Daisy Fellows' death was swift and painless. She died in a crash when a horse came out of nowhere, and her father freaked out. Daisy finds herself in an afterlife Job Center where she gets to pick a new life her soul to live in. Then, uh-oh! Daisy goes through the wrong door and finds her soul born into the body of a puppy. Really? A DOG?! Come on, universe, you can do better than this! Dog-Daisy is adopted by horrible pet owners, and decides to find her parents. She runs away from her bad owner, and embarks on a scary journey home. Only to find out that her parents have moved away in an effort to forget about the tragedy that has occurred. Daisy feels as if all hope is lost. But when she meets a runaway boy named Pip who is searching for his long lost father, her loyalty shifting from her parents to Pip as her soul settles into its new purpose. Pip may need her more than she needs her parents.
The Dog, Ray
By Linda Coggin
| Interest Level | Reading Level | Reading A-Z | ATOS | Word Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grades 5 - 12 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
By turns humorous, poignant, and moving, this tale of a girl who comes back to Earth as a dog is a nuanced portrait of death, love, grief, and hope.
When my death came it was swift. Swift as a running horse. It wasted no time.
Daisy, age twelve, has died in a car accident. She finds herself in the afterworld, which resembles nothing more than a job center. Her soul is being returned to Earth, but not as a human being—she’s returning as a dog. A dog who retains Daisy’s thoughts and pluck and is determined to get back to her parents and to get back home. What she doesn’t expect is that life as a dog named Ray would come with such worries—and moments of jubilation—as she grows to care for others in a whole new way. Told in a compelling first-person voice, Linda Coggin’s incredible novel touches on loyalty and freedom, connection and acceptance, and is sure to stay with readers long after the story is done.
When my death came it was swift. Swift as a running horse. It wasted no time.
Daisy, age twelve, has died in a car accident. She finds herself in the afterworld, which resembles nothing more than a job center. Her soul is being returned to Earth, but not as a human being—she’s returning as a dog. A dog who retains Daisy’s thoughts and pluck and is determined to get back to her parents and to get back home. What she doesn’t expect is that life as a dog named Ray would come with such worries—and moments of jubilation—as she grows to care for others in a whole new way. Told in a compelling first-person voice, Linda Coggin’s incredible novel touches on loyalty and freedom, connection and acceptance, and is sure to stay with readers long after the story is done.
Publisher: Candlewick
ISBN-13: 9781536200447
ISBN-10: 1536200441
Published on 4/10/2018
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 208
Book Reviews (2)
This might not be a good book for younger readers, because there is death. But Daisy Fellow's death was very fast, as fast as a running horse. And now she needs to find a way back to her parents, after that tragic car accident in which human Daisy died, and came back to earth as a dog. How long will it take to become a owned pet?