The Boy Who Talked to Dogs

September 15, 2014
Like Cesar Millan, the famous Dog Whisperer, McKenna has made a career out of helping dog owners better understand their animals. But this isn't really a book about dog whispering; it's the story of how McKenna, an Irish kid who ran away from home in 1970, wound up in Australia, where he became known as the Dreadlock Dog Man. It's a heartrending story, too: a homeless boy who thinks his life is worthless, with no hopes for a happier future, finds a family of sorts in a pack of wild dogs. By learning how they communicate, how they have created their own kind of social structure, the boy begins to discover how he can fit into human society. The book doesn't have much in the way of name valuethe author is not very well known on these shoresbut its story is universal. Readers expecting a how-to-talk-to-your-dog book will be sorely disappointed, but those looking for a well-told tale of personal struggle and inspiration will be very satisfied.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)