Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A professional photographer and volunteer for animal rescues, Stavrinides combines her passions in this heartwarming collection of stories and portraits of 50 amazing dogs and their loving owners. The book opens with a shot of Wyatt, a golden retriever, alongside his best friend, Ashton, a young boy with autism, shyly peering over a railing in the background. Through the companionship of his dog, Ashton developed enough patience and empathy to play little league with kids his own age. The succeeding stories are just as inspiring: Readers meet Kody, the yellow lab that jumped in front of his owner and was bitten three times by a rattlesnake. Not every animal's story is as dramatic as Kody's, but all are just as touching. Max, the massive Rottweiler wins over the hearts of his owners at a Humane Society benefit, and Buddy, the stray golden retriever insists on riding shotgun. Almost every entry is paired with at least one image of the dog-sometimes mid-play or lounging with its owner, sometimes in a portrait setting. Even cat-lovers will have a hard time holding back when they take a look at actor Chevy Chase's lab Chris, grinning with eyes closed. It's an aw-shucks collection sure to inspire a trip to the local shelter. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
Whether adopted from a shelter or removed from dangerous situations such as abandonment, neglect, or simply being lost, these lucky dogs all have one thing in common: they hit the jackpot in finding loving, "forever" homes. Pet photographer Stavrinides's title features unevenly written but compelling narratives, each brief entry in this uplifting and inspirational book shows a beautiful image of the dog with its new family. The profound joy of both human and canine is elegantly portrayed in their goofy smiles of happiness. Ordinary individuals along with celebrities such as Chevy Chase, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Shirley Jones, and Chuck Scarborough are featured, and they all recount how they connected with the pictured rescue dog. Many of the stories reflect the reality that it's not always easy to assimilate a rescued dog into family life and that the animals can frequently have difficulty learning "house rules," but that the payoff is enormous. Over and over readers learn about the deep, enduring connection that families make with their rescues and how this has changed life for both parties. VERDICT Essential for dog lovers and those who are active in rescue as well as animal photography fans.-Susan Riley, Mamaroneck P.L., NY (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
