Mutt's Promise

December 21, 2015
Salamon and Weber trade the feline focus and urban setting of Cat in the City for an endearing tale of a mother dog and her good-natured puppies, set on a farm cozily evoked in the artist’s spot illustrations. Salamon’s uplifting story begins when a golden-red dog wanders onto a farm and rescues the owner’s cat from an attack by a fisher, earning her the right to stay. Called “Mutt” by the farmer, she settles in as watchdog and delivers a litter of four, who live happily under the care of a migrant worker’s son, Gilbert. Gilbert teaches puppy Luna to dance, which brings her joy and celebrity on the farm, but circumstances soon change, and Luna and her brother Chief end up in a puppy mill. Their ensuing journey back to a happy life swings predictably between successes and setbacks, but both dogs fulfill their mother’s promise—that they will find their own special talents. Mutt’s musings on motherhood add thoughtful notes, and while the ending almost stretches credibility, it’s tempered by her realistic concluding confession: “Sometimes a promise is a hope, not a prediction.” Ages 8–12. Agent: Kathy Robbins, Robbins Office.

Starred review from December 15, 2015
Three puppies learn empowering life lessons in this middle-grade tale. When Mutt, a stray dog, rescues a domestic cat from a predator's attack, the cat's owner, Mr. Thomas, grudgingly lets the dog stay. Mutt takes her job as protector seriously and patrols the land daily. Salamon's third-person narration rotates among Mutt's and other animals' points of view, an important stylistic choice when readers meet Gilbert, the Mexican boy who comes to the orchard seasonally with his family to work. In Mutt's eyes, Gilbert is a kind boy who works hard, not the vilified migrant worker that some human Americans may label him. When Mutt has puppies, Gilbert delights in them, especially the smallest, whom he names Luna. The tale takes a dark turn when Gilbert and his family leave for Florida and Mr. Thomas gives the puppies away. Luna and her brother end up in a horrible puppy mill, where they endure squalor, hunger, and punishment. Their subsequent escape, survival by wits, and determination to each find their "promise" is subtly mirrored by Gilbert's family's own immigrant story. Using simple and sturdy phrases that belie the story's sophistication, Salamon gives the journey-as-a-vehicle-to-self-discovery theme a poignancy that avoids schmaltz (no mean feat with puppies as protagonists). Weber's primitive-style black-and-white illustrations add their own emotive power. Emotional depth, adventure, and puppies--highly satisfying. (Adventure. 7-12)

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February 1, 2016

Gr 4-6-After a stray dog, Mutt, saves his pet cat from an attack, Mr. Thomas invites Mutt to stay on his farm. She is very much loved by Gilbert, the son of the farm's migrant worker. Soon, Mutt gives birth to four puppies; Gilbert adores them all, especially the one he names Luna. But his family must move on. The puppies grow and become more aware of their mother's courage and optimistic outlook. Two of the pups are adopted to good homes, but Mr. Thomas is bullied by the owner of a puppy mill into giving over the others, Chief and Luna. The puppies manage to escape the terrible mill and after an arduous journey are found by workers from a pet rescue organization. They recover from their ordeal and are adopted by Marty, an animal trainer. Chief proudly becomes a police dog, and Luna becomes a media star, but she won't be truly happy until she is reunited with Gilbert once again. The story is written in short sentences with a clear message about puppy mills, pet rescue organizations, and the bond between humans and dogs. The book is illustrated with childlike drawings in graphite and charcoal whose tones, ranging from light to very dark, are effective in communicating the narrative. VERDICT Dog lovers, especially those who prefer a tale that is easy to read and has a happy ending, will enjoy this upbeat book.-Nancy P. Reeder, Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, Columbia, SC

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