Published by Feiwel & Friends

Summary:  Chance has had a rough year, winding up at a shelter called Dogtown minus one leg.  After the humans decide he’s a good luck charm, he gets the run of the place, eventually befriending Mouse (a mouse) and Metal Head (one of the robot dogs who also come to the shelter).  When Metal Head decides to escape and try to go back home, Chance and Mouse go along to offer help and moral support.  Metal Head’s boy, now a cool middle schooler, rejects him, and Metal Head is heartbroken.  Chance finally reveals his own story, encouraging Metal Head to focus on the future.  The three make it back to Dogtown, where Chance discovers he is on the dreaded List, meaning he will be heading for the great dog park in the sky.  His final desperate action results in a surprising happy and heartwarming ending; since this is billed as book 1, we may get to hear more of Chance’s story.  Includes a list of seven things kids can do to help shelter dogs.  352 pages; grades 3-6.

Pros:  I loved this book way more than I was expecting.  Although it’s over 300 pages, the chapters are short (some only a page), and there are plenty of illustrations, so it would make a great first “real” chapter book for an elementary reader.  It’s refreshing to see a book with both humor and heart aimed at those younger readers.

Cons:  Chance’s story just about broke me.