Friday, May 12, 2023

Book Review: Wonder Dogs by Maureen Maurer with Jenna Benton

About the Book:


Discover the true stories of dogs who open doors, pull wheelchairs, and save lives.

After a potentially devastating diagnosis at the age of thirty-nine, Maureen Maurer was given a second chance at life and took a leap of faith to pursue her childhood dream: teaching dogs to help people with disabilities.

In Wonder Dogs, Maureen shares the inspiring stories of some of the many assistance dogs she's had the privilege to train, like

  • Tucker, a puppy who visits a young girl desperately in need of a Christmas miracle
  • Leader, an abandoned German shepherd mix, who becomes a loyal service dog and best friend for a boy with muscular dystrophy
  • Freedom, a golden retriever who helps a disabled vet regain her independence and saves her when she is trapped in a house fire
  • Pono, a sweet black lab who becomes Hawaii's first courthouse dog, helping children find the courage to testify
If you love heartwarming stories about dogs and people getting second chances and overcoming challenges, you will find in this book a whole pack of kindred spirits.


My Thoughts:

My 10YO daughter read Wonder Dogs by Maureen “Mo” Maurer and Jenna Benton months ago, and I’m so glad I finally took time to read it. Each chapter had a feel-good tale of a service dog who helped someone in need. I truly enjoyed returning to this book every night as I knew the stories would lift my spirit and leave me smiling.

In Wonder Dogs, I learned about the intelligence and skills of trained assistance dogs, as well as their loyal and caring natures. Some dogs learned to smell cancer or detect UTIs. Another helped a scared child testify about a crime. Many became personal companions to people with special needs. I wish every hospital and courthouse could have one of Mo’s trained dogs.

Quietly threaded through Wonder Dogs were snippets of Mo’s personal story. She left her career to pursue God’s calling to train service dogs. From humble beginnings to land ownership and a second location, her business grew as she sought to help people by providing trained canine companions. Her mentions of prayer and seeking God’s will places this book in the Christian nonfiction realm, but I think anyone who enjoys heartwarming animal stories would love this book.

 


Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.


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