(洋書を読んだ)The Dog Who Lost His Bark by Eoin Colfer ★★★★★

Last friday, our family dog passed away. And we are all really sad. I'm still processing my sadness and I'm allowing myself to be sad for a while. Our dog lived for 17 years and for a big mutt, that is pretty long. His life didn't start out easy. When he was just two months old, someone left him outside in a cardboard box with his brothers and sisters. A kind vet went around looking for a home for each of the dogs and that's when we met. Our decision was super quick- we were going to keep him. 

This story is also about a rescue dog and his new buddy Patrick, and how their relationship develops. The rescue dog (who Patrick names "Oz") is a scared little mixed puppy who went through so much that he no longer trusted humans. Patrick was also going through a rough phase with his parents divorcing. They slowly open up to each other and the lovely bond that they have gets stronger and stronger with time. I think that's the best part about having a pet dog- the bond gets stronger just by being with them. My favorite part of the story is in the end when Patrick and his mom are hugging and crying and Oz wiggles his body in between them and licks Patrick in the face. It brought tears to my eyes because our dog also used to lick me in the face whenever I was feeling sad, and it always made me smile.

Dogs are magical and so special, and as they say, "A dog is a man's best friend." I lost my best friend but reading about Patrick and his dog Oz, made me remember the good times I had with our dog too. In a little bit I think I'll be able to focus more on the great memories our dog and I had together, and less about the fact that he's gone. 

This book is a chapter book for young kids. Ths illustration is also superb. I recommend it to all!