Little Dog Moon

Patricia Morley is professor emerita of English and Canadian Studies at
Concordia University and an avid outdoor recreationist. She is the
author of several books, including The Mountain Is Moving: Japanese
Women’s Lives, Kurlek and Margaret Laurence: T

Little Dog Moon is a story about the sacrifice and courage of those who
struggle to be free. The background of the story is the current
political situation in Tibet, which holds citizens prisoners in their
own land. As the jacket copy notes, many Nepalese parents send their
children on a fearsome journey to freedom during the winter months when
the mountain passes are not heavily guarded: “Many such children have
made it, many have been turned back, many more have simply
disappeared.”

One winter night, two young children turn up at the door of a monastery
in Tibet. Realizing that they are refugees hoping to reach Nepal, a
young monk named Tenzin admits them for the night. Tenzin knows that his
small, longhaired dog, Moon, whose heavy coat and wide flat feet fit her
superbly for the bitter snowy clime, could lead them along unguarded
mountain paths to freedom. After eating and resting, the dog and
children set out. Nearly a year passes before Moon returns, to
Tenzin’s great joy. Dirty and sore, she carries in her long fur the
prayer flag that the children’s mother had given them.

In a note, Trottier identifies Moon as a Tibetan terrier, an ancient
breed known for bravery, sacrifice, and love, and said to bring good
luck and even freedom. She wishes that children may have these gifts.
This inspirational tale is well matched by the illustrations of the
award-winning husband-and-wife team of Laura Fernandez and Rick
Jacobson; their colorful scenes suggest the beauty and terror of the
mountains, as well as the calm inner strength found in the monastery.
Highly recommended.