For animal lovers you can’t go wrong with this heartfelt story about a girl desperate to save a dog in a puppy mill. Those who have never owned a dog just might be convinced that it is time they adopt their first dog.

The first person narration by 12-year-old Mia is spot on for all she faces in life. Her parents are divorced and Dad lives in Florida, too far away from Mia and her mom’s home in Missouri. School is also not going well. The one thing Mia wishes she had is a dog but Mom is not having anything to do with dogs after she was bitten by one.

Then one day Mia finds a very pregnant golden retriever on the loose. The helpless animal is being chased by a man with a rope who captures the dog and drags her away. Mia is determined to find that dog again and with the help of her best friend they do find the dog in a very unsanitary puppy mill. Now it’s not just one dog she wants to rescue but hundreds more crammed in cages under horrible conditions.

The experience changes Mia in a most positive way and her relationship with best friend Cassie is a highlight. Forty-two chapters are perfect for a classroom read-aloud or sharing with family.

Throughout the story you learn about puppy mills and their dangers to the emotional and physical health of dogs. It’s a sad part of the tale but one that will inform readers to take action. The back pages give details on What We can Do to reduce the over 10,000 puppy mills in the U.S. alone.

A DOG NAMED 647 will be an adventure you will remember and cherish for a long time. As a lifelong dog owner I highly recommend it as one to add to your shelves.

BOOK BIRTHDAY: Sept. 20, 2025 Pages: 212

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Nancy Kay graduated from Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine and trained to become a board certified small animal internist at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

She was the proud recipient of:

• The Hill’s annual Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics Award
• Leo Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award

Her personal writing experience was inspired by her desire to empower pet owners to become effective medical advocates for their pets. Her first book, Speaking for Spot, was an Amazon best seller that was featured twice on the popular National Public Radio show, Fresh Air with Terry Gross.

Dr. Nancy’s writing journey has continued with publication of Your Dog’s Best Health: A Dozen Reasonable Things to Expect From Your Vet and her award winning weekly Substack, “Speaking for Spot.”

Her newest book is A Dog Named 647, a middle-grade adventure story.

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It’s almost time for another Marvelous Middle Grade Monday. Won’t you join us? It’s here I share highlights and links from other bloggers about middle grade books. Many of the posts will have reviews, interviews, and tips on writing. Take a look at PAST MMGM POSTS.

It’s easy to get a spot in the lineup. Email me the title of the book or feature and a link to your blog at gpcolo[at]gmail[dot]com

Make sure you put MMGM or Marvelous Middle Grade Monday in the subject line so it gets sorted accurately–and don’t forget to say what you’re featuring) You MUST email me your link by Sunday evening (11 PM Eastern Time) in order to be included in the list of links for that week’s MMGM.

*Please note: these posts are not a reflection of my own opinions on the books featured. Each blogger is responsible for their own MMGM content and I do not pre-screen reviews ahead of time, nor do I control what books they choose. I simply assemble the list based on the links that are emailed to me.