I had this collection when I was a child over 40 years ago and I absolutely adored it.

I had completely forgotten all about it until I happened to come across it online. Once I was reminded of it, I could still recall at least six or seven of the stories quite clearly.

I am sure that some of the stories are a little dated now. In fact, they were already dated at the time. However, the book is a five-star for me just because of the story “Enter Emma” alone.

This story is taken from the book Emma and I by Sheila Hocken. I actually sought out and read this book as a child after coming across this story in this anthology. It is the memoir of a woman and the vision guide dog, Emma, who comes into her life. I remember reading this story over and over again!

There were several other selections that caught my attention as a child. Primarily those by James Herriot, Joy Adamson, Anna Sewell, Desmond Morris, and Gerald Durrell. All of these authors would also become childhood reading staples for me.

I see that this book is available to borrow from the Internet Archive. I may just do that for the sake of nostalgia. It would be wonderful to revisit those old stories and relive the memories of my childhood.

Good stories are like precious gems that can capture our imagination and touch our hearts.

However, this particular collection of stories by this author, while interesting and well-written, is not my absolute favorite.

Perhaps it's because the themes didn't resonate with me on a deep personal level, or maybe the writing style didn't quite click.

Nonetheless, that doesn't mean these stories aren't worth reading.

They still offer valuable insights, engaging plots, and well-developed characters.

Each story has its own unique charm and can provide hours of entertainment and thought-provoking moments.

So, even though it may not be at the top of my list, I would still recommend giving these stories a chance.

You might just discover something that speaks to you and becomes a new favorite.

After all, everyone has different tastes when it comes to literature, and what one person may not love, another might find truly captivating.