Midnight at the Shelter

by Nanci Turner Steveson

Written with a distinctively doggy voice, great humor, and plenty of heart, this novel from acclaimed author Nanci Turner Steveson about a three-legged rescue dog who must risk everything to save his pack of shelter animals is a perfect pick for readers who cannot resist an animal story!

Rescue dog MahDi is happy helping his human partner, “MomDoc,” with the important work at her vet clinic and the local animal shelter. The two of them make a good team, caring for the town’s pets and matchmaking rescue animals with the families who need them.

When the shelter is suddenly down a staff member, the animals have to deal with a new caretaker: Huck, an unpleasant man who seems to have no problem threatening the animals he’s supposed to care for. As more dogs crowd into the shelter than are going to new homes, MahDi begins to worry that if MomDoc isn’t around, there is no telling what Huck might do.

With three perfectly good legs, the heart of a true leader, and his pack mates by his side, MahDi is willing to risk everything to save his shelter-friends from an uncertain future. But how?

Genres: Animals, Middle Grade, Dogs, Contemporary, Cats, Fiction

304 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2022

About the author

Nanci grew up in Connecticut, England and Texas, always with a book in one hand, the reins of a pony in the other. She wrote her first “novel” at the age of nine, which she uses to teach young writing students never to give up, no matter the odds. After raising her two sons in Maryland, Nanci made her dream come true by moving to a historic cabin in a meadow in Jackson Hole, WY. Aside from writing novels for young people, she is a professional theatre stage manager and the Teen Writing Instructor at her local library. She lives with her two horses, two dogs, and an abundance of wildlife in the national forest right outside her back door.

Nanci is a strong believer in the power of books and kids.

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This heartwarming story is told from a dog’s point of view. A little three legged dog named MahDi helps his owner, MomDoc, with her veterinary practice. MomDoc also provides medical care for a local animal shelter.

There are so many beautiful dogs and cats who are waiting to find their forever homes with loving owners. In their spare time, MomDoc and MahDi help to place the animals in good homes.

One evening while MomDoc is away, MahDi uncovers a sinister plot taking place at the shelter. With the help of his dog friends from the neighborhood and one elderly cat, they attempt a daring rescue!

This wonderful story is based on true events that the real “MomDoc”, Dr. Heather Carleton, has encountered in her own veterinary experience. Seeing all the lovable animals in shelters who are waiting to find loving homes, she has become an avid promoter of shelter pet adoptions.

Adults as well as children would enjoy this story of kindness, love, and loyalty!
Thank you to author Nanci Turner Steveson, Quill Tree Books, and Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC of this very enjoyable book.

[Deanne Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Midnight at the shelter has a distinctive doggy voice. This is a middle school age chapter book. Told from the voice of our main character a dog. The dog is owned by a vet and before this the three-legged dog had not had a good life. A town stray, he was captured along with his other doggy friends and thrown in a truck, the truck is in an accident, and he is the only survivor but loses a leg in the process. The vet who cares for him adopts him. The vet gives medical care to the animals in the shelter so they can be adopted. The dog tells the story of some of the animals in the shelter waiting to be adopted. The book is really hard to read as it describes the depression the animals have for being at the shelter for so long and the abuse and neglect, they have had before they came to the shelter. Though it's sad it's also realistic and this is why I think it's a good thing for children to read. Maybe after reading this, children will think not to abuse an animal because they have feelings too and animals not being treated right have long term consequences from abuse and neglect sometimes to never recover.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

[Stephanie A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A kids book that initially felt too young to be enjoyed by adults, not least because of the number of dogs with a poor grasp of grammar, but somewhere in the second half I started to really love all of them and now I think this book would be a great fit for kids who also like McCall Hoyle's dog series (even though the dog behavior is a bit less realistic here).

