K. A. Nuzum

Dessa Dean is an eleven year old girl in depression-era Colorado who is afraid to leave the safety of her cabin ever since she and her mother got stuck outside in a snowstorm and her mother died. She has both nightmares and “daymares” about her mother’s death. Her father goes out every day to try to hunt for food for them, and leaves her with school lessons to do.

One day a dog comes “ascratchin’” at the door, and from then on, Dessa Dean’s life takes on new purpose. The dog is show more injured, and afraid of having the cabin door shut, so Dessa Dean uses up precious firewood to keep the dog with her during the day. As their relationship builds, each of them works to overcome their injuries (inside and out) and their fears through their growing love for each other.

This book is a bit bleak, between the wintry setting in an impoverished cabin and a dead parent. But it isn’t a book you have to be afraid to give your child. Although the mother has died, the child learns to grieve and to go past grieving, and the dog doesn’t die at the end! show less

From October 2008 SLJ:
Gr 4–7— Dessa Dean, 11, was a powerless witness as her diabetic mother froze to death when they were caught in an early-winter storm. Since then, she and her father have gone through the motions of normalcy, with him going out daily to check the traps while she stays behind to do the schoolwork he prepares and to fix their meager dinner. But things are not normal: Dessa Dean frequently relives the horror of her mother's death, and she is unable to make herself venture show more beyond the steps of their isolated Colorado cabin. The week before Christmas, though, an injured dog comes sniffing around. Dessa Dean's initial attempts to befriend it fail: the jittery animal has apparently been abused and keeps her distance. Repeated efforts pay off, but even when the dog allows Dessa Dean to approach her, she remains on edge around the girl's father. As another storm nears, he is having no success with his hunting forays and has little patience for a dog that will only stay inside when the door is open to the frigid air. Dessa Dean is caught between her growing feelings for the animal and her father's concern over their basic survival. This story of an agoraphobic girl and a claustrophobic dog and how they slowly move one another toward hope could have been maudlin, but Nuzum's pacing and spare, poetic narrative create something quite wonderful. The novel will draw comparisons to Kate DiCamillo's Because of Winn-Dixie (Candlewick, 2000), but it is certainly not a Winn-Dixie wannabe. This is a beautiful story in which friendship and the power of being needed trump despair.—Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA show less

Dessa Dean's daymares started after her mother died. They are as bad as her nightmares, except that they happen while she is awake. With her mother gone forever and her dad busy hunting to provide for the family, Dessa Dean doesn't really have a friend to confide in, at least not until a dog comes into her life. She readily adopts this dog as her friend, helps her heal from her overwhelming grief, vanquishing her daymares and nightmares. With Christmas just around the corner, this is nothing show more short of a Christmas miracle.

The Leanin' Dog is a heartfelt tale of an eleven-year-old girl struggling with the death of her mother and the changes that come with it. Though she tries to hide her sorrows from her father at times, this novel shows that you don't have to deal with grief alone.

A good writing style paired up with great characterization creates a pleasurable story. Dessa Dean is well-defined and admirable character, and I liked how the novel was told in her distinctive voice – it really helped build her character. She's innocent, brave, and friendly; and her dog is just as lovable. She frequently and fondly reminisces about her mom, even though it saddens her. She never once tries to suppress her memories of her mother, and her dog certainly provides a great outlet for her emotions. Her growth is very apparent by the conclusion of the story. Clearly, Dessa Dean's character is the strength of this novel.

This was a decent read, but I didn't find myself hooked onto it; I never really did get into the story. It just didn't captivate me. Because of the mother's death, the tone remains slightly morose from beginning to end. The ending was unsurprising and conventional, as I had already predicted what would happen.

Note: This was also reviewed for HarperCollins Children's. show less

*POSSIBLE SPOILER* Dessa Dean grieves the loss of her mother and suffers episodes of PTSD, recalling how she tried to rouse her diabetic mother from freezing to death. It's been a month and she can't bring herself to leave the cabin. Until a stray brown dog, similarly traumatized, comes into her life and helps her overcome. As one reader pointed out, it's never clear what the setting or time period is, but I'd guess 18th century upper midwest or west. There's a folksy, aw shucks tone to show more Dessa's narration. Young readers who love dog stories will enjoy. show less