Review Detail

Evan Dunn has a decent life; his friend Calder and Kellan sit with him on the bus and dilute the attention of bully Adam, and his home life is calm. His father, a former lawyer, now carves exquisite wooden dragons, and his mother is very set in her ways, leaving the house only to go to her Quaker meetings, and cooking predictable dinners. Evan takes great comfort in running as well, and even comes to the attention of his gym teacher, Coach Riley. When a dog shows up at his house, Evan is intrigued. He eventually tracks down the dog to Happy Dog puppy mill, where he encounters the unpleasant Peter Grey who is mistreating the dog for having run away. Grey, an alcoholic, has recently been left by his wife, and he seems to be taking his disappointment out in the dogs. He does tell Evan that it would cost $5,000 to buy the dog, which is money that Evan doesn't have even if his mother would let the dog in the house. He starts talking to classmate Hana on the bus, and getting more information about dogs. When the dog (whose point of view we see frequently) shows up at Evan's house and herds him back to Happy Dog, Evan finds Grey unconscious on the yard. He calls 911, and stays to feed the dogs. He even calls a veterinarian, who refuses to help because Grey is behind on his bills. Evan asks his father for help, and the two eventually find out Grey's status in the hospital and talk to Deni, Grey's wife. Deni hires Hana and Evan to take care of the dogs and tells them that the dog's name is Samarkand, or Sam, which is also Mr. Dunn's name. Coach Riley, who had had Ms. Dunn as a student, gives Evan shoes and requests that he comes to practice, since he is given to running six or seven miles. Sam the dog proves somewhat elusive, but eventually comes to live with the Dunns.