The Greyhound
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- $8.99
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
Fifteen-year-old Danny is a troubled kid, and trouble always seems to follow him. Things are changing just too fast his family has moved to a new town, his father is battling alcoholism, and Danny has a hair-trigger temper that causes him problems with the teachers and the other kids at his new school. But as they say, everybody can do at least one thing well, and for Danny its judo. The dojo is the one place where Dannys aggression can find an outlet, even as he tries to make sense of a life that seems way out of control. As he gets ready for an upcoming competition, things just might be on the upswing in Dannys life. Its all thanks to the arrival of a four-legged wonder, a remarkable greyhound named Long Shot that may hold the key to Danny finding both balance in his life and, especially, a greater understanding of his father.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Canadian author Cooper (Season of Rage) chronicles a year in the maturation of 15-year-old Danny, whose alcoholic father, Jack, has reduced their family of four to renting a bungalow in his old hometown and is catching work as a church custodian. Danny is initially frustrated by Jack's adoption of a retired greyhound, Long Shot, though it's clear his real anger is reserved for his father. The boy vents in a journal that he keeps for his psychiatrist, excels at his local judo club, and befriends Ben, a refugee from Darfur. The arrival of an old friend of Jack's spurs a big-money scheme to train Long Shot for one last "race of the decade," and Danny bonds with Long Shot as they prepare. The novel can feel scattered, as Cooper jumps between extended conversations about Danny's father's alcoholism, excerpts from Danny's journal entries (as well as books and letters he reads), backstory about Long Shot, and school presentations, all of which slow the story's pace. These drawbacks aside, it's a quiet, thoughtful coming-of-age novel about a sensitive boy and his exceptional pet. Ages 12 up.
