White Fur Flying by Patricia McLachlan. Realistic Fiction
Zoe and her family, who foster rescued Great Pyrenees dogs, hope that their furry friends will help the new boy next door find his voice.
Themes/Content: Family, courage, rescue dogs, mutism, Great Pyrenees dogs, writing, imagination, friendship, coping, patience, parrots, first person narratives
Recommended for: Grades 4 and up, dog lovers, read aloud, role models, Adopt a Shelter Pet Month (October)
My Two Cents: This is a heartwarming story for dog lovers everywhere. Zoe’s entire family serve as wonderful roles models. Her mother is passionate about rescuing unwanted dogs. Her father is a veterinarian. Her sister Alice has a vivid imagination and see everything through the lens of an author writing a story. Zoe is patient and courageous, especially when it come to her relationship with the new neighbor, Phillip.
Minor spolier alert: If you’re looking for high drama, this is not the book for you. There is just enough drama to to add a hint of danger. This is not a tear-jerker… no dogs die in this book.
This book would make a great read-aloud for any class. I would be the perfect choice for October, which is Adopt a Shelter Pet month. You could even tie in community service projects with the local animal shelter.
Similar/Paired Books from EHUE Library:
- Bial, Raymond. Rescuing Rover : Saving America’s Dogs. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2011. Print.
- Kehret, Peg. Shelter Dogs : Amazing Stories of Adopted Strays. Morton Grove, Ill.: Albert Whitman, 1999. Print.
- Laidlaw, Rob. No Shelter Here : Making the World a Kinder Place for Dogs. Toronto: Pajama Press, 2012. Print.
- McDonnell, Patrick. Mutts : Shelter Stories. Kansas City, Mo.: Andrews McMeel Pub., 2008. Print.
- Nuzum, K A. The Leanin’ Dog. New York: Joanna Cotler Books, 2008. Print.
- Paulsen, Jim, and Gary Paulsen. Road Trip. New York: Wendy Lamb Books, 2013. Print.
Favorite Quote: “We laughed and laughed so much that Kodi woofed at us, and the sun came out from behind a cloud creeping across the yard and up the steps to warm our feet.” (MacLachlan, Patricia. White Fur Flying. NY: Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2013. 47. Print.)
The Final Word(s): Simply sweet! 😀
Curiously Questioning 