Shimmerdogs

Shimmerdogs is a prequel-sequel to Peacekeepers. But it is narrated by Nell's brother, Mike. Always imaginative, Mike becomes very worried about his mother's safety when she goes on a peacekeeping mission to Bosnia. He, like his sister, gets caught up in his mother's tragic stories such as the one about a little boy named Edin, whose daily life includes the nightmares of war.

When he finds a book in the library describing an ancient belief that dogs were brought down to earth from the moon to help the Creator keep peace, he begins to shape an understanding of events taking place in his life. After all, he reasons, he was brought back to life by a shimmering white dog with "jewelry eyes" after drowning in the town swimming pool. When his dog Merit disappears, he feels certain she's just gone away on some kind of peacekeeping mission like his mother.

Then he meets, Jozef Lapinski, his uncle's elderly neighbour who has his own miraculous dog story from World War II to tell. As Mike's self-doubt continues to diminish he sees more and more evidence of what he believes to be true – that shimmerdogs are rescuing people from the very real dangers of his world. And for Mike, this is all the more reason to invent agents of protection for his family – or be assisted by them, whichever the case may be.

Shimmerdogs is for readers aged 9 – 12. It is being published by Thistledown Press and will be released in March of 2008.

Advance Praise for Shimmerdogs:

In her new book Dianne Linden takes us on a journey into the world of Mike Hopkins, the little brother we met in her highly-successful young adult novel, Peacekeepers. It's an authentic, unsentimental journey, but one shimmering with magic, myth and miracle – too good to miss!

Glen Huser
G. G. Award winning author of Stitches
G. G. Finalist for Skinnybones and the Wrinkle Queen

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