Jimmy was an unassuming little pup, at least in all the ways a little lab should be. Food and water were plentiful. Love was never in short supply. Treats...ah yes....treats were wonderfully delicious. Every day Momma would make him something delightful for breakfast, George would pat him on the head on his way out to work and the rest would take care of itself. Then one day, a storm came like no other. Momma and George had to hightail it out of there leaving Jimmy with a promise to return shortly...but shortly never came leaving this little fuzzy scared and alone as he struggled to survive. It wasn't simply a matter of being patient for his humans to come back home. The rising waters and dangerous winds wreaked havoc on one and all, just imagine being tiny and small in an outside world you only knew from your front yard! Scary... O-O

Thank goodness our little Jimmy was resourceful....yes, to put your mind at ease, he makes it. With the help of a little otter, he learns to work with the waters not against them. With the help of Mother Nature, he manages to be fed...and narrowly escape death a few dozen times. Eventually, with the help of man....he is rescued not once but THREE times. On his continuing journey he will make friends, learn from the hardened soul of another dog, find his voice....and maybe even a soul mate along the way. He will go from Jimmy to TJ to Hooper but no matter what his name, he will remind the sweet spirited pup dealt a hard hand by life that came out on top.

In summary, a touching read and much more emotional than one might first perceive but a story that was meant to be shared. Recommended reading for young readers and beyond....though I do caution parents, little ones may need some reassurance along the way. What Hooper goes through is harsh and seeing anyone in such a bad situation can be hard let alone a small puppy....but it is REAL. Just be there to remind them things turn out okay and how they can help other pets reach their own happy endings. Happy reading! ( )