Rescue

by Marie Etchell

Overview

Twelve-year-old Charlie's life is in tatters: his parents are splitting, he's quit soccer, he hasn't had a growth spurt like all his friends, and he wants a dog more than anything. When he volunteers at the vet's, he meets Buster, the Chocolate Labrador Retriever with magical powers who flies Charlie through a series of adventures in which he rescues others, and eventually, himself.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780889956964
Publisher:	Red Deer Press
Publication date:	02/01/2023
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	248
File size:	796 KB
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Marie Etchell has spent most of her life sharing her living space with Chocolate Labrador Retrievers, and is constantly inspired by their playfulness and loyalty and character. This is her debut novel. She lives in Victoria, BC.

Editorial Reviews

2023-01-25
A tween with a lot on his mind and a dog with magical powers cross paths in Langley, British Columbia.

Charlie Campbell, almost 13, is unhappy that his father will be moving out. Even soccer doesn’t feel like fun anymore. But Charlie adores dogs and dreams of becoming a veterinarian, plus he wants to avoid being at home listening to Mom and Dad arguing. So, he begs Dad’s friend Dr. Anderton to take him on as an after-school volunteer at his veterinary clinic. Charlie enjoys most aspects of the experience, but the highlight is meeting elderly chocolate Lab Buster, a retired service dog with hip problems who, like Charlie, is nursing a broken heart; Buster’s owner died, leaving him homeless and at risk of being put to sleep if no one adopts him soon. On their daily walks, Charlie and Buster encounter one unusual situation after another in which they are called on to help people in distress. It also turns out Buster has magical powers: He can fly. Through his relationship with the dog, Charlie grows emotionally and recognizes that while they were helping others, Buster was helping him, too. Animal lovers, readers who enjoy stories blending realism with fantastical touches, and young people struggling with parental conflict will enjoy this accessible novel. Charlie defaults to White; there is some diversity in the supporting cast.

A gentle, slightly fantastical story about hurting and healing. (author interview) (Fabulism. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews