Dayle Campbell Gaetz's inspiration for Sea Dog came from the story of a dying dog found on the beach after a storm who, once healthy, would often insist on swimming far out to sea. Young Kyle, whose father doesn't live with him and his mom anymore, befriends a similarly determined dog. But one day the dog spots a pipe-smoking sailor with a big gray beard and it's quickly apparent what-or who-Treasure has been searching for. Is Kyle going to lose his only friend? Illustrations in this early reader chapter book are by Amy Meissner, who works in an Anchorage studio with two "bad orange cats."; 1-55143-406-7

--review by Louise Donnelly, who writes from Vernon.

[BCBW 2006] "Kidlit"