The Dog Who Dared to Dream
The Dog Who Dared to Dream book cover

The Dog Who Dared to Dream

Paperback – October 11, 2016

Price
$13.99
Format
Paperback
Pages
176
Publisher
Abacus
Publication Date
ISBN-13
978-0349142104
Dimensions
5 x 0.5 x 7.88 inches
Weight
6 ounces

Description

Bewitching . . . a fabular bestseller . . . will make grown men and women cry ― Independent on The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly I was completely sucked into this story bursting with originality . . . an instant classic ― Guardian on The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly An adroit allegory about life . . . in the vein of classics like Charlotte's Web and Jonathan Livingston Seagull . . . A subtle morality tale that will appeal to readers of all ages ― Kirkus Reviews on The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly A very special little book. I absolutely loved it, and I find myself still thinking about Sprout. She embodies all the best characteristics of deep-hearted mother-love: loyalty, sacrifice, and courage― Lisa See, author of the New York Times bestsellers Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Peony in Love, an Sometimes the simplest character, expressed in the sparest prose, embarks upon life's most heroic journey. Meet Sprout, a plucky hen whose modest dream to hatch a single egg will take her down a path that leads to her true place in the natural world. Heart, determination, and empathy are the only skills Sprout needs to navigate this perilous passage in Sun-mi Hwang's lovely The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly, a novel uniquely poised at the nexus of fable, philosophy, children's literature, and nature writing― Adam Johnson, author of the Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times bestseller The Orphan Master’s Everything wonderful about the world is contained in this small gem of a novel, which brims with dream-fulfilling adventures and the longing that underlies love― Kyung-sook Shin, New York Times bestselling author of Please Look After Mom on The Hen Who Dreamed S [A] simply told but absorbing fable . . . Spare but evocative line drawings . . . add to the subtle charm― Publishers Weekly on The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly Recalling Jonathan Livingston Seagull (1970), this slim but powerful tale will resonate with readers of all ages, who can take it at face value or delve deeper into its meditations on living courageously and facing mortality. . . . The English translation moves smoothly and straightforwardly and is aided by graceful black-and-white illustrations ― Booklist on The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly Sun-mi Hwang is a beloved writer in South Korea, where she has won many awards and published more than forty books enjoyed by adults and children alike. She lives in Seoul, South Korea.

Features & Highlights

  • FROM THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR SUN-MI HWANG
  • This is the story of a dog named Scraggly.
  • Born an outsider because of her distinctive appearance, she spends most of her days in the sun-filled yard of her owner's house. Scraggly has dreams and aspirations just like the rest of us. But each winter, dark clouds descend and Scraggly is faced with challenges that she must overcome. Through the clouds and even beyond the gates of her owner's yard lies the possibility of friendship, motherhood and happiness - they are for the taking if Scraggly can just hold on to them, bring them home and build the life she so desperately desires.
  • The Dog Who Dared to Dream
  • is a wise tale of the relationship between dog and man, as well as a celebration of a life lived with courage.
  • Translated into English for the first time, it is a classic from Sun-mi Hwang, the international bestselling author.

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
30%
(62)
★★★★
25%
(51)
★★★
15%
(31)
★★
7%
(14)
23%
(47)

Most Helpful Reviews

✓ Verified Purchase

Nice book

Sort of emotional but nicely written.
✓ Verified Purchase

Funny, sad and simply wonderful

Amazing little book. A delicate telling of what friendship is or might be, and how life is filled with heartache and hope. All from the perspective of a wonderful dog. I cannot recommend this book enough.
✓ Verified Purchase

Such a short, poignant novella, set S KOREA

Such a short little book! Short chapters, each opening with a delicate drawing. This is the story of Scraggly, a little scruffy, black-coated underdog (no pun intended), who lives with Grandpa Screecher, for much of the time in a cage in a yard. There’s a Grandma too, a sage but cutting cat and a persimmon tree. In an anthropomorphic fashion, all the animals are sentient little beings who have their own feelings, thoughts and responses.

It is the gentle depiction of everyday life in their world that is charming, even the horrors of poisoned meat and trips to town all feel like life’s downs. Her human family cannot afford to keep the puppies, her siblings and her own puppies, and although she longs for family, she soon finds herself once more bereft. There are some ups, and some warmth in their short and rather sad lives. The humans are sometimes the perpetrators of harm to the family of dogs, sometimes they are their rescuers.

It is beautifully translated and makes for a nice little tome. It is short and thought-provoking, and made an interesting diversion from some of the other books on my TBR pile. It gives a little voice to the animals in the novella.

In terms of TripFiction location there is nothing that really anchors the book in South Korea (apart from the Persimmon tree, but that could in any warmish country).