by W. Bruce Cameron. (Find the Book) Introduced in Cameron's A Dog's Purpose (2010), good dog Buddy finds a new role in life after his beloved master, Ethan, dies when he rescues Ethan's toddler granddaughter, Clarity, from a near-fatal accident. When Clarity's self-absorbed and dog-hating mother whisks her away, Buddy wonders if he'll ever see her again. Buddy doesn't, but Molly does. As all good dogs must, Buddy dies, but his spirit and mission live on in Molly, a dog the now-teenage Clarity adopts at a time when she battles her mother's psychological abuse and a violent ex-boyfriend's threats. In the years ahead, a self-destructive and emotionally fragile Clarity will manage to find her own purpose, but only with the help of Max, a spitfire chihuahua, and a gentle beagle named Toby, who carry on Buddy's protective devotion. Once again endearing himself to animal lovers, Cameron explores the concept of canine karma with acute sensitivity and exhibits cunning insight into life from a dog's perspective. --Booklist
