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Finding Danny

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Twelve-year-old Bree Davies is devastated when her beloved Border Collie, Danny, goes missing after her mom leaves the gate open to their Santa Monica home. In her search to find Danny, Bree is thrust into the world of animals in need. With the help and guidance of animal rescuer Rayleen, Bree's heart is opened to the plight of the dogs in the downtown Vox Street shelter. Before long, her emptiness about her own loss shifts into action – and her quest to find Danny and her newfound mission to save the shelter dogs soon become one. Longtime animal rescuer Linzi Glass has crafted a singular story of finding oneself in the search for finding another, a compelling emotional journey as well as a call-to-action for animal-lovers everywhere.

208 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

21 people are currently reading
245 people want to read

About the author

Linzi Glass

5 books19 followers
Linzi moved to the US as a young adult- and has lived in Santa Monica with her teenage daughter, Jordan, for many years.
She has been in the trenches of animal rescue for seven years and has personally rescued hundreds of dogs. She is the Executive Director and Co-founder of The Forgotten Dog Foundation, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating and re-homing dogs in need (her own dogs are rescues).

She studied at the Lee Strasberg Theater Institute before joining the Writer's Program, and has worked as a freelance reader and as Literary Coordinator at Creative Artists Agency. She is now a full-time writer, and has co-written three adult screenplays, and two plays. Ms. Glass works as a writing consultant and teaches through the Writer's Program at UCLA Extension. She also runs two private writing groups that meet on a weekly basis.

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5 stars
186 (47%)
4 stars
119 (30%)
3 stars
63 (16%)
2 stars
14 (3%)
1 star
8 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
Profile Image for Katie A.
123 reviews
October 5, 2013
I write my reviews in the 5 different categories: Cover/Title, Characters, Plot, Suspense, and Overall. I rate each of these categories 1 to 5, (5 being i loved it, 1 being i hated it). SPOILER FREE REVIEW

Cover/Title: 5 out 5
I love the illustration of Danny. It is very well done and ties to the story perfectly.

Characters: 4 out of 5
Bree was a nice and caring person. I loved the she cared for animals deeply. I also liked Rayleen. I thought she was bubbly and a good mentor for Bree. Now this may sound awful, but I didn't like Ashton a whole lot because I thought he was sort of unrealistic. I know that being a early teenager that most guys that age would be more concerned with other things, such as themselves. Other characters helped the story, including the mom who I appreciated more towards the end.

Plot: 3 out of 5
The plot sent a good and inspiring message to young readers. However, I felt that the plot had been overdone. I feel that I have read many things similar in the past.

Suspense: 2 out of 5
This book I've had for a long time and never read. I feel that I only read it so fast so I could get it over with. This wasn't a book that was fast paced, being a book set for younger readers. You will probably enjoy it more if you were a kid.

Overall: 3 out of 5
This book was just okay. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I was a little bit younger. This was a happy and inspirational story, but too overdone for my taste. The only reason I'm reading younger books right now is because I had never read them and just wanted to get them over with. I would recommend this book if you are between the ages of 9-12 or if you're an animal lover.
2 reviews
March 17, 2014
My review on this book is it was a great read for young readers and people who like the heart filling stories. This book is very well written and has a very good plot. The only thing I do not like about this book is that how the mother was an airhead about the whole thing. The part I like the most about it is when she's on her way to see if it's Danny. She was very polite about this tragedy.

This is the best story I have read about a dog going missing. I also had this connection with this book because the parents don't pay any attention to her, so they got her a dog. This is like me and my dog we have a big connection like Danny and Bree do.

This book is very good in my opinion. Linzi Glass is a very good writer and even in other books she has wrote she is good at sticking with the same topic.

My last reason why I strongly like this book is that it tells people who don't know what goes on in animal shelters. A big amount of people do not know what happens in them because they think that it's all sunshines and rainbows, but guess what it's not like that at all. I have been in a dog shelter and they are not fun. They have bad treatment they don't get enough food and they don't know what that does to dogs they will remember that forever and how you treated them. That's my review on this book.
Profile Image for Karen & Gerard.
Author 1 book25 followers
November 11, 2011
This is a book about a young girl named Bree. Her parents are super busy so they decide to get her a dog to keep her company. She names the dog Danny and they get along famously! One day her mom makes a mistake and leaves the gate open and Danny gets away. Bree sets out to find Danny and winds up helping many other dogs How you ask? You will have to read this book to find out. It's a wonderful story. I read it in two days and loved it! Give it a chance and you will too!
(Gerard's review)

Finding Danny by Linzi Glass is a happy children’s book about Bree, a 7th grade girl who meets some interesting people who change her life as she searches for her runaway dog, Danny. When she visits an animal shelter for the first time, she determines to help the dogs somehow and does.

