Dogs Don't Cry - Novels of The Great War

By John Andrews

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult (YA)

Age Groups: 12-18, 18+

Dogs Don’t Cry is a dog novel wrapped inside a coming-of-age story about two orphaned World War I French teenaged refugees.

France, 1918. Abby is a border collie who allows the Durand family to call her their pet. She considers herself to be a genius among dogs and is quite opinionated. Her boy, Marcel Durand, is fifteen. He idolizes his father, an elite soldier who is fighting for France. He struggles with uncertainty about his own courage as he approaches military age. Marcel’s thirteen-year-old sister, Geneviève, is bedridden with severe pneumonia that she is convinced will kill her. The family watches their village evacuate as the German spring offensive barrels toward them after the doctor advises their mother that Geneviève won’t survive a strenuous journey. Finally, with no choice left, they attempt a last-minute escape. Tragedy forces the children and Abby to flee on their own.

Marcel, and Geneviève need to find their only nearby relative, a distant cousin named Henri. He lives in Paris, but they have never met him. They don’t know his last name or address. Abby is the key. She lived with Henri before joining their family. They confront adversity and discover personal courage, armed with hope, determination, and their faith in Abby as they flee the coming tidal wave of war.