The Market Square Dog

I have to admit to being a very big James Herriot fan, having read his entire collection of "adult" level book several times over throughout the years. I have been delighted that there have been quite a number of his wonderful stories of animals published in a format suitable for the younger set. This is a story of a stray; a stray that has obviously seen and had some hard times. The tale is one of love, compassion and one that simply makes you feel good. Even though the dog is untouchable due to fear, he is eventually is injured and is brought to Herriot's shop for fixing. No spoilers here, but everything turns out as it should and the ending is quite fitting. The art work in this book is almost worth the price of the book along. The soft colors used to depict a typical English village in the earlier part of the 1900s hit the mood of the book perfectly. Each painting fits the text of the book perfectly. The illustration and wonderful story Herriot tells compliment each other perfectly. Animal lovers, both young and old will appreciate this work and it is certainly one that all children should have in their library. If nothing else, it is a good way to introduce them to this writer and indeed, to good writing overall. Highly recommend this one. I do hope the publishers keep this series going as Herriot's books are an absolute gold mine of good material that can and should be transformed into books for the young. Don Blankenship The Ozarks

James Herriot was one of the best writers of stories involving human interaction with animals. In this case, a dog appears at a market in a British city. It is frightened to the point where it cannot be touched, yet it is clearly gentle as it quietly begs for food. The main character, a veterinarian that is clearly Herriot and a policeman try to approach it but fail. Then, on a day when Herriot and his wife are going out, a policeman brings the dog to his place. It is badly injured with a broken leg and other cuts and bruises. Working together, Herriot and his wife mend the wounds and the dog then goes to a kennel. However, no one ever comes to claim the dog, which saddens Herriot. Finally, the dog is arrested, which was the term a policeman used. He had adopted the dog and the last scene is where the policeman's daughters are petting the dog. This is an excellent and heart-warming story that children will love. Herriot writes with a simplicity and directness that stimulates your emotions. You find yourself caring for the dog and hoping that it manages to find a loving caring home.