I liked this book because it was upbeat and focuses on animal rescue. I think it would also be inspirational for children and teens to see how one person can make a difference. My favorite part was that Bree convinced her lonely elderly widow neighbor to get an abandoned dog named Neptune. This is a cute quick read. (www.linziglass.com and www.theforgottendog.org)
(Karen's review)
25 reviews
Read
January 5, 2018
Finding Danny


Personal Response
I really liked this book even though there wasn't any action and a lot of drama when she lost her dog. I think this book got stretched out too much. It took too long for them to find Danny and some parts didn't even make any sense. I really wished that they would have made it into a group search for the dog, and they had to steal Danny back from the pound. It would also have been cooler if they could have told the story from Danny's point of view, so we at least knew what was happening.


Plot
This book took place in the rich part of town where a little girl, Bree, and her dog, Danny, lived. Bree parents were both news reporters and traveled all around the world, which was kind of cool. Bree did not travel, so it was hard for her family to spend time with each other because they were gone all of the time. That’s why she got a dog. One day her dog went missing and she looked all over for him, but she could not find him. Her parents weren't there to help or support her when Danny went missing. She had some awesome friends who volunteered to help find him.


Characterization

Bree is the main character in this book. She is the girl with the missing dog. Her parents are reporters and are gone a lot, so she was often alone for long periods of time.

Her mom is a reporter who travels around the U.S. to get good stories and she is famous for it. She loves her job, but she hates that she has to leave her family a lot if there is a big case coming up.

Her dad is also a reporter for big cases and travels around the country a lot. He also loves his job. He hates that he can't always be there for Bree when she needs someone, but that is why he bought her Danny.

Danny is a border collie. He was only a puppy when Bree got him. Over time, he got bigger and bigger. Danny and Bree had a special bond that could never pull them apart or so they thought .

Impact of Setting
This book took place in a town in Florida in the rich part of town where a 12 year old girl named Bree and her parents lived. Her parents were reporters that travel around the country, which meant that Bree was alone so they bought her a dog to keep her company. Bree and her dog, Danny, had a special bond. They loved each other Danny was like the sibling she never had. One day when Bree left for school, she left the door open and Danny got out and started to chase a cat and he got lost. Bree looked everywhere for him. The only thing she found was his old leather collar that must have broken off. One night when Bree was about to give up, she heard Danny barking outside of her window. She ran outside and gave him a big old hug.


Recommendation
I would recommend this book to kids in middle school kids because it's not too hard of a book to read. There is not much action at all. If you like action, I would not read this book. This book does have drama in it, so if you like drama I would read this book. I rate this book 4 stars, mostly because it didn't explain Danny disappearing enough.

3 reviews
December 8, 2018
This is a very heartwarming book, I loved the 3rd chapter, I the characters were good. I wish there was a little more detail, but it was a fun read and I am seeking to volunteer at my local shelter now that I am older seeing’s as I was too young when I read this
Profile Image for Sydney Bope.
84 reviews
April 15, 2020
I just recently remembered this book and realized I had a copy of it lying around. And was like OMG