MahDi (meaning "good dog" in Thai) is the primary narrator, and he's my absolute favorite. But there are also frequent short sections from both the black goofball on the cover and from other dogs' perspectives, in the latter case generally setting up context and the circumstances of their lives before they end up in the shelter. By the end I was full-on crying (for joy) as all the dogs found the perfect new homes with humans who needed them, so that even the sadness of ones whose previous owners were only *forced* to give them up is mitigated.

I also think it's good to know up front that while a couple of dogs are put to sleep, it's only ones who were old and sick from the start, in order to ultimately show the healing process of meeting your next faithful companion.

Also, I don't know how to work it in organically, but please know that I love the toothless old stub-tailed, one-eyed cat, too. Especially when he pretends to be so...sleepy...when Ozzie asks him a question, and then bopping the dog on the head when it moves closer to repeat.

But what definitely cinched the better-than-3-stars rating is the afterword from "the real MomDoc," a friend of the author's, who describes her work and history with the real MahDi (there's also a photo of him with Ozzie), and her "hope that this book will raise awareness of all the dogs, really good dogs, that either spend their lives waiting for a home or are put to sleep due to lack of space at the shelter."

[Valerie McEnroe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great cover. Unfortunately, the book falls short.

The main character is a dog named Mahdi who hangs out at an animal shelter with his owner, MomDoc, who's the vet. He talks to the animals who come in, reassuring them that it's all going to be ok. Some are there for vet services and some are strays waiting to be placed in a home. There's a couple of prominent humans. One is Toby, a kid volunteer, who loves animals. He helps care for the animals at the shelter and watches MomDoc's pets when she goes out of town. Another is Huck, a temp employee who hates animals and thinks undesirable dogs should be euthanized. There are lots of dog stories. The best one is about how Mahdi ended up at the shelter and why he has only three legs. It has a feel good ending when Mahdi and friends break into the shelter at night to rescue a bunch of dogs and find them homes. Hence the title and cover illustration.

I'm not sure if kids will read this. It's mainly a look at the workings of an animal shelter. There's lots of dogs who make fleeting appearances just to illustrate all the different reasons animals end up at shelters. There's little in the way of well-developed characters and well-defined plot. Entire chapters could be eliminated and they wouldn't be missed. It's not a book you can't put down until you finish. My kids love The One and Only Ivan, so I know they like books written from an animal's perspective, but Ivan is in another league. There's no comparison. I think I will pass on this one.

[Edgar Landa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A terrific story told from the perspective of the dogs (and cats) that pass through the doors of a town's animal shelter and a nearby pet clinic. The unique perspective places the animals front and center and gives voice to their love, fear, joy, grief and all the other feelings we imagine our beloved pets to feel. Our protagonist is the one-legged scrappy dog that makes it his job to make sure the animals coming to see the vet at the pet clinic run by his human feel safe and secure. There are shenanigns to be sure both at home and at work and the dogs (led by our canine protagonist) get into an adventure that results in a heart-warming and tear-jerking finale. The author has created characters that are as well drawn and though out as any of the human characters in her previous books.

This book is a for a slighly younger demographic than the author's previous books but it is no less smart and insightful. I highly recommend this book for young readers!

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grrrrrr. I found this book both uplifting and infuriating!
I understand this story is geared towards younger readers and thus some characters are written in a more exaggerated style to invoke intense reactions .... but the character of "Huck" drove me to distraction! He was so phenomenally inept for the job in this story, it angered me that the adults in the story could not see what I so readily saw. BUT, without him as a catalyst, the story would not have driven forward in the manner it needed to.
I thought this was a good introduction for young readers about the many different stories of how animals arrive at shelters. The tirelessly Good Work volunteers and employees do to try and place these animals into forever homes and the benefits of spay/neuter to help reduce the load.
Will highly recommend to my young readers!

[Sapphyria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Midnight at the Shelter is a heartwarming story perfect to teach children about pets, shelters, and responsibility. Told from a dog's point-of-view, this story unfolds as a shift in personnel takes place within a local animal shelter. There story had a wonderful plot, cute animals, and nicely rounded characters (2- and 4-legged).

