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Just a Dog
Follows the adventures of a mongrel dog that alternately experiences human kindness and cruelty until she at last finds a loving home.
- GenresAnimals
Paperback
First published January 1, 1974
About the author
Helen Griffiths
43 books13 followersAlthough Helen Griffiths retired from writing junior fiction some 30 years ago, her books are still being read by fans and new readers in various parts of the world, perhaps because the themes are timeless and therefore don't date.
She wrote her first "story" with chalk on a school slate when she was 5 years old; was awarded the Matthew Arnold Memorial Prize (given only every 3 years to a London school child) when she was 12, and had her first book published at age 17. This was "Horse in the Clouds" which immediately became an international success. She was commended by the prestigious Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medal Awards for "The Wild Horse of Santander"; received the Dutch Silver Pencil Award for "Witch Fear" (voted the best children's book of the year in Holland), and was given the honorary title of "Daughter of Mark Twain" for her only adult novel, "The Dark Swallows".
Most of her books have been published throughout Europe and in the USA, as well as in countries as diverse as Argentina, Iceland and Israel, while "Witch Fear" ("The Mysterious Appearance of Agnes" in USA) still sells in Germany ("Hoxentochter").
While busily producing a new title every year, Helen also produced 3 daughters who have since provided her with 13 grandchildren and, more recently, 3 great grandchildren.
Born in London, brought up in West Yorkshire, and living some 20 years in Spain before finally settling in Bath, a city totally unknown to her before her arrival there, these very different places forged her writing career as well as her character. She has worked as a cow girl, a secretary, a teacher of English as a foreign language among other things, as well as writing books and being a wife and mother. In Spain she was always rescuing street dogs; in Bath she somehow managed to acquire as many as 5 horses (looked after by her daughters). One of her best-loved books, and which received many fan letters from young readers, was "Just a Dog", a partially true story of how Shadow became a much loved member of the family and who eventually was brought to Bath because of her astonishing faithfulness and intuition.
Her husband's sudden death in a car crash while the children were still young brought Helen back to England, and it was in Bath that she became a Christian, giving her a totally new life. She has written several books for a Christian publisher under her married name - Helen Santos - which have also been published internationally. But, this apart, for some 15 years she has had a teaching/preaching ministry and her sermons, if published, would doubtless fill a dozen books.
Helen was invited to write an autobiographical sketch which appeared in the series "Something About the Author, Vol 5", published by Gale Research Co., Michigan, where a more detailed biography can be found. She now has the company of 2 little dogs, as well as regular visits from grandchildren who have persuaded her to republish some of her most popular titles as e-books.
"The Greyhound" and "The Dark Swallows" are now available on Kindle and Amazon, the cover artist being one of her granddaughters, and "The Last Summer" is in preparation.
She wrote "The Dark Swallows" while she was very young, basing the main plot on a true story told to her by a next-door neighbour about her mother and brothers during and after the Spanish Civil War. Before republishing many years later, she felt some revision was needed. The story is the same but she trusts that anyone re-reading it might find it enhanced by the revisions, while new readers might be satisfied.
She can be contacted at: jolly.santos@gmail.com
She wrote her first "story" with chalk on a school slate when she was 5 years old; was awarded the Matthew Arnold Memorial Prize (given only every 3 years to a London school child) when she was 12, and had her first book published at age 17. This was "Horse in the Clouds" which immediately became an international success. She was commended by the prestigious Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medal Awards for "The Wild Horse of Santander"; received the Dutch Silver Pencil Award for "Witch Fear" (voted the best children's book of the year in Holland), and was given the honorary title of "Daughter of Mark Twain" for her only adult novel, "The Dark Swallows".
Most of her books have been published throughout Europe and in the USA, as well as in countries as diverse as Argentina, Iceland and Israel, while "Witch Fear" ("The Mysterious Appearance of Agnes" in USA) still sells in Germany ("Hoxentochter").
While busily producing a new title every year, Helen also produced 3 daughters who have since provided her with 13 grandchildren and, more recently, 3 great grandchildren.
