Mountain Dog by Margarita Engle (review)

When Tony's mother goes to prison for running dog fights, Tony is sent off to the wilds of the Sierra Nevadas to stay with Tío Leonilo, the great-uncle he's never met. The eleven-year-old soon takes to his easygoing uncle and bonds with his dog, a chocolate Lab named Gabe, who's Tío's partner in search and rescue. As Tony settles in to life with Tío, he struggles with his relationship with his volatile imprisoned mother, and his involvement with Search and Rescue echoes his work at self-recovery. Known for her free-verse narrative, Engle here gives poetic voice both to Tony and to enthusiastic dog Gabe, who has his own take on Tony's experience; the narrations are clearly differentiated, with Tony's halting and literal while Gabe's is impressionistic and joyous. There's a link to the author's traditional topic of Cuba through Tony's heritage and Tío's past (he was a Cuban refugee), but this is definitely a contemporary story of a modern California kid with modern kid troubles. While Tony's story tilts occasionally toward sentimentality, it's the dog story that really makes the book; the details of the search and rescue process, training, and psychology are fascinating in their own right, and they're an evocative contrast to Tony's previous experience with dogs. Tony's definitely a kid who deserves better than he's had, so readers will be relieved to see him finally settled permanently with Tío, a deal cinched with a puppy of his own. Interpersed monochromatic line and watercolor art balances friendliness and naturalistic detail; a guide to hiking safety and an author's note are appended.