Sophie : the incredible true adventures of the castaway dog
(Book)

When an Australian blue-heeler dog was found on the mostly uninhabited island of St. Bees, in the shark-infested waters of the Great Barrier Reef, national park rangers wondered how she came to be there. They spent months trying to capture her, slowly winning her trust, unaware that she'd fallen overboard from a boat on a family outing. Australian journalist Pearse recounts the story of how Sophie survived for five months in the wild as a castaway on the island before allowing herself to be rescued. Pearse speculates what the journey must have been like for the three-year-old dog, alone in the ocean, swimming six nautical miles from where she'd fallen overboard. Pearse also recalls how Sophie's owner, a teenage girl, Bridget, met the puppy, fell in love, and raised Sophie until the day she was lost to the family. Pearse interweaves research on the bonds between animals and their owners, including an interview with animal expert Temple Grandin. Dog lovers will appreciate this heartwarming story of animal survival and the ties between humans and animals.--Bush, Vanessa Copyright 2010 Booklist

The "incredible true story" of Sophie begins when the titular Australian cattle dog falls overboard during a boat ride at Mackay Marina in Queensland, Australia. Instead of drowning, Sophie swims six miles to an island and survives for five months until she's miraculously reunited with her owners, Jan and Dave Griffith. Anna-Lisa Horton narrates in a clear, conversational tone, maintaining listener interest throughout, even during dry sections of the book, e.g., passages detailing the movement and speed of the tide and descriptions of the flora and fauna on Keswick Island, where Sophie eventually washes up. A must listen for animal lovers and fans of man's best friend. A De Capo Lifelong hardcover. (Jan.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

This emotionally uplifting saga of a Queensland, Australia, family who lost overboard their beloved blue heeler dog, Sophie, while on a weekend boating trip reflects the strength and loyal spirit of these people and canines. Journalist Pearse writes of how the Griffiths were sure Sophie could never have survived the over-five-mile swim in heavy storm currents and shark-infested waters to the nearest islands, but their pampered but hardy family pet somehow made it to a nearby inhospitable, uninhabited island. Facing dehydration and starvation, a desperate Sophie plunged back into the ocean two months later and braved the long swim to neighboring St. Bees island, a large nature preserve with only 14 inhabitants. Concern for the safety of the rare, indigenous koala population on St. Bees meant that, by law, the wary and reclusive Sophie's days were numbered unless she could be safely relocated. Nearly five months after her disappearance, the Griffiths were stunned to learn that a dog found on St. Bees could be their cherished Sophie. VERDICT Animal lovers and survival story enthusiasts will enjoy this riveting, true story, told with strong local flavor.-Susan Riley, Mount Kisco P.L., NY (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

When an Australian blue-heeler dog was found on the mostly uninhabited island of St. Bees, in the shark-infested waters of the Great Barrier Reef, national park rangers wondered how she came to be there. They spent months trying to capture her, slowly winning her trust, unaware that she'd fallen overboard from a boat on a family outing. Australian journalist Pearse recounts the story of how Sophie survived for five months in the wild as a castaway on the island before allowing herself to be rescued. Pearse speculates what the journey must have been like for the three-year-old dog, alone in the ocean, swimming six nautical miles from where she'd fallen overboard. Pearse also recalls how Sophie's owner, a teenage girl, Bridget, met the puppy, fell in love, and raised Sophie until the day she was lost to the family. Pearse interweaves research on the bonds between animals and their owners, including an interview with animal expert Temple Grandin. Dog lovers will appreciate this heartwarming story of animal survival and the ties between humans and animals. Copyright 2012 Booklist Reviews.

When her family, the Griffiths, took Sophie Tucker sailing near Australia's Great Barrier Reef, the three-year-old blue heeler was swept overboard in rough waters and lost. But Sophie proved to be one tough canine, swimming six miles through shark-thick waters to the remote St. Bees Island. There she lived off baby goats for five months until captured by rangers and returned to the mainland. (The island is uninhabited but has facilities for camping and researchers.) Learning about the castaway dog through friends, the Griffiths rushed to meet her, though they doubted it could be Sophie and were in any case warned that she might now be feral. But when Sophie saw her family, she nearly broke out of her cage with joy. Pearse is an Australian journalist living in New York; her book is a tearjerker for everyone.

This emotionally uplifting saga of a Queensland, Australia, family who lost overboard their beloved blue heeler dog, Sophie, while on a weekend boating trip reflects the strength and loyal spirit of these people and canines. Journalist Pearse writes of how the Griffiths were sure Sophie could never have survived the over-five-mile swim in heavy storm currents and shark-infested waters to the nearest islands, but their pampered but hardy family pet somehow made it to a nearby inhospitable, uninhabited island. Facing dehydration and starvation, a desperate Sophie plunged back into the ocean two months later and braved the long swim to neighboring St. Bees island, a large nature preserve with only 14 inhabitants. Concern for the safety of the rare, indigenous koala population on St. Bees meant that, by law, the wary and reclusive Sophie's days were numbered unless she could be safely relocated. Nearly five months after her disappearance, the Griffiths were stunned to learn that a dog found on St. Bees could be their cherished Sophie. VERDICT Animal lovers and survival story enthusiasts will enjoy this riveting, true story, told with strong local flavor.—Susan Riley, Mount Kisco P.L., NY