What's the Word ISB 7?

Title: A Dog's Life
Author: Ann M. Martin
Genre: An autobiography of a stray (fiction)
Pages: 182
"I've known of dogs who dined on fine foods and led pampered lives, sleeping on soft beds and being served hamburgers and chicken and even steak. I've known of dogs who looked longingly at warm homes, who were not invited inside, who stayed in a garage or a shed or under a wheelbarrow for a few days, then moved on. I've known of dogs who were treated cruelly by human hands and dogs who were treated with the gentlest touch, dogs who starved and dogs who grew fat from too many treats. I've known all these dogs, and I've been all these dogs."
-Squirrel, Night page x.

This autobiography is interesting, it is actually written as if the dog is telling the story. I like to read autobiographies (they are always written in first person), and it makes me feel like I'm experiencing the same thing the character is.
Squirrel, the main character of the story was born in a shed. Her mother gave birth to other four puppies, but only two survived: her and Bone. Their mother kept them healthy and fit;she taught them necessary things for life for when they are grown and independent. It was a tough life for the little dogs. Their daily lives consisted of:

Sleeping in the shed.
looking for food in the compost heap.
making friends with other animals.
playing.
hiding when danger comes.

The puppies' lives were miserable and dangerous, especially that there was a fox on the loose. But one day, Squirrel's and Bone's mother went away and never returned. The poor little puppies were left alone. Bone was braver than Squirrel, and he decided that their garden shed wasn't safe any more. So the puppies went on a new way for living:

sleeping at day
walking at night
AVOIDING PEOPLE
using grbage cans as their source of food.
moving on not really knowing where (a lot near the highway where they could find food)

The really important thing was that they were moving near the highway, so that way they could keep track of food. But since they were inexperienced puppies, they raced at every piece of food they saw, no matter where. However one day, the food happened to be in the middle of the highway, and that way they were noticed, and taken home. The two people who took them home were probably not experienced with dogs because soon they got tired of Bone and Squirrel that they actually abandoned them. But Bone was adopted by someone who found them in the streets, and poor Squirrel was left alone!

She met another stray soon, known as Moon, who lost her life in a car crash. So poor Squirrel lost her brother, and her only companion.

As Squirrel grew old she started a new way of living. Her daily life in a year would always be:

walking all day long even if the paws hurt
searching for food in rubbish cans and sometimes given by other people who took pity on her.
hiding in farms during winter
avoiding humans and other dogs

However one day,while Strawberry was hiding in a garage of an old lady, the old lady actually invited her inside! Squirrel, as puppy, didn't like people, especially that the family that once took her in abandoned her, and what's more she lost her brother at the same time. The lady was quite old as well. It took lots of persuasion from the old lady to make Squirrel go inside,(what could she do that she hated humans?).However the lady talked softly and kindly, she gave her good food, and after awhile was able to giver her warmth and love just like Squirrel needed.

I enjoyed this book, it actually helps me see what a stray dog thinks, and how he lives and manages to survive. Stray dogs are a big problem in Serbia,and I pity them every time I see them.

"She smiles at me, and we sit pressed next to each other, two old ladies."

-Squirrel page182

A stray hoping to find food