Avalanche Dog Heroes: Piper and friends learn to search the snow by Elizabeth Rusch

[Originally published April 2019]

So much doggy fun! This is a delightful account of the training and testing of Piper, a three-year-old border collie who is learning to be a rescue dog at Crystal Mountain Resort in Washington. Rusch introduces readers to Piper and her friends and trainers and then her day begins.

Readers will learn how Piper is trained, the science behind avalanches and dogs' abilities to smell, and the equipment and training needed to equip dogs and their handlers. The book ends with Piper taking - and passing - the test to be a real rescue dog. Back matter includes links to social media to follow the dogs, more information on dog training, and resources to learn about the science.

The book has a picture book layout and briefer sentences/exclamations, as well as the framing story of Piper's day, but it's essentially a nonfiction book for older readers with large chunks of text. Photographs, graphs, maps, and facts are included throughout the book.

Verdict: Rusch has a very readable style and this is a subject that is sure to fly off the shelves. Add this to your collection on working dogs and recommend it to third grade and up.

Revisited: This is still in print and still a favored choice for kids interested in working dogs. I'd recommend keeping it on shelves or purchasing it, as it's a timeless topic, even for nonfiction.

ISBN: 9781632171733; Published October 16, 2018 by Little Bigfoot; Borrowed from another library in my consortium; Purchased for the library