Living life as a bumbling breadbox with fur, was hardship enough for Theodore the Corgi, but when the young dog finds himself cold and alone in a frightening animal shelter, it’s clear that his struggles have only just begun.

Labeled “unadoptable,” by shelter staff, Theodore mires in the gloom until a kind-eyed stranger with a pocket full of handcrafted jerky and a quirky smile, rescues him with the intent of making Theodore the newest addition to his curious Bookstore. Though overwhelmed at first, Theodore soon finds both his new friend and the odd bookstore are welcoming hosts, despite the Corgi’s run of clumsy mishaps. And while Theodore’s formerly dull and lonely life fades to memory, a new, adventurous one blooms before him—for hidden amongst the dusty stacks of books and things at the Enchanted Bookstore, waits a peculiar little man with a set of the most magical, Spectacular Spectacles imaginable.

The Author:

Kristine Kibbee is a Pacific Northwest native with a love of language, nature, and animals. Kristine’s passion for creative writing began in her early youth and led her to Washington State University, where she earned a degree with a concentration in professional writing. Kristine has since had works published in The Vancougar, The Salal Review, S/tick Literary Review, and she is a featured columnist in the nationally syndicated magazine, Just Frenchies.

From the small town of Castle Rock, Washington, nestled among 22 acres of towering fir trees, Kristine relishes time spent outdoors with her two French bulldogs and one husband. She dreams of making the everyday world more magical with her fantasy novels.

Whole in the Clouds is her first middle grade novel.

MY THOUGHTS:

I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is an amazing story.  It’s one of those hidden gems that you stumble across and wonder why you’ve not heard much about it. Well, you’re in for a real treat.

A book about a sweet dog seems to be my thing lately (see Coop).  When you find a book like this, you want only good things to come out of a bad situation for the main dog character. The way the author unravels this premise for the reader is so wonderful.  Add a bit of magic to the fold and you have this incredible journey of discovery.  I highly recommend this series to all.

The ending could have had a bit of a lead-in and rounded up a bit smoother, even if it meant adding twenty-five pages or so.  The hand-drawn, black and white pictures are so beautiful and perfect for the story, I’d add five more.  

The only thing I didn’t like was the blurb on the back cover. It’s hard to read in the font chosen. 

You’ll fall in love with this Corgi and want more from the author, so read the next books due out.

I gave this book: