A Dog Called Homeless

A Dog Called Homeless
by Sarah Lean

Cally Fisher is convinced she has seen her mother's ghost when her family visits the cemetery on the one-year anniversary of her death.   However, the rest of her family cannot see the ghost and refuses to believe Cally.  The only other living creature who can see it is a mysterious wolfhound who begins to turn up everywhere.   Cally names the dog Homeless and desperately tries to convince her father that the large dog is connected to her mother.    Unfortunately, her grieving, detached father is unwilling to listen. 

Shortly after seeing her mother's ghost, Cally enters a school sponsored day of silence to raise money for charity.   However, seeing no point in talking if no one even listens to her, Cally decides to give up speaking even after the school event is over.  Despite not using her voice, Cally finds a way to communicate with her new friend Sam, who is blind and mostly deaf.   She develops a strong bond with her new friend, using their special language to share with him feelings that she is unable to share with others.

Throughout this touching story, Cally struggles with challenges and changes at home as well as difficulties at school, all while desperately (and silently) trying to convince everyone that Homeless has a connection to her mother and is meant to be with them.

 A Dog Called Homeless is one of those books that I picked up and struggled to put down!   Right away I was drawn into Cally's story.   I sympathized with the challenges she faced throughout the story and was touched by the connections she built with her new friend Sam as well as a homeless man named Jed.    I found this to be a very touching story with a heartwarming ending.

Author's website:  http://www.sarahlean.co.uk/