The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers

 Johannes is a stray dog who lives in a large park in a large city. The bison watch over the park to maintain the balance, and Johannes acts as "eyes" for the bison who are confined in an enclosure. Whenever Johannes sees pet dogs, he is proud of his freedom, but the thing he is most proud of is how he can run "at the speed of light". Things start to change in the park.  There is a new building, a boatload of goats, and new kinds of visitors that bring trouble.  All these start to change Johannes' view of the world, and of himself.

This is the Newbery winner for this year, and oh, does it deserve it.  The writing is fresh and vibrant and the story is original.  Most of all, Johannes and the other animals in the park have wonderful voices. Johannes sounds "doggy," the Bison sound "bison-y" and the squirrel sounds "squirrel-y".  What's more, the reader does a wonderful job performing all the different characters, capturing, especially, Johannes' exuberance for life. As soon as I read this book I wanted to order a copy for my grandkids.  I really think it will take its place among other great animal classics like Charlotte's Web and The One and Only Ivan. (2023, 256 p.
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