This is a fantastic book for elementary age kids, and it was a story that influenced me to become highly involved in animal rescues and activism. Really cute story.
Profile Image for Brookie Boo.
87 reviews2 followers
June 17, 2025
Very heartfelt, inspiring book about getting every dog a chance at a good life. They’re not just blank numbers you throw in a cage, they want to be happy and want love, they always love. I’m excited for the day that all these sweet, loving, angels will have peace and joy 🤍
1 review
June 12, 2018
IT WAS SWEET AAND IT HAD SOME SOUR PARTS TO BUT IT WAS GOOD
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
1 review2 followers
January 22, 2019
Emotionally grabbing book, perfect for middle school age (and up). Talks about some very real life lessons that kids face every day. Well written. And very much enjoyed!
Profile Image for Sienna.
83 reviews
October 3, 2021
I really like this book. It doesn’t just focus on one thing, and I think it shows you that everything happens for a reason. I would recommend. It was a quick read.
Profile Image for Brandon Stump.
4 reviews
May 1, 2015
Finding Danny is a fiction adventure story. It is the story of a girl named Sabrina Davies who has a dog named Danny. Danny is her one constant. Both her parents work demanding jobs and they are gone a lot and so Sabrina "Bree" has only her one true companion her dog who she has had since he was a puppy. A horrible mistake made by her mother allows Danny the opportunity to run away and he does. Bree has to begin the difficult task of searching for him in the big city of LA where she lives. In the process she meets up with friends who see the world through a different view. They are selfless and giving. She begins to want that for herself. She is helped by her new friends to begin a huge dog rescue effort. More importantly they help her work through all the anger she has toward her parents for their absence. She realizes that she needs them and her parents recognize the same thing. She forgives them and they make job changes to allow for more time together. By helping rescue other dogs she is able to spread the word about Danny and miracles of miracles happen and he is found and returned. She learns a lot about love and acceptance and forgiveness during this search.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Susan.
218 reviews6 followers
September 7, 2010
I loved this book! It's a feel-good, well-connected story about a girl who lives in a wealthy neighborhood near the beach in California. Her parents are both in the news business, and that often takes them away from home. They bought her a little border collie that she named Danny to fill her hours when she was along. Not only is it a dog story deluxe, but it also delves into family dynamics among the upper socioeconomic echelons, and it has a strong subplot about the plight of abandoned animals and about animal adoptions. Animal lovers will grab on to this book and hold it to their hearts - and so will everyone else!
Profile Image for Miyang.
60 reviews3 followers
June 20, 2015
This book was wonderful. For a middle grade novel, I am more than impressed. The meaning behind the book is so much more than losing her dog. It's about a girl growing up and realizing that change is constant. I definitely look at animal shelters in a whole new way and when I am older, I will certainly adopt. The author portrayed this story beautifully. I had a smile on my face throughout the book. "The only thing in life that's constant is change." "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." -Mahatma Gandhi. Although the writing is not perfect, the message behind it is beautiful and I will start living by that.
Profile Image for Mercedez.
9 reviews
January 29, 2012
This is one of the best books I have ever read and I have read a lot of books in my life. It's about a 12 year old girl named Bree and her parents are so busy they descid to buy her a dog to keep her company. But when something happens to Danny ,her dog, Bree's world is turned upside down. She is introduced to dog adoption and grief. Finally at the end of the book she has a happy ending with her beloved dog Danny.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Audrey.
4 reviews
March 31, 2012
This book is an awesome choice for people who really love animals and want to help them. I'm not going to give a lot away because I really want you to read it, but basically it's about a girl who loses her dog Danny and then realizes with some help of two very good freinds that she could help other dogs with no homes. It's a really great book, I hope you can read it. I've read it like, a million times without getting tired of it myself:)
Profile Image for Faith .
161 reviews
April 6, 2012
All Bree wanted was to find Danny. Instead she found the world of animal shelters. Maybe she could find homes for all the red-listed dogs.

Reasons why I like this book-

Reason 1- There are dogs in the story.

Reason 2- It educates people about what happens in animal shelters.

Reason 3- I couldn't stop reading.
Profile Image for Lea.
2,781 reviews57 followers
February 23, 2016
Great story about a young girl who loses her dog and finds the world of shelter/rescue dogs in the search for her beloved Danny. Heartwarming, positive story as the girl struggles with her parents, friendships, boys and making new friends while changing the world one dog at a time.
492 reviews9 followers
October 6, 2011
Bree's parents are busy with their careers, so they buy her a dog to keep her company. When he runs away, 12-year-old Bree's search brings her to a new group of animal-rescue friends. Girls who love animals will love this book and its unlikely happy ending.
33 reviews
April 28, 2013
I read this book to my dog and we both absolutely loved it!!!!!!!!! I felt a lot of feeling when she ran after the dog that she thought was Danny, but it was really someone else's. My dog snuggled up extra close to me when the girl and her dog were reunited.
Profile Image for Megan.
1 review2 followers
October 26, 2013
This book was a wonderful story. I finished it in 6 days. I almost cried at a couple parts but overall this was an amazing book of stray and shelter dogs and a 12 year old girl working to hard to save them all and find hers. <3 <3 <3
1 review1 follower
January 27, 2017
This book really put you into your feeling it has you on the edge of your seat the whole time! If you love dog stories I fully recommend it! Once you pick it up you will not be able to put it down! That's how good it is! I recommend reading it!
357 reviews
July 16, 2010
A cute dog, a girl with lots of creativity and a quirky new friend who connects her with a dog shelter--whats not to love?
Profile Image for Karen Arendt.
2,789 reviews14 followers
May 5, 2011
What a wonderful, sad, uplifting story. Bree's journey to find her missing dog, Danny, leads her to her first love, a new friend, and adoption of lots of dogs!
Profile Image for Elise.
11 reviews
July 2, 2012
this book is one of the books you'll never put down!!!
Profile Image for Maddi Couture.
18 reviews5 followers
April 25, 2012
This a good book for people whoa re in the mood for a heart touching story about a girl who loses her dog and meets new friends along the way
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews

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