Jock's Island

What I most disliked about this book was that the last few pages appear to have been torn out. Either that, or in this case this good author ended her story too abruptly. The last page remaining did end with a complete sentence. But I think some was missing. If I'd had the story intact, I'm pretty sure I'd have awarded it 4 1/2 to 5 stars.

I read this as a child, too, and remembered it all this time (I'm 40 now). I found it in a used book store and read it to my kids. It's darker than I remember--but kids love that. Contrary to the other reviewer's memory, that's not how it ends. Jock leaves finds a new master living on a protected part of the island (which I don't think is near Scotland, but I have no idea where it is) and stays with him. Jock's old master was kind of nasty and good riddance to him. The end is very open and it feels a little like it was part of a larger book. I'd love to know more about it.

I read Jock's Island when I was eight years old. It was one of those animal books I ordered through those book clubs that school children order from. It was Troll, or Scholastic or something like that. I am now 37 but I remember this story clearly. It's about a border collie in Scotland who is stranded with his master's herd of sheep in the Scotland highlands due to a early and severe blizzard. Nonetheless Jock refuses to leave the sheep and lives on what he can find to eat (not his master's sheep) until that time when the snow has sufficiently disappeared so that he may bring the herd back to his master. His master, believing that he has lost his sheep, and his beloved Jock, for that matter, is filled with joy when Jock returns months (or was it weeks) later, sheep in tow. I loved this fine book. I wish I could purchase it for my daughter.