Sparky Fights Back : A Little Dog's Big Battle Against Cancer

Rating:
Summary: Sparky Fights Back is a WINNER
Review: This poignant tale of a spunky Australian terrier's heroic battle with cancer is both touching and riveting. And, it is a "page-turner" in the best sense of the phrase. The authors guide us through the struggle, joy, frustration, and ultimate success of Sparky's life, disease and cure. We come away with not only a large "Hurrah!" for Sparky - a lovable, yet individually willful canine with not a little quirkiness - but with a profound regard for his courageous master and mistress in their unwavering determination to explore every avenue that might provide a cure for their beloved pet.

While the owners' devotion to Sparky is palpable, the well-structured writing style is informative and researched, yet happily peppered with anecdotal humor as the dynamic between pet, master, and veterinarian are cleverly woven throughout. Dog lovers will laugh and cry over the telling of this book. But, to Clerens and Clifton's credit, the text never languishes into raw sentimentality. The meld of the scientific and emotional are united in an intelligent focus. In a supremely readable style, the authors present a compelling rendering of the joys and sorrows that come from loving a dog. At the book's conclusion, the reader will have bonded with both dog and masters.

Here is a hearty recommendation for a book in which all dog lovers will take pleasure, and those whose pets face a similar crisis as Sparky's, will savor.

Rating:
Summary: A book of hope...
Review: This wonderful book is a joyous read! My own dogs, now gone almost twenty-five years, were constantly in my thoughts (and, not a few tears) as I read about the authors' love for their Sparky and the courageous and intelligent approach they used to help him regain his health after a diagnosis of cancer. Every reader of this inspiring book will surely recognize the absolute honesty of the authors' story. Dog lovers will immediately feel validation of the love they feel for their own "best friends" and people who have faced profound medical challenges will be strengthened in their resolve to actively participate in their own care, seek out skilled professionals and seek to beat the odds. Most of all, those people fond of love stories will find love on every page of "Sparky Fights Back" -- the love of a trusting animal, the love shown by medical professionals who seek to treat and cure animals, the love of a community of friends and neighbors who shared in and gave support to the idea that the life of one small dog could be saved. I finished the book with renewed hope from Sparky's example, that we too can face our own challenges with new vigor, take great joy in small things and find our own way to undiminished dignity no matter the difficulty of the battle to be fought.