The Dog of Knots by Kathy Walden Kaplan

From the Publisher

St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 21, 2004 - Sue Bradford Edwards

Mayim struggles with doing right versus staying safe. In Haifa, Mayim befriends a stray dog that lives in the wadi. When the 1973 Yom Kippur War breaks out, Mayim must brave the dangers around her to save the dog from his own fear, starvation and possibly the fighting itself. Author Kathy Walden Kaplan brings readers 9-12 a touching story of friendship, political turmoil and hope.

Midwest Book Review, June 2004 - Vicki Arkoff

A poignant first novel from a talented new author.

Carol Raker Collins, Ph.D. - Children's Literature

Who is this dog with knots of rosy-beige fur and a bit of white around his mouth? He has been in Haifa, Israel, for as long as anyone can remember and no one knows his real name. This mystery, along with that of the Israeli wars, puzzles nine-year-old Mayim with the blonde ringlets. She lost her father in the Six Day War when she was not yet two. She had to leave her grandfather and her best friend, Yuri, back in Jerusalem. Now in 1973, Mayim has learned to adapt to living on Mount Carmel above the Mediterranean coast. While her mother teaches chemistry at Technion Institute, Mayim attends school and makes her rounds much like the dog Knotty, as she calls him. Her friends are older folks, such as the Palestinian vegetable and fruit seller Mr. Saludi, the Russian refugee Mrs. Koslovsky, or the butcher Chaim. She learns a lot from them and gives them support in return. When the Yom Kippur War breaks out, Mayim and Knotty are tested and "remember" who they really are. So the knots of the story are more than curly hair: they include the puzzles of war, of interrelationships, and of knowing oneself. The historical novel is simply told, but has an almost imperceptible depth for either a child or an adult. A glossary with names of places, special dishes, and other words of the region helps introduce the reader to this unique spot in the Middle East. 2004, Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, Ages 9 up.

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