THE BOY WHO SPOKE DOG

A tender exploration of the bond between man and his best friend, Morgan's thoughtful adventure uses the relationship between human and animal to cast a warm glow on each. The narrative alternates between the point of view of Moxie, one of the dogs living on a remote island years after his master died in a house fire, and Jack, an orphan who is taken in by a crew of sailors only to be shipwrecked and deposited alone on Moxie's island. The old blind dog Sage has been telling of a messianic return of "the humans," and Jack's arrival on the beach is seen as a great blessing by most, but as an ominous portent to the suspicious Kelso. Morgan uses simple, clean prose to paint two separate pictures of two distinct perspectives on innocence—the kind that Jack has apparently just lost, having to face the world on his own once again, and the kind that Moxie is just discovering, rooted in the singular love that comes from the connection between man and dog. Many insights come from the canines' view of humanity ("Humans are complicated.... I was told that often humans think by barking in their minds. The inside of a human's mind must be a very noisy place," Sage tells Moxie). The pacing is swift, and the surprising and touching finale begs for a sequel. Ages 9-12. (Nov.)