Do you love dogs? Do you like mystery? Do you like heart-warming themes? Well, then you should settle down in a comfy place, get your snacks and beverages ready (I would suggest drinking Starbucks), and start reading this book! But first, read this book review and then make a decision!

“Saving Shiloh” is about a dog and a boy. The boy’s name is Marty, and the dog’s name is Shiloh. Marty is still not sure about Judd Travers. He’s trying to change, but people are a bit skeptical about him. A man has been murdered recently, however, and all the blame is pointing to Judd. Even Marty and David think it’s him. They start finding evidence to try and support this reasoning.

Everyone on Marty’s bus is talking about it, including Marty himself. A kid named Michael mostly talks about Judd and badmouths him, however. Marty and his family have him over for dinner, but Marty’s dad mostly does the talking, so Marty gets yelled at. It’s for Thanksgiving dinner. Judd still seems a little rough around the edges. At first, I thought he was actually the murderer. 

One day, David and Marty actually find a boot of the victim. Now this gives hope to David that Judd is the killer. Looking on the bright side, he says that Marty won’t have any problems if Judd is guilty and sent to jail. Still, Marty’s feelings about this change a little. He goes over to Judd’s house and talks to him a little. Marty asks about the boot they found, and Judd takes it after Marty gives it to him. David can’t believe Marty did this, so they try finding the other boot. 

In the meantime, it’s almost winter break, and Marty and his family have to go to Grandma Preston’s house. Marty is a bit frustrated, but doesn’t say anything. Dara Lynn, one of Marty’s younger sisters, complains. They go over to Grandma Preston’s house, and then they come back. But when they come back, Marty’s dad’s knife is missing, and so is his lantern. Luckily, the person/people didn’t break into the house because of Shiloh. A kid named Fred says in the bus that someone robbed his house at night as well. Marty recalls seeing a flashlight over his head one night, though, so it could make sense that the murderer was also robbing others. 

It snows a lot, so school is out. It snows about 30 inches! But the power goes out for about 2 days. Finally, the TV turns on after that, so the power comes back on. Judd actually helps plow Marty and his family’s driveway. Then Marty and David try to look for the other boot after Marty and his family go to Grandma Preston’s funeral. (Marty’s grandma died of pneumonia.) They instead find all of their missing things and other people’s things. They report this to the sheriff, and he and his partner said that they would catch the people who did this. It was two people who broke out of jail. 

David comes over to Marty’s place, and what happens is that their babysitter, a nice lady, is late. But when Dara Lynn goes out of the house and balances on the bridge’s rail, she falls into the water. Marty’s dog, Shiloh goes after her, but instead puts himself in danger. Luckily, Dara Lynn is saved, but Shiloh can’t go back to land. Suddenly, Judd’s pickup truck comes, and he rescues Shiloh. Shiloh hangs on to Judd reluctantly, and once Shiloh is saved, Marty gives Judd a hug. It seems awkward, but it’s a start. 

It seems like Judd’s reputation is in the clear. Marty tests out the fence for Judd’s dogs, but when it’s tested out, the biggest one gets its paw stepped on by Judd, so it bites Judd’s leg. Judd screams in pain, but eventually hits the dog with a hammer. That makes his reputation in the school bus go down a bit in morality. One of the kids, Michael, who seems annoying, says that Judd killed a dog and slammed it with a hammer. Marty tries to defend Judd, but his defense doesn’t really work out. 

Anyways, since Dara Lynn’s birthday is coming up, and Marty doesn’t really like Dara Lynn, he knows he should get her something nice because that’s what big brothers do. They protect and care about their little sisters. So when Marty tells Dara Lynn that he can get her a kitten for her birthday from the vet, she hugs Marty tightly, and Marty hugs her back. It’s still a bit awkward, but it looks like a beautiful sister and brother moment.

It’s a nice way to end the book, I’ll say! This might be for 10 and up because of alcohol mentions and murder in the book. Plus, it has a beautiful meaning and might be for kids who are more matured. I would say this book is realistic fiction because the plot, characters, and settings are realistic, but it never really happened. The setting is a real place, however. But the vet, houses, and other common buildings are just added there in the town. They aren’t there in real life. In conclusion, I definitely think you should if you like adventure, mystery, and dogs, and I hope you enjoy this book if you get to read it! 

Written by Kruti Patel