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[The Christmas Dog] by Melody Carlson
4★'s
Betty Kowalski isn't looking forward to the holidays. She just can't seem to find Christmas in her heart. There's church, of course. But who can she bake for these days? And who would care whether or not she pulled out the Christmas decorations? Her new neighbor just adds to the problem. He's doing home improvements that don't appear to be improving much of anything. These days when Betty looks out the window, she sees a beat-up truck, a pile of junk, lots of blue tarps, and--horror of horrors--an old pink toilet. But when a mangy dog appears at her doorstep, the stage is set for Betty to learn a very important lesson about what Christmas is all about. This contemporary Christmas story is a timely yet gentle reminder that God can work miracles through something as seemingly insignificant as a little brown dog. It’s a delightful, heartwarming story about how something as small as a dog can enter our lives and offer friendship, comfort and love. One truly outstanding aspect of this story is the excellent, detailed development of the main character, Betty. You will feel sympathy for her plight and at the same time she will drive you crazy. The author manages to bring all of the characters into the plot and connect their lives. This book is definitely a keeper.
