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Sophie, the Incredible Story of the Castaway Dog
by: Emma Pearse
Readers might remember a story in the news back in early 2009, regarding an Australian Cattle Dog that fell overboard during a boating outing off the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. The dog in question, Sophie, went missing in October, and was actually found alive and well five months later. Sophie, the Incredible Story of the Castaway Dog, is journalist Emma Pearse‘s biographical debut exploring that very incident. The book chronicle’s Sophie’s life from puppyhood in a pet shop, to going home with a family and being much adored, right up to her disappearance from the boat. Sophie’s adventures after that point are based on sightings by several witnesses and her six-mile (through shark infested waters) from the point she was lost to the island where she was repeatedly spotted and finally trapped (due to concerns she would disrupt the local koala population) and subsequently reunited with her family.
The book provides maps designating various sightings of Sophie, as well as speculating potential routes she might have taken to arrive at the island and how she survived those long, feral months. Sophie’s travels are based on charting the tides and currents in the area, but read the book and see if you agree with me, that Sophie was one tough little girl and knew the shortest distance between two points is a straight line! There is no doubt in my mind that my own two Australian Cattle Dogs would strike out along the shortest route via instinct, rather than “going with the flow”. Swim six miles through shark infested waters, or work a little harder to get to land a bit sooner? See what you think.
The reader is also treated to lots of colorful family photos of Sophie and her canine pals, as well as some interesting historical and factual information regarding native Australian wildlife.
I thoroughly enjoyed this charming, educational, well-rounded, read! I’ve always wanted to visit Australia and Emma Pearse’s book makes me want to even more! Sophie’s story would make a great family film, and Sophie, the Incredible Story of the Castaway Dog would be an excellent reference if the story is ever made into a movie (which I would LOVE to see!).
Jennifer Casula is a group fitness instructor living in Texas with her husband, two turtles, three dogs and four cats. This summer, the family (minus the turtles and cats) enjoyed two camping trips to Inks Lake State Park.
