Beautifully told, quietly moving and
completely satisfying.
A friend recently said to me that in our role as a Teacher-Librarian it is difficult to think about writing a book because we have the works of too many wonderful writers to compare with. I understand how true this is when I read books (just a few names I could list more) by Kate Di Camillo, Isobelle Carmody, Odo Hirsch, Avi, Karen Hesse, Sharon Creech, Glenda Millard, EB White, Michelle Paver and the author of this book Patricia MacLachlan.
The quote above comes from Kirkus and I was thrilled to see they gave White Fur Flying a star review.
Phillip has moved in next door to Lena and Alice. Their mother rescues Pyreenes dogs. Phillip has stopped speaking. His mother and father have left him with an aunt and uncle but they are not used to small boys and seem cold and distant although this is not their intention. Lena and Alice invite Phillip over to their house and there is an immediate bond between the boy and the huge gentle dogs that live in their house. Phillip also meets a talking bird who is a new addition to the household recently bought home by their father who is a vet.
"Phillip laughed suddenly. It was the only sound we'd heard from him. It had burst out of him, somehow, like music. ... He reached out and patted May. She sniffed his face, making Phillip close his eyes happily."
Two new dogs arrive in the house and one, called Jack, is quite young. A gate is left open. It is night. The weather is wild. Jack escapes. On this same name Phillip disappears.
This is one of those short books (112 pages) with a powerful story about kindness, healing and the importance of acceptance. I loved White Fur Flying. Look for it in our library today.
You might also enjoy Belle and Sebastien. I also recommend every book by Patricia MacLachlan. I recently talked about The Poet's Dog and Fly away.
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