Dancing Dogs

August 15, 2012
For fans of man's best friend, a collection of insightful, moving and often unforgiving stories about dogs, cats and their people. There are lots of good books about animals, usually written for children, and a rash of bad books about dogs in particular, written to wring out the widest possible audience. But it's unusual to unearth a collection of great stories about dogs written for adults. Former journalist and mystery novelist Katz (Lenore Finds a Friend, 2012, etc.) settled comfortably into a gold mine of a niche with his 2002 memoir A Dog Year. With this book, the author brings together 16 stories about pets and people and how they keep each other company. The opener, "Gracie's Last Walk," carries on the theme of Katz' book Going Home (2011), about dealing with the loss of a pet. Another heart-rending story, "The Surrender Bay," chronicles the day-to-day courage of Emma, a part-time employee of a local animal shelter. One of the best, "Lucky's Day," deals virtually not at all with people, but follows the daily schedule of a small brown mutt who is unusually self-aware about The Deal: "It was a trade-off, Lucky cautioned. You got food and shelter and attention, but you gave up much of your natural life as a dog. Most of the time, it was a good deal." The collection runs the gamut, from a sappy story about a young girl on a mission to connect with a stray, to a gravely elegant piece about a barn cat. A tissue-box-worthy collection of animal tales.

COPYRIGHT(2012) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 1, 2012

In this first collection of short stories from best-selling author Katz (The Dogs of Bedlam Farm), a barn cat bonds with a farmyard rooster, a socially awkward seventh grader on a class field trip falls in love with an injured puppy, and a woman struggles to bring her deceased golden retriever to the vet via city streets and subway. Clearly, as our pets accompany us through the most difficult of human trials--coming-of-age, divorce, death--they support us while sometimes complicating matters. This is not a lighthearted romp with mischievous puppies--most of the selections here concern heart-wrenching loss and dilemma, with loneliness and isolation the common themes. The stories are hard to read but honestly done, and the most effective selections approach the world from the animal's perspective (e.g., "Lucky's Day"; "Barn Cat"). VERDICT For fans of animal stories who have recovered enough from John Grogan's Marley and Me to have another good cry (or several).--Jenn B. Stidham, Houston Community Coll.

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2012
Border collies, Boston terriers, pit bulls, and muttsKatz has them all and more in his first collection of stories. Told from an owner's viewpoint or occasionally that of a beloved pet, each is a unique look at life with the animals we love. A woman trains her corgis to dance, a man turns to his pup after the loss of his wife, and a commuter rescues a dog from an abusive home. Dog lovers especially will identify with the realistic characters living in broad varieties of lifestyles and situations, including the store clerk who takes her dog to work with her, the rich doctor who must find a solution to her dog's misbehavior, and the single young woman whose dog must first approve of any potential suitors. What these narratives lack in suspense and depth they make up for tenfold in charm. Katz's stories, sometimes warm and sometimes funny, are smooth, light reads that are easy to pick up and enjoy and will appeal to dog lovers everywhere.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)