I'm that pet owner who loves their pet as a friend and confidant. That owner-pet connection is a tough thing to explain, yet there is something unique about the connection my dog Marcel and I share. Perhaps it's because we found each other when we needed each other the most. I rescued him from 12 months confinement in a metal crate. He rescued me back by healing my heart after the loss of another beloved dog. After the abrupt loss of a beloved dog, Michelle rescued another. When the new pup ran away, Michelle's friendship with Karen was fortified by the search for the lost dog. This is the story of a search that brought out the best in family, friends, and strangers.

An inspiring story of survival and our powerful bond with man's best friend, in the aftermath of the nation's most notorious case of animal cruelty. Animal lovers and sports fans were shocked when the story broke about NFL player Michael Vick's brutal dog fighting operation. But what became of the dozens of dogs who survived? As acclaimed writer Jim Gorant discovered, their story is the truly newsworthy aspect of this case. Expanding on Gorant's Sports Illustrated cover story, The Lost Dogs traces the effort to bring Vick to justice and turns the spotlight on these infamous pit bulls, which were saved from euthanasia by an outpouring of public appeals coupled with a court order that Vick pay nearly a million dollars in "restitution" to the dogs. As an ASPCA-led team evaluated each one, they found a few hardened fighters, but many more lovable, friendly creatures desperate for compassion. In The Lost Dogs, we meet these amazing animals, a number of which are now living in loving homes, while some even work in therapy programs: Johnny Justice participates in Paws for Tales, which lets kids get comfortable with reading aloud by reading to dogs; Leo spends three hours a week with cancer patients and troubled teens. At the heart of the stories are the rescue workers who transformed the pups from victims of animal cruelty into healing caregivers themselves, unleashing priceless hope. Includes an 8-page photo insert. Watch a video

A heartwarming story about the growing bond between a child and a new pet—inspired by the author’s experience with a rescue dog of the same name. When a young boy and his father move from one house to another, they decide to adopt a dog from the local rescue shelter. But their chosen dog, Toby, is having a tough time adjusting to his new life outside the shelter—howling all night, hiding fearfully from his new humans, forgetting where to go to the bathroom, and chasing a ball through the flower bed. The boy has promised to train his new companion, and he’s trying his best, but Dad is starting to get exasperated. Will Toby ever feel comfortable with his new family and settle into his forever home, or will Dad decide he’s not the right dog for them after all?

On a cold winter day, a curious dog wandered onto a frozen river, and before he knew it he was traveling fast on a sheet of ice. Many people tried to help, but the dog could not be reached. Finally, after two nights and seventy-five miles, the little dog was saved by a ship out in the Baltic Sea. The gallant rescue of the little dog nicknamed Baltic made international news. Mônica Carnesi's simple text and charming watercolor illustrations convey all the drama of Baltic's journey. His story, with its happy ending, will warm readers' hearts. An author's note and map are included.

Albert, The Story of a Lost Dog tells of a small dog hurled from a moving truck into Californias mountain wilderness. Suffering from hunger, thirst and loneliness, his skin is inflamed by insects and thorny undergrowth. When he discovers a dancing fox that hypnotizes wild turkeys, Albert tries a somersault with startling results. Later an angry mother bear wallops him, but Albert is smart as well as brave. Homeless and wandering, he finally notices a man outside a cabin,alone and leaning on a cane. Running closer, he wags his tail and barks. We already have a dog, the man murmurs. But Ellen, his wife, brings out kibble and water for Albert. At nighttime, they take him inside with them. Carrying suitcases for the drive home to San Francisco, Ellen sees a black flash whirling past her toward the car. It is Albert, dreading another desertion. She lays him on the back seat and his shivering stops. Upon their arrival, two daughters greet them. The family includes a cat and another dog. A life of drama, humor, sadness and love awaits Albert in San Francisco.

" . . . extremely valuable . . . enthusiastically recommend[ed] . . . " —Western Folklore These hilarious and slightly off-color stories, although gathered in Indiana, reflect the ancient origin and universality of the joke. The chuckle, the grin, the uncontrolled belly-laugh evoked by Jokelore attest to the popularity of this ancient form of folk literature.

Learn how to travel through life on active "angel watch"—-always open to the many ways in which angels contact us—-with this thought-provoking collection of true life miracles. By weaving a tapestry of inspiring stories from readers and personal experiences, Catherine Lanigan takes readers on a spiritual journey. Angel Tales will inspire you to pursue your own divine path and leave you with a sense of peace and new hope.

The Gutenberg Connection sends young and pregnant Hannah Morraine down a dangerous path to reclaim her inheritance from the man who steals it. Preoccupied by her brothers disappearance into World War IIs European upheaval, Hannah must balance giving birth to her fourth child, taking care of her immediate and extended family, and finding a way to sell the original Gutenberg Bible that belongs jointly to her, her parents, and her siblings. The sale of the Gutenberg Bible is taken out of Hannahs trust and given to the thief who betrays the entire family. As consolation, Hannahs mother gives her a package of original medieval poetry, penned by the hand of Gutenberg. The family and Hannah are unaware of its value, which is much more than that of the Gutenberg Bible. Hannahs friend, a native German discovers its value. The Bible thief begins his plan to steal them, too. Bethany, Hannahs fourth child, arrives, and Hannah encounters Gutenberg and Christ in an out-of-body-experience. Bethany describes Hannah rescuing her children from a disgusting pigpen expedition, taking a trip to Washington to find people to help locate her brother, and her entrapment into an intended fiery grave designed for her by the Gutenberg Bible bandit. Why has God set her into such a place of mayhem? Will she survive this season of trouble and testing? Share her faith and determination as she takes on the adventure of a lifetimediscovering the Gutenberg connection.

SCHOOL’S OUT!!! All Mira and Aluna want to do is enjoy their summer. That is until they both have the same dream. What does it all mean? The more they seem to figure things out, the more weird things keep happening to the. Can Aluna and Mira figure out what’s going on before time runs out?