"The Year of the Dog is a humorous and poignant middle grade novel based on the author's true childhood adventures, interwoven with funny and often profound stories from her mother's life. Whimsical black and white illustrations by the author accompany the text. Universal themes of friendship, family, and finding one's life passions make this novel appealing to all readers. This debut novel by a prolific picture book author and illustrator has all the makings of a classic."