by Lydia Davis
First published 2014
Bob is a young sheepdog with extraordinary skill and devotion to his master James Moore in England's North Country mountains. The village residents call him Owd Bob for his wisdom and careful protection of the flock. Bob has won one major contest and needs two more victories to match the legendary sheepdogs of the past. His fierce rival is Red Wull, a yellow dog with a docked tail who belongs to Adam McAdam, a bitter Scotsman estranged from his neighbors and his own son David. McAdam wants his beloved Wullie to defeat Bob and claim the prize. The rivalry intensifies when David courts Moore's daughter Maggie, further fueling McAdam's resentment. Then a new threat emerges. A rogue dog begins killing sheep at night, slipping away undetected after each attack. The mysterious predator must be among the boldest and cleverest dogs in the area. As the killings continue, suspicion grows and the community faces a dark question about which dog has turned against its nature.
Genres: fiction, animals, 20th-century, adventure, dogs, 19th-century
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, rivalry
Setting: England, North Country
Period: 19th Century
320 pages · Hardcover · NYR Children's Collection