Honey the Dixie Dingo Dog: Champion of the Strays by Allen Paul is the first book in the Honey the Dixie Dingo Dog Series.  The story is based on actual events and told from the perspective of Honey, a Carolina Dog (or Dixie Dingo) born in the swamps of the American South.

The book takes place in the Deep South and it is written in a colloquial style that makes it difficult to follow until the reader can find the flow of the language.  Once found, however, it is very charming and adds a beautiful flavor to the story.  Throughout the story, the author skillfully weaves the action with the fascinating history of the Carolina Dog breed and the sport of canine agility.  The main character, Honey the dog, narrates the entire story in the first person and her voice is exactly how one would image a dog’s–loyal and loving with a good deal of worldly innocence.  The connection the reader develops with Honey through her narration is essential since it is what keeps the story moving through the majority of the book.  The book is divided into three parts and, despite the endearing character of Honey, the book is pretty slow through the first two sections; those serving really as a just a lead-up to third.

A note to the animal loving reader:  In all truth, as someone who works with a dog rescue myself, this book hit close to home and there were characters and happenings in the book that were, sometimes, disturbing and left me very angry.  That being said Honey is a true underdog story that pulls at the readers’ heartstrings and leaves them uplifted.

This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by New Shelves Distribution

Content Analysis:

Language/Profanity:  6 mild obscenities; 5 anatomical terms.

Violence/Gore:  Many references to hunting/trapping/killing animals (some mildly graphic); many references to dead or injured animals; animal fears being eaten by another animal; animal is caught in a jaw trap/breaks leg; animal chases another animal; hunter tried to kill animal; animal nips humans fingers; reference to how a WW2 pilot died in a plane crash; reference to a human boxer’s broken nose; a few historical references to the Trail of Tears and the Cherokee Indians;  female dog disciplines puppies; a few references to poison; human is thrown off a horse.

Sex/Nudity:  A few non-graphic references to animals mating/reproducing.

Mature Subject Matter:

Illegal activity, death, the value of living creatures, ethics, abandonment, violence, animal cruelty.

Alcohol / Drug Use:

Adult humans drinking and smoking.