This book is a wonderful read for 4th-5th graders. It keeps readers' interest throughout the entire book. The plot has exciting, action moments mixed with character development that will endear you to Dessa Dean and her father! The love and devotion of the main character with her adopted lame dog is heartwarming. Teachers, this book is a great choice for a read-aloud to your class, well worth the time!

Young Dessa Dean’s life has not been so great lately. The sudden death of her beloved mother not two months prior has left her filled with grief, and that’s not all. Her mother’s death has also left her with an extreme fear of leaving the small cabin in the woods she lives in with her daddy. Dessa spends her days all alone in the cabin doing chores and working on homework problems her father makes up for her all the while trying not to think the sad thoughts that can easily turn into “daymares.” But Dessa gets an early Christmas present one day when she opens the cabin door and finds a skinny, injured brown dog in need of a friend. Dessa needs a friend too and she is determined to win the trust of the dog, even if it means stepping out of the cabin and facing her fears. This is a sweet story about the unconditional love we get from our pets and also the simple things that make Christmas so special.