The Art of Racing in the Rain

I'll admit, I probably haven't read as many books as some people. But I do like to read. Lounging in your bed on a rainy day with a page turner is something I do on the occasion and I do enjoy. When I think back to all of the books I have read, I can't remember very many that I didn't like. But I do remember a select few that I could call my favorites. As an elementary schooler who had a rabid obsession with dogs, I was glued to the book A Dog's Life by Ann M. Martin. The story was told from the point of view of a dog and I just couldn't get enough of it. So it makes sense that I also loved reading Call of the Wild by Jack London. Those two books connected with me on a deep emotional level, which may or may not be a good thing considering that I could relate more to the life of a canine than a human...

The summer before last, the required reading for the entire Park City High School was The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. Even though I no longer have hundreds of dog stuff animals guarding my room, my love for dogs is still going strong. I fell in love with this book for a second time reading it that summer. It comes from the point of view of Enzo, a good-hearted labrador who loves his owner Denny more than anything. Denny is a talented race car driver who's specialty is driving on wet pavement, hence the title "The Art of Racing in the Rain". Enzo the dog really seemed to capture the fun-loving, happy-go-lucky attitude that lies at the heart of every dog, and that's why I loved him. A less obvious aspect of the book also made it a winner in my mind. That was the little snippets of Enzo relating race-car driving to real life. As someone who has raced for most of my life, I could completely relate to the racing connections. The idea "your car goes where your eyes go" was used many times throughout the book and I can't agree more with that statement. 

Garth Stein wrote Enzo's character in such a way that he made you laugh, cry, and wonder if your best furry buddy sitting next to you is a lot more intelligent than you think. Although it was an easy read, the story was a winner and Stein's writing was colorful and created crisp images in your head as you read. If you love dogs I would definitely recommend this book. 
Heck even if you're a cat person I would still recommend it, maybe it will knock some sense into you...