Finding Danny

May 15, 2010
Grades 3-6 Sabrina Bree Davies journalist parents have never-ending news monster deadlines, so Brees border collie, Danny, has always been her main companion in their upscale Santa Monica neighborhood. When her mother, rushing to work, accidentally leaves the gate open and Danny disappears, Brees anger, brewing after years of neglect, surfaces. The distraught 12-year-old visits local animal shelters, where she discovers countless abandoned and lost dogs, many of which are red listed to be euthanized in a matter of days. In her search she meets free-spirited Katrina survivor and dog rescuer Rayleen, and soon Bree finds herself running an animal shelter adoption day, with help from her friends Rayleen and Ashton, Brees Shakespeare acting partner and potential boyfriend. This quick-paced story with a spunky tween heroine and typical mother-daughter angst will encourage young animal enthusiasts to get involved in their community animal-rescue efforts and readers of all sorts to stay connected with friends and family.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)