Leigh Botts is an only child whose parents are divorced. He lives with his mom and doesn't see his father very often. Leigh writes in a journal almost every day. The journal is the actual story. Leigh and his friend Barry are on summer vacation and they went to the beach. They see a dog that looks like he has been abandoned. The boys call to him and he looks like he wants to come but doesn't. He acts as if he has been told to stay there. The two boys continue to try to get him to go to them when finally he does. They take off running down the beach when Leigh names the dog Strider. The boys decide to keep the dog and have joint custody of him.

This is a good story even for kids that don't have divorced parents. The journal is a good idea for a story format. It can really help motivate your children to write down their thoughts and feelings.

Recommended: Yes