I like the subject matter (veterans, PTSD, service dogs, whole family healing) and I think it's done well. I particularly like that Daisy does not succeed as a service dog, but things still work out. ( )

Daisy is a couple of days away from being euthanized at the pound. A veteran, his son and the dog trainer come to find a rescue dog to be trained as a service animal. C0lonel Victor feels a kinship with Daisy and even though the trainer tries to convince him to choose another dog, a puppy even, he chooses Daisy. Colonel Victor is suffering from PTSD and needs a service dog to help him with his uncontrollable emotions. His son Micah is disappointed, he wanted a puppy, a pet, not a dog to be used as a tool. Even though training was not successful at the beginning, Victor wants to stick with Daisy. Her human pack does not know what Daisy has been through though and unfortunately, this causes some difficulty with her training and her testing. Will she be able to learn all of her lessons and be able to assist Victor in the ways he most needs? Will she become certified so the VA will help with her expenses because Victor can not work?

It's difficult to write a novel from a dog's perspective. I like the way the author used colours to describe what Daisy was sensing. Using Daisy as the narrator was a good way to show Victor's difficulties without overwhelming young readers. We also are able to see how life can be difficult for a rescue dog. I really enjoyed the story, especially the ending. Not only does this book shed light on the plight of rescue dogs, but it also shared a family perspective on what military families often deal with when their "soldier" returns from active duty. Victor's difficulties were shown in an honest straightforward manner as well as showing how it affected the rest of the family. Micah is the character who young readers will identify with. He wants to have a relationship with his father like his friends do and often is unable to understand what is going on. He gets angry often at both his father and Daisy. PTSD is a common issue with the many veterans in North America and this book was a good way to show one thing that is being done to help them. It raises some awareness as well as giving resources at the end if you want to find out more. This book is geared to middle grade readers, but I really enjoyed it. I think anyone who is an animal lover or interested in finding out more about service dogs would enjoy this book no matter what your age. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Edelweiss. ( )

Daisy is in an animal shelter and counting down the days until she may have to walk through the door to what she calls the Bad Side—so named because a dog walks through that door and is never seen again. By her reckoning, she has two more days before she’s taken to the Bad Side, and she’s not optimistic about her chances when three humans walk through the door of the Good Side looking for a dog. She has observed that humans tend to prefer the puppies, and Daisy is not a puppy. To Daisy’s surprise, Victor Abeyta chooses her. He’s looking for a dog to be his service dog—a dog that will help him cope with his struggles after returning from combat. There’s a catch to going home with Colonel Abeyta though: Daisy will have to pass a test to be a true service animal at the end of ten weeks of training. Daisy feels she’s up to the task, and she’s excited to be part of the Abeyta pack, but there are a lot of challenges for her along the way.

A DOG LIKE DAISY is a book that will make your heart weep and sing. Both the Colonel and Daisy suffer as a result of the lives they’ve led before finding each other, and they’re both being trained to navigate a world that can be scary, awesome, and a little too exciting at times. Kristin O’Donnell Tubb uses Daisy as the narrator, and that choice is a brilliant way to share the difficulties of PTSD with middle grade readers. Daisy is a terrific character, and the author’s ability to imagine the thoughts of a smart (and sometimes hilarious) dog gives this story a depth that would be lacking if we could only see the human point of view.

As a military mom whose son has dealt with the difficulties of war, I particularly appreciate Tubb’s treatment of military families in this story. She acknowledges their pain and challenges, and she does it with sensitivity without giving into the lure of sensationalism. There were so many sentences in this book that had me catching my breath that I can’t list them all, so suffice to say that the writing is beautiful.

The only thing that would have improved A DOG LIKE DAISY would have been more insight into Anna Abeyta (Victor’s wife). That may be my military wife/mom bias talking though, and others may not mind that she’s a bit of an elusive figure.

A DOG LIKE DAISY reminded me of THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN, not just because of the dog-as-narrator aspect, but also because of the gorgeous writing and the use of the dog’s voice as the perfect vehicle for the story being told.

My thanks to YA Books Central and the publisher for an advance copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. And my thanks to Kristin O’Donnell Tubb for a book that I can recommend to other military families. ( )