TLC Blog Tour: The Wonder of Lost Causes

I've been a reader long enough to  know you aren't supposed to judge a book by its cover, but one look at this cover had me reaching for it.  What's not to love about a boy and his dog?

If the picture wasn't enough to suck you in, the story certainly is.  

Jasper has cystic fibrosis, and his single mom Kate, will do whatever she needs to in order to protect him.  One of those things is not getting a dog.  Jasper has been begging for one for years, but his health condition makes having a pet nearly impossible.  

Not having a pet is especially hard for Jasper because his mom is a vet who works at an animal shelter that tries to find homes for dogs who are in need of one.  

When Whistler shows up at the shelter and Jasper meets him, the two begin communicating without words.  Jasper is able to understand what Whistler is saying through some mysterious ways that only the two of them understand.  Kate can't help but notice the connection between her son and Whistler, and Whistler does need a good home....

This is a story that will tug at your heartstrings.  Kate is a little prickly and harder to like than the other characters, but I felt like her need to protect her son was always foremost in her mind, making her behavior entirely believable and understandable.

Trout does a great job of showing what life with a chronic illness is like for parent and child.  He has a child with cystic fibrosis himself, so I felt like he was able to accurately share what he knows from personal experience.

Any pet lover will want to pick this one up, as will anyone who enjoys reading about families and relationships.  The Wonder of Lost Causes is an enjoyable book to curl up with on a sunny summer day, or on a cold winter day as well.

Thanks to TLC Books for providing a copy of this book for my review.  All opinions expressed are, as always my own.

 For more information about The Wonder of Lost Causes, visit the HarperCollins website.