Mary Ann Short

A Friend Indeed Mary Ann Short

The son of a champion Labrador retriever and a mongrel father, Pup is born the runt of his litter. Yet, despite a lesser stature, he owns a big heart and an even mightier spirit.

The humans that deliver him into the world are good and caring people, especially young Katie. Pup prays the child will one day bestow upon him a royal title equal to his strength of character. But as fate would have it, youthful curiosity leads him to stray from the yard. Nameless and afraid, he suddenly finds himself lost and alone in the pine barrens of eastern Long Island (New York).

In a frantic effort to find his way home, Pup travels aimlessly through the forest until he crosses paths with some unusual woodland characters who ultimately befriend him and guide him on his journey. But the road home is a dangerous one and Pup and his comrades soon find themselves standing face-to-face with evil. Assembling the greatest of their physical strengths, instincts and intelligence, they fight to survive the cruelties and ignorance that surrounds them, discovering the best of themselves and each other in the process.

A Friend Indeed uses primarily animal characters to tell a very human story about the ills of prejudice and the interdependence of all life. Its messages of friendship, perseverance and faith will speak to the souls of readers young and old and leave them feeling uplifted and inspired long after finishing the book.