Katie Up and Down the Hall by Glenn Plaskin (Book Review and Giveaway!)

Title: Katie Up and Down the Hall
Author: Glenn Plaskin
Publisher: Center Street/Hachette

My synopsis: Glenn had never been a dog owner - he actually was afraid of dogs as a child.  Slowly he overcame that fear, but his parents wouldn't allow them to have a dog.

As an adult, he settles in a high-rise in Battery Park City, a beautiful section of Lower Manhattan.  It appears to be a dog paradise and there are a ton of dogs in his high-rise alone.  On a whim, while shopping with a friend, he ends up with a little pug which they dubbed "Baby."  After buying all the supplies, they head home and he experiences Buyers Regret.  He didn't want a small dog. He didn't want a male.  He didn't want a dog who snored.  Basically, he just wasn't ready for a dog - so back he went to the pet store to return Baby.

He becomes friends with Joe, who has a cocker spaniel named Dinah.  After a few test "naps", Glenn is getting closer to getting a dog.  Joe introduces him to Pearl and her husband Arthur who live just down the hall from Glenn.  They had also had a cocker spaniel that had recently died and they jumped on the band wagon to convince Glenn to get a cocker spaniel.

He ends up with Katie, the last dog from a litter, the runt, the one that nobody wanted.  He fell in love immediately.  Over Katie's life she forms a bond between Glenn and Pearl and Arthur, as well as single dad John and his son Ryan, who moved into an apartment on the same floor. Katie adopted all of them.

My thoughts:  This was a cute story, but stalled out once in awhile in the beginning.  Didn't really come alive for me until the tragedy of 9/11.  You see, Glenn could see the twin towers from his living room window.  All of the tenants were forced to evacuate for months, as Battery Park City was uninhabitable.  It was then that I felt the loss of the friendships that they had all shared, as they were separated by distance as they all went different ways to find places to stay.  I began to see how much they shared, how much they had bonded.  These people, who lived just feet away from each other, might never have met, had it not been for Katie.

This does a much better job of telling the story:

~I received a complimentary review copy of this book from Hachette in exchange for my review.~

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GIVEAWAY!

I have 3 copies of this book to giveaway courtesy of Hachette Books. There are a few ways to enter:

1. Sign up to be a follower of this blog - just let me know how you follow. (1 entry)

2. Follow me on twitter (@kherbrand) and tweet or use tweet button below. (1 entry)

3. Comment on any non-giveaway post and let me know. (1 entry)

All entries can be left in one comment. Giveaway open to US/Canada only - no PO boxes. Giveaway will end on Oct 21. Winners will have 48 hours to respond. Any unclaimed books will be given away on twitter at that time.

Katie Up and Down the Hall
Publisher/Publication Date: Center Street, Sept 2010
ISBN: 978-1-59995-254-3
254 pages