Born in London, brought up in West Yorkshire, and living some 20 years in Spain before finally settling in Bath, a city totally unknown to her before her arrival there, these very different places forged her writing career as well as her character. She has worked as a cow girl, a secretary, a teacher of English as a foreign language among other things, as well as writing books and being a wife and mother. In Spain she was always rescuing street dogs; in Bath she somehow managed to acquire as many as 5 horses (looked after by her daughters). One of her best-loved books, and which received many fan letters from young readers, was "Just a Dog", a partially true story of how Shadow became a much loved member of the family and who eventually was brought to Bath because of her astonishing faithfulness and intuition.
Her husband's sudden death in a car crash while the children were still young brought Helen back to England, and it was in Bath that she became a Christian, giving her a totally new life. She has written several books for a Christian publisher under her married name - Helen Santos - which have also been published internationally. But, this apart, for some 15 years she has had a teaching/preaching ministry and her sermons, if published, would doubtless fill a dozen books.
Helen was invited to write an autobiographical sketch which appeared in the series "Something About the Author, Vol 5", published by Gale Research Co., Michigan, where a more detailed biography can be found. She now has the company of 2 little dogs, as well as regular visits from grandchildren who have persuaded her to republish some of her most popular titles as e-books.
"The Greyhound" and "The Dark Swallows" are now available on Kindle and Amazon, the cover artist being one of her granddaughters, and "The Last Summer" is in preparation.
She wrote "The Dark Swallows" while she was very young, basing the main plot on a true story told to her by a next-door neighbour about her mother and brothers during and after the Spanish Civil War. Before republishing many years later, she felt some revision was needed. The story is the same but she trusts that anyone re-reading it might find it enhanced by the revisions, while new readers might be satisfied.
She can be contacted at: jolly.santos@gmail.com
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 4, 2016
Oh my GOODNESS that was just a world of sad. Thankfully a happy ending, but so many lost owners and so much cruelty and neglect for a poor young stray to bear before her happy ending that I almost couldn't take it. It made me want to run out and rescue the next loose dog I see RIGHT NOW. As a currently dogless person, just the description of tickling the puppy's "silky belly" drove me mad with longing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2019
This is not the book I wanted to start the New Year with. *sigh*
Back when I was 8 or 9 years old my mom gave me this book for Christmas. I tried to read it then and gave up. The language wasn't really for kids, and the story was not a happy friendly book.
The author here has obviously tried to do for dogs what Anna Sewell did for Black Beauty. She shows the gritty and extremely harsh reality of what life is like for stray dogs through every means imaginable. Within the first pages we have puppies dying, and brutality. Abuse and starvation follow. Through the eyes of this dog we see life in the harshest reality, where survival is not guaranteed, and in fact many...many dogs die.
No it's not pretty.
But even the ones who help this dog are cruel. They reach out, but the dog still suffers. What protection ever comes for her is at a price. And even when finally visit the animal shelter, we know only cruelty and neglect there too, with death imminent (so sad...so utterly sad here...)
This was not a children's book.
I'm glad I couldn't get through this book as a child. To think I've carried it with me since, through a dozen moves, with my thought being that I would read it someday, entirely on the strength of it having been a gift from my mother, who is gone now. Which leaves me the quandary - to keep the book for the sentimental attachment (my mother gave me very few books) or to let it go and perhaps find someone who appreciates it more, because I will not read it again.
It's time to let this book go.
When this book was written, I suspect that there needed to be a lot of reform in animal shelters (seriously, they were just 'the pound' back then). And maybe we didn't understand a lot of things. But having taken in many rescues and strays over the years what I felt this book lacked was any kind of balance. Because there are people who love, and show that love, to animals.
I wish we'd been given the chance to see and enjoy a happy ending. It's hinted, in the words written afterwards. But even Black Beauty knew love at the end, and healing. Here...you can only hope this dog does. Though the note in the end doesn't give a lot of reassurance. It sounds like she was forever damaged by these experiences. And that's just sad, and leaves me with little hope for the dog we're rehabbing now.
I'm giving 2 stars. The book was technically proficient, but lacked balance and was too heavily skewed onto the author's own agenda without acknowledging that any other side even exists to that story.
Back when I was 8 or 9 years old my mom gave me this book for Christmas. I tried to read it then and gave up. The language wasn't really for kids, and the story was not a happy friendly book.
