Boy-and-dog stories undeniably should have happy endings. However, from the first chapter of Dog Lost, readers will steel themselves for the inevitable tragedy that awaits Mackenzie and the stray pit bull puppy his drunken father unceremoniously dumps on Mack’s bed. Consequently, when Cash—still a puppy—inadvertently trips Mack’s dad and shatters his bottle of whiskey, we are prepared for the worst. What keeps us ardently reading are the parallel stories of the bedraggled dog missing his boy, the depressed boy lonely for his dog, the cop, two dying strangers, and a community seething to exterminate every pit bull they find. 2009 USBBY Outstanding International Books List. lmp

You can't judge a dog by its cover: The heroic story of a sweet, loyal pit bull pup who defies expectations and her breed's bad reputation to save the day!
11-year-old Mackenzie has got one friend in the whole world: Cash, his brown-eyed pit bull. His dad won the runt after a long night of drinking and gambling--ever since Mac's mom died, that's all he seems to do, and soon he erupts in a rage at the innocent pup, takes her away in the trunk of his car, and dumps her in the middle of nowhere. Mac vows to find Cash and bring her back home--he has to: All strays are about to be outlawed! Little does he know that while he searches for Cash, she's surviving her own adventures and proving in the process that all dogs--even pit bulls--are born good.