The Poet’s Dog by Patricia MacLachlan

When Teddy, a very special dog, finds two children stranded in a snow storm, he takes them back to the cabin where he lives to keep them safe.

Teddy is a special dog, he can talk and that’s because all dogs can talk but only true poets can hear them.

When the snow starts to fall heavier, the two children and Teddy are trapped in the cabin and must survive. Flora, who is 8, is in charge of food. She makes the most delicious meals from what is left in the pantry while Nickel,11, makes sure everyone is safe. The children talk about their parents and how much they love them, telling Teddy that their mother had gone to get help before the storm hit. Teddy in turn tells the children about Sylvan, the amazing poet that used to own Teddy.

Through the book, you can feel the love and admiration Teddy has for Sylvan, often telling the children in a straight forward manner about what he liked about living in the cabin and how Sylvan would type on his computer, the clacking keys sounding relaxing. In the first part of the book, you do not know what has happened to Sylvan, he is just not there (readers can draw their own conclusions) but by the end, Teddy’s recounts of life with Sylvan really showcase how much Sylvan loved Teddy (no spoilers!!)

The Poet’s Dog isn’t a long story. It only took me a couple of hours to finish but so much emotion was packed into it that I felt that i really knew the characters. If you are looking for a book that will warm your heart and make you shed a few tears then The Poet’s Dog is the book for you.