Nuzum, K.A.
THE LEANIN' DOG
New York : Joanna Cotler Books, 2008
IL 3-6, RL 5.4
ISBN 0061139343

Dessa Dean lives with her dad up in the mountains of Colorado in the 1930s. Dessa Dean works hard at her homeschooling, cooking and cleaning, and her dad goes out every day to hunt food for the family. Things have been rough for Dessa Dean and her dad.  In the fall, Dessa Dean and her mom were out taking a walk and a freak snowstorm came up. They got lost and Dessa Dean's mom froze to death. Dessa Dean could't do anything to help her. She misses her mom so much, and she's also really afraid to leave the cabin. It's the only place she feels safe.

One day, Dessa Dean puts some food out on the porch to cool off, and it disappears. She thinks it's a wild animal, and she starts watching for it, and it turns out to be a stray dog. Little by little, Dessa Dean gets the dog to come closer, and finally into the cabin. But, when she shuts the door the dog goes crazy.  When Dessa Dean's dad comes home, he's not too happy about that dog eating up their food. He also doesn't appreciate Dessa Dean leaving the door open all the time. Can Dessa Dean and that dog figure out how to live together? Read "The Leanin' Dog" to find out.  (Bernie Farrell, bfarrell@hclib.org, librarian)