The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

Whether or not you are a dog lover or not, this book is a wonderful story narrated from the perspective of Enzo, the family dog. Having read, Marley and Me, this book is even more wonderful! Denny is an amateur race car driver who picks out the family dog Enzo from a box of scruffy pups at a farm. Since Enzo is the narrator, we see how life is for him at the very end of his life and what is personal recollections of the life of Denny and his family entails. The beauty and wisdom of this dog gives some surprising perspectives that certainly pertain to all of us even in our ordinary lives. Enzo has immense wisdom he tries to relay although he is stuck in the body of a dog. Through triumph and tragedy, this dog would make anyone fall in love over and over again. It will also make you cherish your pets in an extraordinary way.

This was a book that makes you look at your own life, ascertain what is important and helps you sort through all the garbage that is simply unimportant. A wonderful read that you can read over again and want to share with friends and family. I give this book a huge A+!

The Rope Walk By Carrie Brown

This book was recommended to me by a friend who is also a librarian. I was in need of this particular book. Set in Vermont, where I went to college, the descriptive quality of the writing stands on its own merit. The premise of the story itself is so touching and stirs up memories of childhood summer for the reader.

Carrie Brown, the auther, transforms the reader to the magical qualities of what is intriguing, interesting and even frightening for the two main characters who are 10 year old children. The book also serves as a reminder of the diversity of the child mind and non-judgemental qualities that keep the innocence of a child in mind.

The two main characters, Alice and Theo, meet at Alice's 10th birthday party where we also meet her older brothers and father. Family history evolves as does the instant friendship of Alice and Theo. They in term form an unusual bond with an adult neighbor suffering from AIDS. In the hopes of helping their adult friend, the two children work diligently at creating a path in the woods for their adult friend Kenneth.

For anyone who is a reader, family minded and childlike inside, this book will haunt you with the beautiful language and final message. This is a must read again for me and I will hunt out other books by this magical auther.