MIDDLE GRADE REALISTIC FICTION: Ember by Jane B. Mason & Sarah Hines Stephens
ABOUT THE BOOK
After Ember is rescued from a devastating house fire, she longs for a forever home. But every family that adopts the yellow Lab puppy brings her back, saying she is untrainable, has too much energy, or is just plain destructive. After three failed placements, young Ember is out of options.
The Sterling family runs a ranch that turns rescued dogs into rescue dogs. They're willing to take a chance on the young Lab, not knowing that Ember's first rescue will test her skills and strength beyond imagination...
REVIEW
As a puppy, Ember received her name after being rescued and resuscitated after a house fire. Ever after she carries with her the glove of the firefighter who saved her life. But her energy and enthusiasm have made it difficult for her to find a home. After being returned to the shelter for the third time, it appears she's squandered her last chance. She's finally placed at the Sterling Center to see if she has what it takes to be a search and rescue dog. Ember demonstrates that she's finally found her niche. But challenges remain as she tries to train while relating to the various members of the Sterling family, including a cranky cat named Twig who loves to distract her. After proving herself, Ember is matched up with a handler and sets out to prove her skills in the field. Missing hikers and a forest fire set Ember and her handler up for a difficult first search. For middle grade readers who enjoy dog stories this is an interesting one. I found the training parts particularly intriguing. It's clear from the story (as well as the author's note at the end) that the authors did their homework regarding dogs in search and rescue. It makes the book that much more believable, and informative as well as entertaining.
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