They are living the sweet life of pampered pets when their beloved owner, Cora Howder, decides to take six weeks on Bald Head Island to write a book about the local wildlife, especially the loggerhead turtles. Bennett and Lola enjoy the island life, and quickly befriend a local mockingbird – but when they uncover a pair of loggerhead turtle egg thieves (and dog abusers), they plot a daring rescue with typical Chihuahua impetuousness. When you’re Chihuahua-sized, though, the world can be a dangerous place. Can they survive foxes, cats, gators, rogue waves and worst of all, dangerous criminal humans, to save the loggerhead babies’ future?
This is an adorable book, perfect for animal lovers who want a cheerful and engaging piece of mind candy. The author obviously knows Chihuahuas, and has their personalities down pat – somewhere between “Hey, food!” and “I’ll bite your ankles off even if you ARE twenty times my size!” The other animals’ personalities are reasonably believable, as long as you accept the talking-intelligent-animal trope in the first place. The story is charmingly told and entertaining, the editing is good, and the plot moves energetically along without getting bogged down in detail. The author’s affection for the island and its animals is clearly evident.
There isn’t much depth to this book, but there isn’t meant to be. It can be a bit simplistic, with the good-vs.-evil lines clearly drawn, and sometimes the conflicts and dangers in the book can seem a bit too easily or suddenly solved. It is not a book to be read for intellectual stimulation or deep commentary on the issues of the day, but then, there’s nothing wrong with that, either. The author does tout conservation and environmental preservation, but not in a particularly preachy or heavy-handed way.
If you love animals, and want to pass a pleasant hour or two inside the mind of a particularly intelligent Chihuahua, THE ADVENTURES OF STARFOOT AND BROWN is an entertaining read.
Reviewed by Catherine Langrehr for IndieReader.