BKMT READING GUIDES
The Mountaintop School for Dogs and Other Second Chances
by Ellen Cooney
Hardcover : 304 pages
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The Sanctuary. High up on the mountain, the Sanctuary is a place of refuge. It is a place where humans save dogs, who, in turn, save the humans. It is a place where the past does not exist, where hopelessness is chased away, where the future hasn’t been written, where orphans and strays ...
Introduction
The Sanctuary. High up on the mountain, the Sanctuary is a place of refuge. It is a place where humans save dogs, who, in turn, save the humans. It is a place where the past does not exist, where hopelessness is chased away, where the future hasn’t been written, where orphans and strays can begin to imagine a new meaning for “family.”
Evie is making her way to the Sanctuary. She has lied to gain entry. She has pretended to know more than she does about dogs, but she is learning fast. Once the indomitable Mrs. Auberchon lets her pass, she will find her way. Like the racing greyhound who refuses to move, the golden retriever who returns to his job as the Sanctuary’s butler every time he’s adopted, and the Rottweiler who’s a hopeless candidate for search-and-rescue, Evie comes from a troubled past. But as they all learn, no one should stay prisoner to a life she didn’t choose.
This is the story of two women and a whole pack of dogs who, having lost their way in the world, find a place at a training school—and radical rescue center—called the Sanctuary. It is a story of strays and rescues, kidnappings and homecomings, moving on and holding on and letting go. And it is, ultimately, a moving and hilarious chronicle of the ways in which humans and canines help each other find new lives, new selves, and new hope.
Editorial Review
Ellen Cooney's own dogs served as the inspiration for many of the dog characters in her new novel, The Mountaintop School for Dogs and Other Second Chances. Meet Andy, Skip, and Maxine.
Andy
Andy was my go-to guy the whole time I was writing The Mountaintop School for Dogs and Other Second Chances. The dogs who are my characters are in rehab from lives of hurt caused by humans. Iâ??d put my hands on the fur of this guy and look into his eyes and marvel how he has no idea that not all dogs on earth have his peace, his deep sense of self, his awareness that life is a pretty good thing. This dog thinks abuse is when his dinner is ten minutes late (he can tell time precisely, based on feeding times). Of course he doesnâ??t know, or care, that Iâ??m a writer. But he likes when I read to him to try stuff out. I love what he does when I stop to make a change to a sentence: paws me in a thump to get going again with my voice.
Maxine
She came as a timid, easily frightened, anxious-to-please pup, as if she were saying over and over, â??Please donâ??t send me back to where I was. â?? And now? Sheâ??s complicated. Sheâ??s a dog-in-progress. I love seeing her real self slowly being revealed. I love how she suddenly comes to me to give me a kiss on the side of my mouth with one tiny quick tongue-action. I love how she head-butts my hand to get pats. I love how she looks up to my Golden, Andy, the eldest of my dog-family; sheâ??s always watching him, always adoring him. And Skip? Poor Skip: heâ??s doing his best. Thereâ??s some jealousy. But sometimes he seems to smile at her. I think heâ??s starting to like her.
Skip
Skip, who has sunlight inside him, is a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, undersize, runty. I was walking Skippy recently and a car passed with a greyhound in the back seat, its beautiful angular face up close to the window, and I almost waved, saying, â??Hi, Alfie,â?? because of the greyhound whoâ??s a major dog-character in The Mountaintop School for Dogs and Other Second Chances. Skip looked up and gave me an expression of, Hey, donâ??t you go getting fond-like of strange dogs when youâ??re with me. I do wish dogs could know things they canâ??t knowâ??I canâ??t help it. I wish Skip knew that when he came into my life as a near-feral rescue and I had to educate him, home-school-like, he turned out to inspire this novel.
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