Millie - (Best Friends Dog Tales) by McCall Hoyle (Hardcover)

About the Book

A street dog named Millie and a young girl, who are both dealing with abandonment issues, give trust and belonging a second chance.

Book Synopsis

From the author of Stella--nominated for fourteen Best Book of the Year state awards--this heartwarming story is about a street dog named Millie and a young girl who are both dealing with abandonment issues and must give trust and belonging a second chance.

Millie is a feisty border terrier who lives on the streets and has a keen sense for finding scraps of food, usually in the shadows or the cover of darkness. She protects herself with a shield of what is perceived by many as aggression--barking and snarling--when in reality, she is just plain scared.

Turned over to animal control after a recent run-in with the dogcatcher, Millie is rescued by a special teacher who also rehabilitates and rehomes dogs. It's a win-win. Together the dogs and Ms. Berry's students learn emotional resilience, anger management, and other coping skills.

When one of the students, a struggling reader named Tori, shows a natural gift for dog training and working with fearful dogs, Millie is temporarily placed in her care. Tori may be young, but she knows a thing or two about anger, fear, and abandonment after her mother can no longer care for her and she is placed in kinship care with her grandfather. Millie wonders if she's finally found her human and begins to let down her emotional guard. But when trust and belonging are challenged, Millie reverts to old habits--fleeing, hiding, and growling. Will she end up back on the streets? Or can Millie and Tori embrace their training, trust in each other, and find a forever home together?

Review Quotes

2025 Young Adult Nominee

-- "Georgia Author of the Year Awards" (5/21/2025 12:00:00 AM)

Selected as a "recommended title" by the Kansas National Education Association's Reading Circle Commission-- "Kansas National Education Association" (2/28/2025 12:00:00 AM)

Selected for the 2024-2025 Club Tome Book Award-- "Tome Student Literacy Society" (2/28/2025 12:00:00 AM)

"Hoyle's canine hero narrates this sentimental tale. ... This upbeat story zeroes in on the positives, [and] readers truly see things through Millie's eyes. ... A marvelous, tenderhearted tale featuring a charming and cuddly terrier protagonist."
-- "Kirkus Reviews" (6/7/2024 12:00:00 AM)

About the Author

McCall Hoyle is an award-winning author and teacher librarian. She writes heartfelt books for kids of all ages and believes one of the best ways to spread hope is by writing about the special bond between dogs and their humans. When McCall isn't writing or teaching, you can find her training one of her four-legged friends for agility, obedience, or dock diving in the foothills of the North Georgia Mountains she calls home.

You can learn more about her at mccallhoyle.com or visit her on Twitter @McCallHoyle or on Facebook or Instagram @McCallHoyleBooks.