Wander

Wander will grip young readers and won't let them go. A sensitive story of grief and loss and the need for comfort, Wander is sure to capture the readers' attention as well as their hearts until the very last page. Susan Hart Lindquist is a talented author and Wander is one story not to be missed.

Susan Lindquist's novel Wander is gentle, quiet and yet the characters and setting are so real that young readers will feel as if they are wandering with James and little Sary along the river, through the birch forest and across the fields. Like children in the novel, they will glimpse with love and concern the stray dog Wander who only occasionally ventures out of the bracken for fear of being taken by a man who believes that a stray is killing his sheep. The writing is straight forward and lucid. A lovely read.

Wander is written with an ear to the voice of the main character James. Though the author never falls into the maudlin traps of sentimentality, she captures the anquish and vulnerability of a pre teen boy dealing with the loss of his mother. The dog is intrical to the plot, but never does the book become "just another dog story" Rather it is a story of loss and acceptance,family and the power of memory in healing grief. It is humorous enough to keep your tears at bay, yet powerful enough to evoke compassion for the characters as if they were actually people you knew. It is a fine read for children nine and over, and their parents as well.