there just to make a point.... The writing seems aimed at middle grade readers, but then the themes are much more mature-

But it's a great story about a wolf. And the ending has some heightened drama which will appeal to kids- of course there are people with guns coming after the wolf (first hunters - including one of the girl's classmates - then police). There's an animal control office who chats with Cassie throughout the book, interested in catching the wolf to give to someone who trains wild animals. And then it looks like Cassie might actually track down the real owners- because this is obviously a wolf that's already been socialized to people. It has a good ending.

more at the Dogear Diary ( )

Cassie Beasley is a lonely 13-year-old girl living in California. Her mother works many late nights as a waitress at the local fast food restaurant, and her father recently left the family without saying goodbye. Furthermore, her very best friend, Lindsay, has ditched Cassie for "cooler" friends. As a result, Cassie finds herself with plenty of time on her hands and frequently tries to fill her sadness with food. If only her father would come back; then everything would be normal again.

In the meantime, Cassie would absolutely love to own a dog. Her mother doesn't want a dog because of the time and cost that an animal requires. Thus, when Cassie spies a beautiful white dog around her house one day, she decides not to tell anyone about her discovery. She soon begins to feed the dog every day and as time passes, the dog makes friends with Cassie and takes her to the woods behind Cassie's house—his home.

Feeding this large dog with yellowish eyes which Cassie thinks is an Alaskan dog is quite expensive. Therefore, Cassie has to secretly get a job weeding a local neighbor's yard to earn the necessary funds. In addition, with the help of her science teacher Cassie spends plenty of time researching Alaskan dogs. As days pass, Cassie starts to realize that “her” dog isn’t like any other Alaskan dog. Could he perhaps be a wolf?

Written in a simple yet absorbing manner, The Dog with Golden Eyes by Frances Wilbur is a fascinating story filled with many true facts about dogs and wolves. Moreover, Cassie is a relatable and delightful character who matures and learns life lessons throughout the novel. Any animal lover who enjoys the bonds that exist between humans and animals will deeply enjoy this sweet little story! ( )

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