Stargazing Dog

Such a sweet love story about a broken man and his loyal best friend! I cried a heap :'(

Yes, I know the cover looks too cute for words; the adorable dog in the midst of a field of sunflowers. Just turn the page, though, and you’ll see that this no cute little kiddie book. However, it IS funny, touching, heartwarming and ultimately heartrending. (it’s one of the few books that ever made me cry.) The police find an abandoned car in an isolated field, so a young social worker sets out to solve the mystery. Happy the dog relates most of the narrative of the first half of the book, starting with how he first came to live with his human “Daddy”. Daddy is a little lazy, and a little slow, but under his tough façade, he’s always kind, optimistic, and generous even as his life crumbles around him. Happy repays Daddy with unfailing love and loyalty to the end. In lesser hands, this would be cloying, yet it becomes achingly sad and inspiring at the same time.
The second half, "Sunflowers", depicts the young social worker intent on unraveling the mystery behind the abandoned car in the sunflower fields. As he retraces Daddy's steps, he realizes the truth behind the old saying " “To the world, you are only one being, but to one being, you are the whole world.”. Keep a kleenax handy for the last scene.

A very endearing tale of the strength of the bond between dog and human. It's a sad story, but a good one.

I really love this book. It's so simple, yet sad, poignant, and beautiful. I loved that humor was intertwined within the sadness, it made it a joy to read. I found the second half ("Sunflowers") to be a bit unnecessary for the story. It doesn't ruin it or anything, but it doesn't add on much either.