Janet Elder (1) (1956–2017)

This is Janet's story. It's a very sweet story about a puppy, but even more, it is a story about people. Janet has no intention of getting a dog for her son, in spite of frequent requests from the time he is old enough to phrase the question. The first chapters deal with why Janet feels the why she does about Michael having a dog-- her love for animals that influenced him from when he was young; her history with beloved family dogs; and (most of all) the problems with a dog in a New York show more apartment and two very busy parents.Then comes Janet's cancer ordeal, which leads her to change her mind, and decide Michael needs the love and stability a dog would provide in his life.Notice, so far Michael is peripheral to the story, and Huck doesn't enter the story until about 1/4 of the way in. This is primarily Janet's story, framed by her son, his dog, and a lot of other people. And that's OK.As soon as Huck arrives on the scene, everyone in the book falls in love with him. I'm more of a cat person than a dog person, but I could see the appeal of this puppy!The book continues through Huck's integration into their lives, and then their first vacation without him, leaving him in the loving hands of family members. The book follows the family's reaction to Huck's disappearance, and the experience of searching for him.The story had me tearing up over and over again, although never quite crying. One page I'd be tearing up because of her cancer diagnosis, then because of all the help she received from others. The book goes back and forth on this emotional trip. I occasionally wondered if it would start to feel manipulative, but it never crossed that line for me.As I read this book, I kept thinking that it would make an excellent gift for animal lovers and for those that like being reminded about the good in our world, whether or not they are dedicated readers. show less

Huck is not just a story about a lost dog. It is a book about surmounting the odds, winning in the face of adversity, and not giving up. It's about finding strength in yourself and those around you. A boy who won't give up on his dream to find his dog. A mother who won't give in after being diagnosed with breast cancer. A man who will not give up on his love and faith in both his son and his wife, no matter the tragedies they face. It's about tears, pain, and great joy. It's about the love a show more family finds in a dog, a town of strangers, and most of all in themselves. show less

Leading busy, full lives in Manhattan with their son Michael, Janet and Rich didn't feel they had time for a dog despite Michael's nearly life-long campaign for one. But when Janet is diagnosed with breast cancer, she and Rich agree that a dog would be a comfort and diversion to Michael during this difficult time, and poodle puppy Huck joins the family and they all fall in love with him.

But when they take a Florida vacation to celebrate the end of Janet's cancer treatments, Huck runs away show more from Janet's sister's home in Ramsey, NJ. The family fly back and start a physically and emotionally demanding search that brings them in touch with the nicest and most helpful folks in Ramsey and neighboring towns. Rich, a New Yorker, can't believe or fathom the kindness of strangers. And it is one of these angel strangers who actually do help re-unite Huck with his family.

Janet, despite her curt and cold cancer diagnosis, and ongoing treatment, focuses on the positive, hopeful and wonderous parts of life - family love, dog love, and incredible kindness and friendship. Makes you want to move to Ramsey, NJ! Very sweet and readable. show less

Think of the Acknowledgements section at the back of most books: a name-dropping memorial of gratitude. Now consider Huck as the title of this book; the subtitle, The Remarkable True Story of How One Lost Puppy Taught a Family -- and a Whole Town -- About Hope and Happy Endings as its whole story (although it’s really a story of perseverance and the kindness of strangers); ... and the 289-page narrative as an interminable Acknowledgements section.

I felt disrespected as a reader with this show more memoir. The first paragraph introduces the author’s (breast) cancer and the second introduces Huck, a red-brown toy poodle puppy. But the third paragraph begins a long detour into backstory: her son; his desire for a dog; her diagnosis; her marriage; meeting her husband; her happy-turned-unhappy childhood; her sister and that family; their friends; their vacations; the uncaring actions of healthcare professionals; the hick-ness of people outside Manhattan. We do get back to Huck in time for him to be adopted by the author and run away from her sister’s house in suburban New Jersey, but the story is always much more about the idea of a dog than about flesh-and-bones Huck.

It's tedious and overwritten, all journalistic exposition -- mostly mini-biographies of people, including the New Jersey townspeople who help search for Huck (therein the “Acknowledgements” feeling). It’s without tension until we’re within hours of finding Huck, and then it’s police-procedural type tension. I didn’t care viscerally about anyone in this book, which seems better suited to self-publication as a family history or a thank-you note to Huck’s search party than released to a wide readership. But I did admire the collective residents of New Jersey who helped find the dog, and Huck earns two stars for its reminder of that kindness of strangers.

(Review based on an advance reading copy provided by the publisher.) show less