Written on 6/13/2013 at 1:30 pm by eBook-mom

If my dog Winston could write a book, what would he write about?  Every day Winston watches us through the sliding glass doors as if we are his favorite television series.  Winston gives us meaningful looks and barks at my children when they get out of hand.  Winston is a large dog so keeping him in the house isn’t possible.  Although Winston did live inside when he hurt himself and had to wear one of those large cones around his neck.  Still, even though Winston lives outside, he’s a member of our family and shares life experiences with us.

Not a cartoon character

In the book, The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein, Enzo, a very wise dog shares his story and life observations.  I didn’t really want to read this book at first.  I thought it would be filled with too-cute stories and cartoon observations from a dog’s point of view; but from the first page of this story, I was hooked.  Enzo is far from being a cartoon character.  Turns out, Enzo is very wise and compassionate and a pretty good story teller.

Enzo’s owner is regular guy who dreams of being a successful race car driver.  Along the way, he meets a girl, gets married and becomes a father.  All the while, Enzo is a faithful and loyal companion to his family, as he watches them go through good times and bad times.

A very thoughtful canine

The true genius of this book is that instead of making Enzo more like a human in his thinking and actions, author Garth Stein, lets Enzo remain a canine with all the limitations and characteristics of man’s best friend.  Enzo doesn’t talk or act like a human when no one is looking.  Yet, Enzo does a lot of thinking about his situation and that of his family.  And it’s in the thinking, that we learn what it must be like to be a dog living in a human world.

A feel good book

This book just feels good to read.  Enzo loves his family so much.  He’s loyal and intelligent.  Whenever Enzo can help his family, he does his very best.  Enzo struggles with his limitations and tries to take every opportunity to improve his situation and this makes the book not only interesting but heartwarming.

I could summarize the plot for you but that’s not where the value of this story lies.  This book is one of those stories that you experience.  It’s Enzo’s feelings and point of view that will change the way you look at life.  In this story, Enzo has relationships and struggles with life.  As he tells his story, he learns things that human’s often do not learn.  We often miss things as we race through life but Enzo misses nothing.  As he learns, we learn.  That’s what makes this book so terrific.

A reading experience you’ll want to share

The Art of Racing in the Rain is a great summer reading book because it grabs your heart from the first word and doesn’t let go until the very last sentence.    As soon as I finished reading this book, I wanted to buy a copy for everyone in my family.  Reading this book is such a great experience, you’ll want to share it.  So what are you waiting for?