Dogboy

I just read this book to my ten year-old son and I can't remember a children's book I've enjoyed more. It's heartwarming, historically interesting and full of originality, especially in the portrayal of the main character Brind, the "Dog Boy" who was raised by dogs and helps care for a nobleman's mastiffs. I particularly loved the author's use of dry humor in bringing the Middle Ages to life. For instance, one of the main characters, an English knight who is captured during a battle in France by an amiable French lord (they become pals), struggles to figure out if the code of chivalry would allow him to return home when the lord suddenly dies, because the ransom to secure his freedom hasn't yet arrived from England. The story works on an adult level, yet the relationships between the half-wild boy Brind and the mastiff "Glaive", his canine soulmate, and the feisty orphaned French girl, Aurelie, makes an appealing story for children. There are some violent scenes and nasty characters, so the book is probably best for older children (as well as teens). I hope this book catches on -- it's an absolute gem.