From the first pages, anyone who has ever volunteered or worked at an animal shelter (and I have done both) will find their heartstrings touched and will recognize the fact that this is a very special book. After the heart-wrenching Forward, Ms. Perlin simply tells us, in brief vignettes, of how Alex and the other dogs she encounters became interwoven into of the fabric of her life.

But this is not just a sweet memoir. No, the author has an important message to convey about the importance of animal rescue and adoption and she does not do so by preaching or citing statistics. No, instead, she simply describes how shelter dogs have changed and enhanced her life.

As the ‘mother’ of three shelter/rescue dogs who are now approaching their twilight years, I found Ms. Perlin’s writing profoundly moving. In addition, the book is punctuated by beautiful illustrations that capture the inner quality of all these wonderful animals.

I highly recommend this read to anyone who loves animals or who is considering adopting a dog and I look forward to reading more from Ms. Perlin in the future.

I give it: