Katie Up and Down the Hall: Dog book review
January 28, 2011 • Product Reviews •
By Guest Reviewer: Kelly Ladouceur
Cocker Spaniel lovers across North America were all abuzz about the upcoming launch of Glenn Plaskin’s book Katie Up And Down The Hall. The snippets and tidbits that had been released in late summer and early fall caused excitement to reach high levels among breeders and companion owners alike.
This book appeared to have universal appeal as a story of a dog that united neighbors living within an apartment complex. I pre-ordered mine and waited eagerly for the copy to arrive.
We, as a community of dog lovers, were not disappointed. Not one bit. From the first paragraph, where Glenn gave readers his history as a non-dog lover, to the end of the book, with its inevitable bittersweet ending, we were all hooked. Some of us stayed up all night, unable to put the book down. Others read every time they had five spare minutes. The common thread is that we all devoured it, word by word and page by page. And the other common thread is that we all loved it.
Glenn has a gift with words, bringing Battery Park to life for his readers. We met his neighbors and friends and instantly felt comfortable and at home with them. We smiled at Katie’s puppy antics, and our hearts pounded in fear as they experienced the attacks on 9/11. Our hearts broke and our stomachs knotted up as Glenn went through challenges and losses in his life. Most of all, we fell in love with Katie and her magical ability to weave peoples’ lives together, simply by wagging her tail. We weren’t the only ones to fall in love with Katie. Katie was adored by many, including celebrities such as Katherine Hepburn and Ivana Trump.
The complete title of the book is Katie Up And Down The Hall: The True Story of How One Dog Turned Five Neighbors into a Family. But truly, Katie, through Glenn’s fantastic storytelling, brought far more than five neighbors. She united a community of dog lovers too. That’s a pretty incredible feat for one little dog and her human, but they did it.
If you haven’t read Katie Up And Down The Hall run, don’t walk, to your nearest bookstore and pick up a copy now. You won’t regret it!
Center Street, Hachette Book Group
© 2010 by Glenn Plaskin
ISBN 978-1-59995-254-3
Note: We accept no monetary compensation for reviews. Review is NOT sponsored by publisher and is the sole opinion of the reviewer for FIDO Friendly magazine. We welcome your feedback and comments.
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