The only issue I had was that the conflict with the temporary shelter director was underwhelming. As this book is geared toward children, I didn't expect there to be anything traumatic (and I'm glad there wasn't) but Huck really just faded off into the night. There wasn't any accountability for his attitude or actions.

I was engaged in Midnight at the Shelter as soon as I opened the book. This book is engaging and fast-paced. I was drawn in by the author's writing style, the unique point-of-view, and who wouldn't love that cover!?

[Felicia Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book was really sweet and adorable. I really enjoyed it and reading most of the books from Di's point of view made this book feel really unique. I really loved all the animals in this book and I wanted to rescue them all.
This book also did a really good job of pointing out how important shelters are and how they could be fixed without preaching. Stevenson perfectly weaved the message into the story.
I will say i did find some of the side stories to be a bit allover for children. They seemed erratic even to me and I'm an adult.
Overall this book was a great story with a really great message. I definitely would have loved this as a kid, heck I loved this now and I'm an adult. If you are an animal lover you will love this book too.

[Maureen]

This is a wonderful middle grade book told from a dog's perspective. It is both heart warming and heart breaking by tunes . I highly recommend this for children and even animal loving adults. The characters are well developed as is the plot line. The ending is awesome as well. It is thoughtful and winsome. It teaches children about the value of pets and to think carefully about what happens when pets don't work out .it is based on actual vet and her experiences so the scenarios are realistic except for the parts that reminded me of 1001 Dalmatians and the like where the animals work cooperatively. A wonderful selection for a school ,Publix or family library. I highly recommend it.

[Katie]

A cute book, and kids almost always enjoy books written from an animal's point of view! It was a little confusing because there are many different stories intersecting, and I couldn't always keep track of which animal went with which back story.
The book has noble origins, and noble aspirations: hoping to raise awareness about shelter animals and some of the many reasons they end up in shelters. FYI there are a number of times that "snip snip" procedures and spay/neuter clinics are mentioned, which might raise questions in young readers who aren't sure what that means. :)
This will be especially enjoyed by young dog owners who love their puppers!!

[J.K. Keane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely story, written from the point of view of a three-legged dog. If you like animals, have a soft spot for rescue animals and like a good story, then you won't be dissapointed.
Having worked as a vet myself for many years, I loved the character of Mahdi and his sidekick mom-doc, and could relate to many of the scenarios described in the book, especially the frustration about how many pets end up in shelters.
This book might just inspire some readers to go to a rescue shelter rather than buy a pet and might teach some younger readers about the commitment needed to keep an animal companion.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This middle grade novel is a must-read for animal loving kids and their families! Rescue dogs MahDi, Ozzie and the rest of their furry friends see the world from a unique point of view. The human characters show the full range of human behaviors from cruelty to love, and each story is treated with the compassion it deserves. There are moments of some animal mistreatment and sadness, so be aware of this if your young reader is especially sensitive to these to topics. A meaningful and fun romp with an unforgettable cast of characters.

[Mindythebookyenta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Told by a three legged dog and other doggie narrators, Midnight at the Shelter is a novel for dog lovers young and old. "Oh my dog!" This book has a lot of heart. Unlike most middle-grade books, The main human character is an adult. Mom-Doc is a veterinarian who brings followers to grieving owners when their pets cross over the rainbow bridge. Mahdi, her trusty dog, helps to match dogs to humans. You'll need a tissue for the very satisfying conclusion of this book.

[Joanna Cooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Get ready—Midnight at the Shelter's Madhi and his ragtag crew of animals will steal your heart! This canine adventure, with its twists and turns, had me laughing and crying. Writing from an animal's perspective is no small feat—through Turner Steveson's profound love of dogs and taut, smooth prose, each of the dogs (and one cat) are uniquely drawn and illuminate the complex emotions our four-legged friends experience. At first I wanted to adopt all the rescues myself, but trust Madhi. He's got a plan! Recommended for animal lovers of all ages.
(I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange an honest review.)

