Stephen W. Meader (1892–1977)

Great book! I am happy to add it to my short list of favorites that I put in my shelf for ‘dogs-favorite-books.’ I will try not to give away much of the story from what is in the summary for the book that contains:

It is the dramatic and moving tale of a courageous bull terrier. Bat’s luxurious life as a pet and valuable show dog might not have seemed a good preparation for the hardships that overtook him when he was stolen. But his fine instincts and courage came to his own show more rescue.

Copyright on the book is 1939. Seems like they liked their dogs to come from rich homes and have a stint successfully competing in dog shows. The dog show part was of less interest to me as a dog that happens to be gifted with the perfect show qualities to me is a distraction from how every dog is amazing. I see how a ‘show dog’ having adventures adds to the drama though.

The rich home life I think is always fun for us normal folks to read about. I liked this bit about their Christmas tradition:

After dinner Miss June and the family came, followed by the butler, the cook, the maids and grooms, the gardener and the kennel-man, and carols were sung for half an hour. Then presents were distributed to all the servants. At last, when goodnights and holiday greetings had been spoken, the dog and the girl were left alone in the glow of the Christmas tree.

I have a lady come in to help with the cleaning every few weeks, so I guess sounds similar to my house…

As the summary says, Bat is stolen and they put an ad in the papers for his return:
“’ Lost, strayed or stolen: White English Bull Terrier, last seen on beach at Ventnor, Sept. 7. Well-grown dog, 20 months old, weight about 55 lbs. Registered as Ch. Snowboy of Battersby. Answers to name of “Bat.” A family pet, highly valued to owners. $500 reward for return, no questions asked. Address all communications to Ransdell Faulkner, Ventnor, N.J.’”

There are times the dog is rescued and times the dog rescues others.

"The bloody head lifted feebly and one battered eye opened. Frightened, Tony almost took his wagon and ran away. Instead he stayed, for he saw that the animal was trying pitifully to wag his tail."

Since Bat is a bull terrier, there is some aspects of dog fighting in the book but handled well in defense or protection of others. When he is stolen he has a stint with real dog fighting but it is off screen. But when he has to defend or protect:

'An instinct for battle that had come to him from a thousand fighting ancestors thrilled through his whipcord body. He dove into the fray like a bolt of white lightning.'

Love how stoic dogs are to keep going through suffering always in hope of a happy ending:
'And if you had passed him as he crouched there at the top of the porch steps, shivering in the October wind, you would have seen an unquenchable spark of hope in his somber black eyes.'

The book made me cry in a good way which I have not done for a while. I highly recommend this book and it is a great addition to a library of classic dog story books. show less

Great book! I am happy to add it to my short list of favorites that I put in my shelf for ‘dogs-favorite-books.’ I will try not to give away much of the story from what is in the summary for the book that contains:

It is the dramatic and moving tale of a courageous bull terrier. Bat’s luxurious life as a pet and valuable show dog might not have seemed a good preparation for the hardships that overtook him when he was stolen. But his fine instincts and courage came to his own show more rescue.

Copyright on the book is 1939. Seems like they liked their dogs to come from rich homes and have a stint successfully competing in dog shows. The dog show part was of less interest to me as a dog that happens to be gifted with the perfect show qualities to me is a distraction from how every dog is amazing. I see how a ‘show dog’ having adventures adds to the drama though.

The rich home life I think is always fun for us normal folks to read about. I liked this bit about their Christmas tradition:

After dinner Miss June and the family came, followed by the butler, the cook, the maids and grooms, the gardener and the kennel-man, and carols were sung for half an hour. Then presents were distributed to all the servants. At last, when goodnights and holiday greetings had been spoken, the dog and the girl were left alone in the glow of the Christmas tree.

I have a lady come in to help with the cleaning every few weeks, so I guess sounds similar to my house…

As the summary says, Bat is stolen and they put an ad in the papers for his return:
“’ Lost, strayed or stolen: White English Bull Terrier, last seen on beach at Ventnor, Sept. 7. Well-grown dog, 20 months old, weight about 55 lbs. Registered as Ch. Snowboy of Battersby. Answers to name of “Bat.” A family pet, highly valued to owners. $500 reward for return, no questions asked. Address all communications to Ransdell Faulkner, Ventnor, N.J.’”

There are times the dog is rescued and times the dog rescues others.

"The bloody head lifted feebly and one battered eye opened. Frightened, Tony almost took his wagon and ran away. Instead he stayed, for he saw that the animal was trying pitifully to wag his tail."

Since Bat is a bull terrier, there is some aspects of dog fighting in the book but handled well in defense or protection of others. When he is stolen he has a stint with real dog fighting but it is off screen. But when he has to defend or protect:

'An instinct for battle that had come to him from a thousand fighting ancestors thrilled through his whipcord body. He dove into the fray like a bolt of white lightning.'

Love how stoic dogs are to keep going through suffering always in hope of a happy ending:
'And if you had passed him as he crouched there at the top of the porch steps, shivering in the October wind, you would have seen an unquenchable spark of hope in his somber black eyes.'

The book made me cry in a good way which I have not done for a while. I highly recommend this book and it is a great addition to a library of classic dog story books. show less

In the 1830's a young man decides to invest what little savings he has in a peddler's pack and heads west from New England to Ohio. He has all sorts of adventures, both fun and dangerous, along the way, makes new friends, helps various folks out, and decides on a path for his life.
This Newbery Honor book was surprisingly good. Bill - the main character - is easy to root for and the story moves along at a good pace, with some honest-to-goodness seat-edgy moments scattered throughout.

In 1805, seventeen-year-old Tom Lockwood, his aunt and uncle journey westward from their Pennsylvania farm to join friends living in Missouri. Their peaceful trip down the big Ohio river, aboard a keelboat, turns deadly when the group falls into the hands of river pirates.

With the help of friends made along the way, young Tom and his faithful dog, Cub, set about rescuing his family using all the grit, determination, and ingenuity they can muster.