Happy 1st Birthday to A Dog's Way Home!

This month is one year since A Dog's Way Home started its journey into the wide world. I'd been wanting to write a Happy Birthday blog post to honor the anniversary, but what to say? I thought, well I could talk about the fact that its sold in three countries: Germany, Poland, and Russia. And that film option rights have been sold, and that it will be coming out in audio and paperback this summer. And all those are things to celebrate.

But the other day, I got this email from Debbie in Alabama. She told me about one of her twin daughters who is a passionate reader, reading A Dog's Way Home and how much her daughter loved it. She loved it so much she said she thought her mom should read it. And not only that, she felt pretty sure she'd read it to her daughter. Not to mention she did an awesome school report on it so she could share it with her whole class.

And I thought, this is the best way to celebrate Abby and Tam's journey out into the world. This is why I wrote the book. This is all I could ever wish for.
Debbie writes:

Laura and Tam

A few weeks ago I took both girls to our local Books-A-Million to choose their books. Lately Laura has been into all the "girl" books such as the ones written by Wendy Maas. This time as I was sitting on the floor in the children's section of Books-A-Million, I suggested she read something along a different line. While she was still looking in the "girl" books section, I idly came across your book on a bottom shelf. I showed it to Laura suggesting she give it a try. Reluctantly, she put her girl book back on the shelf and started flipping through "A Dog's Way Home". She said, "Okay, Mom. I'll give it a try."

Laura's Super Project!

 

She completed the book today and let me tell you, she did not put that book down until she finished! Each and every night she would get in bed at least 20 minutes early just to read. Any free time she had was spent on the screened deck in the glider with a blanket wrapped around her, her cat in her lap, reading her book. Every day she would tell me what was going on with Tam and Abby. When she finally finished the book around noon today, she came downstairs holding it near her heart like a dear friend. She said, "Mom, you remember telling me a few weeks ago about the book you were reading? That it was so good you didn't want it to end? Well now I know exactly how you felt! This is the best book I've ever read in my whole life.  I didn't want it to end! I'm going to keep it and read to my child someday." Then she wrote her name and the date on the inside of the book.

A sad Abby

 

Tam, lost and alone

For her book report presentation, she chose to do watercolors of three scenes/settings in the book. She did a watercolor of Tam lost in the woods, of Abby crying in her bedroom after losing Tam and of the coyote whose leg was caught in a trap that Tam befriended.  She had to write a five to seven sentence paragraph describing the scene then mount everything on poster board. It turned out beautifully.

 

The little coyote

As a mother of young, impressionable daughters, it is so refreshing to see my girls pick up a book and fall completely in love with the story. Needless to say, I have your book beside me in bed right now and will start reading it myself tonight. After I read it, Natalie will probably read it, too. Who knows? Maybe my husband will want to jump in there, too! J

In a world of computers, ipads, cell phones, electronic gaming and the many other areas of electronics, thank you so much for writing a book that made my daughter want to read before choosing any of the afore mentioned things. May the world be blessed with more authors like you.  

"Tam is a much loved shetland sheepdog..."

Happy birthday, A Dog's Way Home!