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Book Review

Publisher's Note:

Ever since Stella was a puppy, she was trained to use her powerful beagle nose to sniff out chemicals used in explosives and warn her human handler in order to keep people safe. But during a routine security inspection, Stella is distracted and misses the scent of an explosive chemical. The sound of the blast is loud and scary. Stella survives but her handler—her best friend in the whole world—is gone. Stella blames herself, certain she’s a bad dog. Scared of loud noises, especially thunder and fireworks, Stella struggles with her anxiety and must be retired from being a service animal. Several families try to foster her, but sometimes Stella is so scared she howls or digs or tears things up with her teeth. She wonders if anyone will want to adopt her. An expert dog trainer, Esperanza, thinks she can help. It’s Stella’s last chance to prove she can be a good dog. Stella has every reason to love her new family, especially the young human named Chloe who smells like chocolate chip cookies, newly cut grass, the pages of books, and something else—a strange chemical she can’t quite identify. Chloe has epilepsy, and a chemical inside her body surges just before she has a seizure. Stella’s nose makes the connection. But how can she warn Esperanza without her thinking it’s just Stella’s usual anxiety? How can she convince her new family that she can be a new kind of service dog and hopefully save Chloe’s life? Told from Stella’s point of view, readers will experience life through a dog’s eyes, ears, and, especially, h…

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Stella

by McCall Hoyle

Reviewer: Beth
Genre: Fiction
Recommended Age: 9+

Overall Book Review:

“You must do the thing you cannot do.”  Echoing the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, Connie–who is Stella’s original handler, trainer, and most importantly, friend–taught Stella to be brave and use her skills to help others.  Now, fast forward.  Life changed the day the bomb exploded and Stella has to re-find her courage.  That’s where someone named Chloe comes into the story.  With her child-like faith, she teaches Stella that “Maybe true love isn’t something that can be earned through good work or destroyed by bad mistakes.  Maybe true love is trusting someone or something so much that you feel safe enough to be yourself with them.”  

Narrated by Stella, this story is heartwarming.  It could quite possibly inspire us humans to be a little less judgmental, quicker to forgive, and more generous with our love.  The author has done an incredible job giving us insight into the heart and mind of Stella.  She’s smart, kind, and loyal.  Keep a tissue box close by as you read though because there are a few spots that might melt your heart.

Although there are many excellent themes throughout this story, two of my favorites are seeing Chloe lead a normal life even though she struggles with epilepsy and watching how love transforms Stella.  Each lives with a disability but they learn to overcome the challenges that temp them to quit. 

There are a few gripping and heart-pounding spots throughout the story, but the author, McCall Hoyle, has done a superior job keeping her young readers in mind as she describes these scenes.  Fast-paced from the start, the author’s ability to open the hearts of Stella and Chloe for the readers makes this story addicting and a thoroughly enjoyable read!

Review of an Advance Reading Copy

This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by Shadow Mountain Publishing


Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language:  None

Violence/Gore:  Several mentions of a woman killed in a bombing, others are also hurt, no detailed or gory descriptions; a woman pushes a dog with her foot in anger, no mention of harm to the dog; a few mentions of putting a dog down because it might be for the “dog’s own good” because it cannot overcome past tragedy; a dog at a cemetery can smell there are dead people who aren’t coming back; a pre-teen has 2 seizures; 2 mean teenage boys, one points a BB gun at a pre-teen’s face and throws fire crackers at her and a dog, dog receives minor injuries; a dog gets lost in the woods; a cat scratches a dog’s face; a dog has bad memories, a girl gets lost in the woods, no permanent harm; fire in the woods. 

Sex/Nudity: None

Mature Subject Matter:

Epilepsy, an airport bombing, death, animal adoption center, cemetery, mean teenage boys, BB gun, PTSD, survivors’ guilt, fear, fire.

Alcohol / Drug Use:

None

Overall Book Rating
Profanity/Language
Rating:
0
10
Violence/Gore
Rating:
2
10
Sex/Nudity
Rating:
0
10

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About the Reviewer

Beth
Reading a good adventure story has always been a vacation in the theater of my mind. When I’m stressed or just need to get away for a few minutes, I love the opportunity to climb into somebody else’s world. I didn’t enjoy reading until I was in the Air Force and building bombs in Korea; it was a wonderful distraction from the real world. (I tried bull riding, but it wasn’t exciting enough.)

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