Just Gus by McCall Hoyle

 

Just Gus

by McCall Hoyle

Publication Date: 4/4/23

Hardcover

ISBN: 9781639930937

Retail Price: $18.99

Page Count: 208

Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction

Cover illustration: Vivienne To

Back cover illustration: nearbirds/AdobeStock

Book design: © Shadow Mountain

Art Direction: Richard Erickson

Design: Garth Bruner

Synopsis:

A boy and his dog learn that they are better together.

Gus is a livestock guardian dog with one job—protecting his farm from coyotes and foxes. He likes keeping the sheep, the chickens, and his humans safe, and he’s very good at it.

One day, Diego and his dad come to visit the farm, and Gus immediately connects to the small boy. They both like to sit still and enjoy the quiet, and Gus can tell that Diego likes being around a gentle giant of a dog, that it helps relieve the boy’s constant worry.

When Gus detects the scent of a bear in the woods, he rushes to protect his flock, injuring his leg in a fight with the dangerous beast. Wounded, Gus needs to rest and heal away from his sheep, so he doesn’t risk reinjuring his leg. Diego suggests Gus come home with them to the North Carolina coast.

Suddenly, Gus is thrust into a new world of saltwater and sand and neighbors who don’t appreciate the presence of a large guard dog, like the neighbor who reminds Gus of his first owner—the junkyard man with the heavy boots.

Gus realizes Diego might need a friend as much as his sheep need a protector, but if he can’t learn to control his instincts, like barking and patrolling the neighborhood, Gus might lose his chance to stay in his new home. If he can’t protect the farm or his boy, Gus worries he might never find his place in the world.

Just Gus is a tender story of belonging and of two friends who learn they are better together than they were alone. 

 

About the Author: 

 

MCCALL HOYLE is an award-winning author and teacher librarian. She writes heartfelt books for kids of all ages and believes one of the best ways to spread hope is by writing about the special bond between dogs and their humans. When McCall isn’t writing or teaching, you can find her training one of her four-legged friends for agility, obedience, or dock diving in the foothills of the North Georgia Mountains she calls home.

You can learn more about her at mccallhoyle.com or visit her on Twitter @McCallHoyle or on Facebook or Instagram @McCallHoyleBooks

For author interview requests, please contact Callie Hansen at chansen@shadowmountain.com

 

My Review

 The story of a boy, Diego, and a dog, Gus. Now Gus is not an ordinary dog, sadly he was abused and rescued, and now he is a working dog. This read is told from a dog's point of view, which most children, and adults, appreciate.
Gus's job is taking care of sheep, and he takes his job very seriously! We quickly learn which scents he likes and which send him into a threat mode.
Now Gus is a big dog, he is a Great Pyrenees a working dog, a big white strong fellow. He is intimidating to most of the predators, and as we read he becomes injured by a bear.
This is the story of healing, both for Gus and a little boy named Diego. A story of bonding that will tug on your heart, making it a page turner for answers! Can a dog move from a farm to the beach?
I received this book through the Publisher Shadow Mountain, and was not required to give a positive review.