Reviewed By Kristy Volchko for Readers’ Favorite

Rusty The Wonder Dog by Jesse Hillman is a tender, heartwarming tale about a rescue puppy named Rusty and all the unforgettable, precious moments of his life’s journey. One sunny afternoon, Rusty’s world changed when he ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time. The road. After the incident, Rusty (sometimes Stinky Dog or Rusty the Wonder Dog) was only able to see shadows but had super-duper hearing and smelling abilities that went for miles! What does he smell? New friends! And they show him the way things go around this new place where humans give lots of pets, treats, and fluffy blankets. Rusty loves his adventures with Isis (the Siamese cat), Dasha, (the guard dog), and Alphie (another rescue dog), but most of all, he loves his humans. Rusty’s journey has more than a few twists, turns, and changes, but is love and friendship the one thing that lasts forever and ever? A story of laughter, love … and maybe even tears (of joy!).

After reading Rusty The Wonder Dog by Jesse Hillman, I can honestly say that it’s a pick for my favorite children’s picture book of the decade! I really love it that much. Brilliantly written, there is so much truth about life’s joys and challenges (told from the pup’s perspective) between these colorfully illustrated pages and I believe there isn’t a child or parent out there that cannot relate in some way to the characters. I love stories that remind us about the power of love and I highly recommend this book for every home and library shelf. Five stars!