What the dog saw /
Mark Worthing.
- 75 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm
What the Dog Saw is the story of a troubled boy as seen through the eyes of his ageing Labrador, Baxter. While there is much that Baxter sees that worries him, there are also moments of humour and joy. Baxter loves playing with his boy and is always ready to listen to him, but he also worries about his boy, and wonders if even the loyalty and friendship of a Labrador will be enough to help him. Baxter’s observations provide a unique perspective on his boy’s battle with mental illness. Mark Worthing is a Lutheran pastor in South Australia. This book tells the story of his son, from happy boyhood to mounting struggles with mental illness (voices in his head) during his teens and beyond. The boy's suicide is addressed indirectly as Baxter watches the family's reactions. It does not end with the boy's death, but rather with evidence of grieving and healing, and a new bond forged between Baxter and the boy's younger brother. The foreward warns the reader that although this book will take them on a journey that contains both humour and pain, it does not have a happy ending. It is recommended that parents and counselors understand the author’s intentions (recorded at the end of the book) before it is given to a young person to read. Worthing invites those who know what its like to be in a dark place to, ‘join a wise and compassionate old dog on a journey from light to darkness—and the first steps back to light again’.-- From review by mjknightnday at https://morningstarpublishing.net.au/product/what-the-dog-saw/'