The picture on the cover of this new book “How I, Nicky Flynn, finally get a life (and a dog) “grabbed my attention. . .a picture of a German Shepard’s face and nose is designed prominently on the cover as if the dog is about to give you a giant sloppy doggy kiss. I am glad I picked it out as one of my book reviews. The author, Art Corrivea, successfully conveys the thoughts and feelings of an angry 11-year-old boy struggling with changes in his life. The tone of voice Corrivea gives the character Nicky is “spot on” and believable. Forced to move from a plush suburban home and well-off lifestyle to inner-city Boston with his mother after his parents’ divorce, Nicky becomes an angry boy who treats his mother with disdain and internalizes his fears of attending a new school and a emotionally distant father. Corrivea’s premise to join Nicky with another abandoned and unwanted animal , a former guide dog named Reggie, his mother adopts reveals the vulnerability and strength underneath Nicky’s sarcastic bravado. Solving the mystery of why the former guide dog was placed in a dog pound becomes Nicky’s obsession. Nicky’s journey to cope with the changes in his life, the relationship with his mother and father, and the partnership and growing bond with his dog, make for a great read. However, I was not satisfied with the conclusion given regarding Reggie’s past life as a guide dog and the reasoning behind the decision to place him in a dog pound. Maybe you will feel differently. Anyway, it was really nice to get to know Nicky and learn more about the responsibilities of a guide dog.
Checking out,
Mrs. V.
