In the spirit of of Where the Red Fern Grows and Because of Winn Dixie, this is a contemporary classic in the making about a boy and his dog, and a choice that will test their loyalty and trust. Danny Mack is a rising rodeo star in rural Oregon. He lives on a ranch with his older brother, their dad, and his faithful border collie, Banjo. Late one night, Danny is awakened by gunshots. Banjo has been wounded. The neighbors claim he was going after their livestock, which gives them the right to shoot the dog or have him put down. Dad reluctantly agrees. They must obey the law. Danny knows Banjo is innocent, and comes up with a desperate plan to save him—but something goes terribly wrong. Days later, on a distant ranch, Meg Harris finds a frightened dog alone in the woods. Banjo. She takes him home and searches for the dog's owner, furious that he was abandoned. She's not going to give Banjo up easily. Told by Danny and by Meg, this fast-paced, heartrending novel explores the deep connection between humans and animals, and reminds readers that you can't judge an animal—or a person—before you know their story.
Author
Graham Salisbury comes from a 100-year line of newspapermen, all associated with Hawaii's morning paper, the Honolulu Advertiser. Although a career as a newsman could have been possible, Salisbury chose to imagine rather than report. "I enjoy writing about characters who might have been. To me, exploring fictional themes, situations, and lives is a quietly exhilarating experience. There are times when completely unexpected happenings take place as my fingertips walk the keyboard, things that make me laugh or get all choked up or even amaze me." Salisbury's drive to write about the emotional journey that kids must take to become adults in a challenging and complicated world is evident throughout his work. Says the author: "I've thought a lot about what my job is, or should be as an author of books for young readers. I don't write to teach, preach, lecture, or criticize, but to explore. And if my stories show characters choosing certain life options, and the possible consequences of having chosen those options, then I will have done something worthwhile." His books—Eyes of the Emperor, Blue Skin of the Sea, Under the Blood-Red Sun, Shark Bait, Jungle Dogs, Lord of the Deep, Island Boyz and his short stories, too—have been celebrated widely with praise and distinguished awards. Graham Salisbury, winner of the PEN/Norma Klein Award, grew up on the islands of Oahu and Hawaii. Later, he graduated from California State University, Northridge, and received an MFA degree from Vermont College of Norwich University. In fact, he was a member of the founding faculty of Vermont College's highly successful MFA program in Writing for Children, now the Union Institute & University. Other important things to know about this author: He worked as the skipper of a glass-bottom boat, as a deckhand on a deep-sea charter fishing boat, and as an Montessori elementary school teacher. His rock-and-roll band, The Millennium, had a number one hit in the Philippines, which he composed. He once surfed with a shark, got stung by a Portuguese man-of-war (several times!), and swam for his life from a moray eel. Believe it or not, he didn't wear shoes until the sixth grade and never saw snow until he was nineteen. Graham Salisbury now lives with his family in Portland, Oregon.
