Teen Ink

What are you looking for in a book? Action? Suspense? A devastating fire? A faithful canine? An awkward run-in with a newly engaged ex-fiancée? If so, you’re in luck, because The Story of Edgar Sawtelle (penned by master storyteller David Wroblewski) has all of these.

This book is thick, but don’t be intimidated by its size. It’s truly a modern classic destined to end up on the bookshelf wedged between To Kill a Mockingbird and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

In this lovely tome you’ll find an idyllic story of Gar, Trudy, and their mute son, Edgar. Edgar communicates with sign language, which is fine because he only interacts with his mother, father, and dog, Almondine, who all understand ASL. Edgar lives a relatively quiet life, and wakes every morning to the sight of the dog kennel that has been in his family for generations.

The dogs on the Sawtelle farm are bred by Gar, named by Edgar, and trained by Trudy. They are such a phenomenon that people come from all over the country to see them.

All this is turned upside down when Edgar’s uncle, Claude, returns to the farm he deserted long ago. Gar is suddenly found dead, but Edgar cannot prove that his uncle was involved because Claude has already found his way into Trudy’s affections. When Edgar attempts to prove that his uncle is after the kennel’s money, his plan goes horribly wrong, and Edgar is forced to flee for his life.

Novelist extraordinaire David Wroblewski has spun an exciting tale of love, loss, and hope.