A Dog’s Purpose – 63 Weeks a New York Times Bestseller! The highest reader ranking of any New York Times Bestselling Book Series.
This novel, told from a dog’s perspective, has the highest reader-ranking of any recent New York Times Bestseller.
Probably what makes this story so beloved and unique is that it is told from the perspective of a real dog — that is, not a dog who understands English or talks to other dogs or animals. Often, this results in hilarious misunderstandings — just as in real life.
Also: it is not a story where at the end of the book the dog dies. That’s not a spoiler alert because the entire premise of the novel is that the dog never dies—he keeps being reborn, remembering each life, learning lessons from each life that help him with the next one. Eventually, he comes to conclude there must be a purpose, a reason for him to be reborn, and until he has figured out that purpose, he’ll keep being reborn, over and over again.
If you love dogs, or know someone who does, you can’t go wrong with A Dog’s Purpose. For proof, go to Amazon or BN.com or Goodreads and check out how many people claim this is their favorite book of all time.
PLACES TO BUY
PRAISE for A Dog’s Purpose
“An amazing book. I laughed and smiled and cried. Wise… and sure to open the hearts of all who read it.” —Alice Walker, Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Color Purple
“I loved this book and could not put it down.” —Temple Grandin
“This book is a classic. I was hooked a few pages in and then couldn’t stop turning the pages of the beautiful, uplifting, tenderly told, frequently funny and exquisitely moving story. I am awash in the tears of recognition every dog lover will shed when they read this remarkable book.” —Iris Rainer Dart, NY Times Bestselling Author, Beaches
“Finally, a fictional dog who is a real dog! Anyone who has ever loved a dog needs to read this wise, touching, often hilarious book. Bailey, the narrator, tells the absolute dog truth about how intuitive your dog is, how profoundly your dog loves you (and how very much they love to roll in road kill, and how puzzled they are that you don’t love it, too). Most importantly, this book allows the reader to intimately experience a genuine dog’s eye view of the bond between dogs and humans, and how nothing, not even death, can ever end that bond.” —Dr. Marty Becker, resident vet, Good Morning America and The Dr. Oz Show
“This book is the most accurate window into a dog’s mind I have ever encountered. I couldn’t put it down, and once I finished it, I actually felt is if my dog, who had recently passed away, was speaking to me through this book. This book is a triumph, impeccably detailing with intelligence and heart exactly why dogs love us so unconditionally. I feel like I have been waiting my whole life for this book. Thank you, Mr. Cameron.” —Dina Zaphiris, dog behavior expert, The Bonnie Hunt Show
“This is an exquisite, magical, fantastic book. I devoured it in a, “I-resent-anything-that-prevents-me-from-getting-back-to-the-book-why-do-I-have-to-work-my-kid-is-almost-six-can’t-he-drive-himself-to-school?” way. I adored Bailey, the dog narrator, and though I got teary, I absolutely loved this book. You should quickly fetch “A Dog’s Purpose,” an exemplar of the literary canine canon.” —Duncan Strauss, host, "Talking Animals,” NPR
"This wonderfully imagined, inspirational tale is told by a spiritual guide dog who teaches us that our life’s purpose is best accomplished when the word “love” is a verb. Bailey the dog knows the profound truths: there is no death, and fear is our greatest enemy. If you are a human, you need to read this treasure of a book." —Dannion Brinkley, New York Times best-selling author, Saved By the Light
“If Dickens had been a dog, he’d have written this book. From the moment I started it, the only time I could put this book down was when the need to hug my yellow lab became too strong to resist. Cameron channels the love, loyalty, and, yes, obliviousness of your favorite family pet. I expected this book to be entertaining because I know Cameron’s a funny writer. What I didn’t expect was to be so moved and delighted. I can’t wait until the whole world gets to read this book!” —Claire Scovell LaZebnik, author Same as it Never Was
“I finished this book and wanted to read it all over again. A funny, enchanting, and utterly believable story of the multiple lives of a most articulate canine, A Dog’s Purpose convinced me that there must be reincarnation and that author W. Bruce Cameron was once a dog. How else could he so poignantly detail life, love, and loyalty from the four-pawed point of view?” —Victoria Moran, author, Living a Charmed Life
“Usually when I read a book this brilliantly written, I wish I had written it, but in this case I’m just grateful it was written at all. For years I grieved and agonized over the choices I made in caring for my dog at the end of her life, but after hearing from Bailey how deeply our dogs feel what we humans go through, I know my dog loved me till the end, and loves me still, as I love her. This book healed me.” —Cathryn Michon, author, The Grrl Genius Guide to Life
“Wonderful, wonderful storytelling, written with a casual, ironic wit that belies how insightful the author is about relationships and the ways we love each other. Not since I was a kid and read Black Beauty have I found a more poignant and charming tale of the love shared between man and animal. Anyone who has ever had a pal like Bailey won’t be able to read this book dry-eyed. It gave me hope that the soul of my beloved dog is recycling through the cosmos and coming soon to a pup near me.” —Samantha Dunn, PEN West Fiction Finalist author, Failing Paris
Tucker, the star of the video below has a Facebook fan page!
TEACHERS & EDUCATORS
If you’ve read Dog’s Purpose or the sequel A Dog’s Journey, you are aware of the potential for using these novels to seize the imaginations of your students, and to get them thinking beyond the written page and into the deeper, more profound aspects of the story. Indeed, both books have been successfully used in grades as young as 5th and as old as 12th.
Using feedback from these real world experiences, a pair of educators has created a study guide to assist teachers in using both books in the classroom. This study guide is available for download, free. The guide has been aligned to the CCR national standards and specific comprehension questions have been designed to meet these standards. Vocabulary development has been pre-leveled for students as: middle school level, high school level, and advanced level.