[Mrs Mommy Booknerd http://mrsmommybooknerd.blogspot.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

#FirstLine - Mondays are full of surprises. REVIEW- This story is so cute. I loved that it gives a voice to rescue animals! I adored the fact that the book is very character driven, well plotted and entertaining. Perfect for both adults and kids alike. This would make a great parent/child read along! So much great discussion will happen and memories made! A great #christmas gift idea!!!

[Charlie McCormick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this at my grandparents house, I am 20. Its for 8-12 year olds but it was good. Felt bad for those dogs though. Why was huck so weird?

[Valerie Mackowiak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for young dog lovers.

[Jenn Naughton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been recommending this title to all my animal loving readers. It's not too babyish for even the older middle school crowd.

[Tish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute little story

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredibly special and moving book! Would truly recommend it for an emotional coaster. Truly captures the beauty from within of dogs and their incredible emotional intelligence and awareness.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

MahDi lives with MomDoc and helps "supervise" her veterinary practice, consulting with the dogs who are being taken care of. He also goes with her to the local dog shelter to help the rescues there feel more comfortable, and he and MomDoc do a lot of "matchmaking". The shelter is a no kill one, but is very crowded. The man who runs it with his wife, Mike, has to go in for surgery, so a new manager is hired from a temp company. Huck doesn't have an affinity for dogs, and thought there would be less work at a shelter. He is more interested in the possibility of euthanizing the dogs to clear them out than in placing them with loving homes, which doesn't go over well with anyone. We learn how MahDi lost a leg and ended up in rescue, and meet a lot of dogs. Their stories are interesting, and the successes in matching them with humans is heart warming. Lilah, a dog crush of MahDi's, needs help when her owner, Mr. Crandall, has to go to the hospital. Walter loses his dog Bailey to cancer and eventualy ends up with the sweet Koda. Squirt is rescued by a college girl, but needs help when she leaves the dog in a hot car because she couldn't leave the dog in her apartment while she was away. Tobey, who works at the shelter, and new hire Beth do their best to help the dogs, but Huck, who is supposed to be in charge, does not do a good job caring for the dogs. MomDoc talks to him, but isn't his boss. Things go from bad to worse, and MahDi knows that he has to make a move to save the dogs in the shelter before it is too late. Will he be able to convince Ozzie, another of MomDoc's pets, to work with him to make sure that Huck can no longer hurt the already vulnerable animals?

This is told from MahDi's perspective, but doesn't veer too far into the limitations of what dog's understand in the way some books do. MahDi's voice is definitely more understanding and almost human. His backstory is sad, and provides excellent motivation for him to step up and resist Huck. Huck doesn't have a lot of nuance, and I wondered how he lasted even a day at the shelter!

There are a lot of dog books that run the spectrum from Maple's cheery Roxbury Park Dog Club and Fairbairn's graphic novel PAWS to heart wrenching tales like Lee's 2008 Dog Lost. My favorite is probably Crimi's Secondhand Dogs, that also has a cast of interesting characters and a lot of feel good stories about dogs finding their fur-ever homes. This has a darker mood to it, with the evil Huck, who shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a dog shelter, much less in charge of it. It's hard to read about his treatment of the animals, but a villain means there will be a hero, and MahDi harnesses his grief over past circumstances to save the day.

Many of the books about dogs are for younger readers, like Robertshaw, Danta's Life in the Doghouse books or Miles' Puppy Place tales. Grabenstein's Dog Squad offers a goofier, celebrity focused adventure. Midnight at the Shelter will be a good fit for readers who are able to handle some sadness in their dog books and have worked their way through Cameron's A Dog's Purpose novels and Mason and Stephens' excellent Rescue Dogs books.

Stevenson's Lizzie Flying Solo wasn't as dark, and it is by far my favorite of her books, which also include Swing Sideways and Georgia Rules.

[Kelly Erwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

My nephew really like it.