Midnight at the Shelter -A middle school read

304 pages grade level 3-7 Quill Tree Books publisher Nov 1,2022 publish date

ABOUT THE BOOK

Written with a distinctively doggy voice, great humor, and plenty of heart, this novel from acclaimed author Nanci Turner Steveson is a perfect pick for readers looking for a touching animal story in the vein of Because of Winn-Dixie or Marley & Me.

Rescue dog MahDi is happy helping his human partner, “MomDoc,” with the important work at her vet clinic and the local animal shelter. The two of them make a good team, caring for the town’s pets and matchmaking rescue animals with the families who need them.

When the shelter is suddenly down a staff member, the animals have to deal with a new caretaker: Huck, an unpleasant man who seems to have no problem threatening the animals he’s supposed to care for. As more dogs crowd into the shelter than are going to new homes, MahDi begins to worry that if MomDoc isn’t around, there is no telling what Huck might do.

With three perfectly good legs, the heart of a true leader, and his pack mates by his side, MahDi is willing to risk everything to save his shelter-friends from an uncertain future.

MY THOUGHTS

Midnight at the shelter has a distinctive doggy voice. This is a middle school age chapter book. Told from the voice of our main character a dog. The dog is owned by a vet and before this the three-legged dog had not had a good life.

A town stray, he was captured along with his other doggy friends and thrown in a truck, the truck is in an accident, and he is the only survivor but loses a leg in the process. The vet who cares for him adopts him. The vet gives medical care to the animals in the shelter so they can be adopted.

The dog tells the story of some of the animals in the shelter waiting to be adopted. The book is really hard to read as it describes the depression the animals have for being at the shelter for so long and the abuse and neglect, they have had before they came to the shelter.

Though it’s sad it’s also realistic and this is why I think it’s a good thing for children to read. Maybe after reading this, children will think not to abuse an animal because they have feelings too and animals not being treated right have long term consequences from abuse and neglect sometimes to never recover.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nanci Turner Steveson grew up with a book in one hand, the reins of a pony in the other. She wrote her first “novel” at age nine about a wild horse named Liberty. Nanci is a member of Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and is on the Board of Directors of the Jackson Hole Writers Conference. She is a theatre stage manager, Teen Creative Writing Instructor at the Teton County Library, and reading fairy to book hungry children. The mother of two grown sons, Nanci lives in a historic meadow cabin in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, with assorted horses and dogs. She is dedicated to getting books into the hands of the homeless through her Literacy for Hope Project. Nanci is represented by Al Zuckerman, the founder of Writers House, LLC, and can also be reached through her web site at http://www.nanciturnersteveson.com

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