The author here has obviously tried to do for dogs what Anna Sewell did for Black Beauty. She shows the gritty and extremely harsh reality of what life is like for stray dogs through every means imaginable. Within the first pages we have puppies dying, and brutality. Abuse and starvation follow. Through the eyes of this dog we see life in the harshest reality, where survival is not guaranteed, and in fact many...many dogs die.
No it's not pretty.
But even the ones who help this dog are cruel. They reach out, but the dog still suffers. What protection ever comes for her is at a price. And even when finally visit the animal shelter, we know only cruelty and neglect there too, with death imminent (so sad...so utterly sad here...)
This was not a children's book.
I'm glad I couldn't get through this book as a child. To think I've carried it with me since, through a dozen moves, with my thought being that I would read it someday, entirely on the strength of it having been a gift from my mother, who is gone now. Which leaves me the quandary - to keep the book for the sentimental attachment (my mother gave me very few books) or to let it go and perhaps find someone who appreciates it more, because I will not read it again.
It's time to let this book go.
When this book was written, I suspect that there needed to be a lot of reform in animal shelters (seriously, they were just 'the pound' back then). And maybe we didn't understand a lot of things. But having taken in many rescues and strays over the years what I felt this book lacked was any kind of balance. Because there are people who love, and show that love, to animals.
I wish we'd been given the chance to see and enjoy a happy ending. It's hinted, in the words written afterwards. But even Black Beauty knew love at the end, and healing. Here...you can only hope this dog does. Though the note in the end doesn't give a lot of reassurance. It sounds like she was forever damaged by these experiences. And that's just sad, and leaves me with little hope for the dog we're rehabbing now.
I'm giving 2 stars. The book was technically proficient, but lacked balance and was too heavily skewed onto the author's own agenda without acknowledging that any other side even exists to that story.
July 28, 2011
Terribly tragic, wonderful story of a poor sweet mongrel dog searching for a home and a person who would love her. . . (another book to read with a couple boxes of kleenex!!)
February 7, 2024
I nearly didn't finish this book....the cruelty inflicted on this stray was awful and it seemed to be never ending. From children and adults alike. But I don't like giving up on books...sometimes I'm greatly surprised. While the ending finally was a happy one for this little dog, it was not the best one I've read. I was even surprised to find it was written in 1974 and is for young adults. I had expected it to be written in the 40's or early. It is , however, partially based on a real dog. All I know is that while my heart breaks when I see a stray, now it will make it worse...... And in the end, if a book makes you think differently then it's worth reading
March 7, 2026
A book which should resonate with everyone in the world who have to put up with increasing intolerance towards animals. This book follows the sad lives of street dogs, beginning with an anonymous mother dog and her litter, before moving on to take us through the lives of the four dogs in the litter. Only two survive while the book eventually ends with the story of one of them.
The book reads true and has a wringing, intense melancholy about it on how human beings are overflowing with cruelty.
Every one who wants children growing up sensitive to street dogs and animals in general should consume this book and pass on lessons.
The book reads true and has a wringing, intense melancholy about it on how human beings are overflowing with cruelty.
Every one who wants children growing up sensitive to street dogs and animals in general should consume this book and pass on lessons.
February 28, 2025
I just love rereading the stories of my youth. This is such a sweet, simple, and emotional story about the life of a stray, as she learned lessons in both kindness and cruelty. A sometimes joyful, sometimes heartbreaking story that moves the heart and motivates us to be better stewards of the domesticated canines in our midst.
February 7, 2021
I read this book in 1976, and absolutely LOVED it! I am THRILLED that Helen Griffiths is on Goodreads, and I ordered a copy (there aren't many around anymore) and it will be in my library again forever!
March 13, 2017
Read this with my 10-year old daughter. We laughed and we cried. Wonderful book and a great start for talks about some of the really big issues in life.
January 11, 2016
I must admit that I haven't read this since I was a child but I never forgot the title or the fact that I needed at least a box of tissues to get through it. It was heartbreaking how this beautiful dog was treated. I loved this book at the time. Take that for what it's worth. If I could find this book, I'd read it again!
March 11, 2016
Heart-wrenching story, the author of which deserves to be more widely recognised. I also loved her other book 'The Greyhound'.
October 3, 2014
I read this many years ago and remember loving it.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews