Thursday, April 17, 2008

A Lucky Dog: Owney, US Rail Mail Mascot

Author: Dirk Wales

First line: Nameless and homeless, the small dog shivered in the gloom.

Why you should read this book: A true story from the late nineteenth century, this is the tale of Owney, a stray dog who lucked onto a sweet job as the US Rail Mail Mascot. The scruffy dog rode with the mail wagons and protected mail that fell off the back until he decided he liked trains better, and started riding the rails all over the country, always returning to his home office in Albany, New York, bearing baggage tags that told the story of where he had been. This is an exciting and endearing slice of American history that will amaze young readers.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You're one of those animal-haters who gets huffy when you see a service dog in the grocery store.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

This is an engaging, upbeat, and historically accurate story enhanced by very nice illustrations. It "engages" a person on two levels. First, the fortunate outcomes of a homeless pup transformed into a traveling pooch, seeing the world in an era when most people and pets lived their lives in a single town. Second, a linkage with the reader bonds the thought that many of us are "lucky dogs" in our own lives.