The Dog with Golden Eyes

The Dog with Golden Eyes by Frances Wilbur
Youth Fiction - Lower Level - WILBUR

Cassie Beasley is a lonely 13-year-old girl living in California. Her mother works many late nights as a waitress at the local fast food restaurant, and her father recently left the family without saying goodbye. Furthermore, her very best friend, Lindsay, has ditched Cassie for "cooler" friends. As a result, Cassie finds herself with plenty of time on her hands and frequently tries to fill her sadness with food. If only her father would come back; then everything would be normal again.

In the meantime, Cassie would absolutely love to own a dog. Her mother doesn't want a dog because of the time and cost that an animal requires. Thus, when Cassie spies a beautiful white dog around her house one day, she decides not to tell anyone about her discovery. She soon begins to feed the dog every day and as time passes, the dog makes friends with Cassie and takes her to the woods behind Cassie's house—his home.

Feeding this large dog with yellowish eyes which Cassie thinks is an Alaskan dog is quite expensive. Therefore, Cassie has to secretly get a job weeding a local neighbor's yard to earn the necessary funds. In addition, with the help of her science teacher Cassie spends plenty of time researching Alaskan dogs. As days pass, Cassie starts to realize that “her” dog isn’t like any other Alaskan dog. Could he perhaps be a wolf?

Written in a simple yet absorbing manner, The Dog with Golden Eyes by Frances Wilbur is a fascinating story filled with many true facts about dogs and wolves. Moreover, Cassie is a relatable and delightful character who matures and learns life lessons throughout the novel. Any animal lover who enjoys the bonds that exist between humans and animals will deeply enjoy this sweet little story!