When Martin McKenna was growing up in Garryowen, Ireland, in the 1970s, he felt the whole world knew him as just “that stupid boy.” Badly misunderstood by his family and teachers, Martin escaped from endless bullying by running away from home and eventually adopting—or being adopted by—six street dogs. Camping out in barns, escaping from farmers, and learning to fend for himself by caring for his new friends, Martin discovered a different kind of language, strict laws of behavior, and strange customs that defined the world of dogs. More importantly, his canine companions helped him understand the vital importance of family, courage, and self-respect—and that he wasn’t stupid after all. Their lessons helped Martin make a name for himself as the “Dog Man” in Australia, where he now lives and dispenses his hard-earned wisdom to dog owners who are sometimes baffled by what their four-legged friends are trying to tell them. An emotional and poignant story seasoned with plenty of Frank McCourt–style humor, The Boy Who Talked to Dogs is an inspiration to anyone who’s ever been told he or she won’t amount to anything. It’s also a unique, fascinating look into canine behavior. In these pages, Martin shows how modern life has conditioned dogs to act around humans, in some ways helpful, but in other ways unnatural to their true instincts, and how he has benefited enormously from learning to “talk dog.”

In this classic work of developmental psychology, renowned psychiatrist and the coauthor of the #1 New York Times bestseller What Happened to You? reveals how trauma affects children—and outlines the path to recovery "Fascinating and upbeat...Dr. Perry is both a world-class creative scientist and a compassionate therapist."—Mary Pipher, PhD, author of Reviving Ophelia How does trauma affect a child's mind—and how can that mind recover? Child psychiatrist Dr. Bruce D. Perry has helped children faced with unimaginable horror: genocide survivors, murder witnesses, kidnapped teenagers, and victims of family violence. In the classic The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog, Dr. Perry tells their stories of trauma and transformation and shares their lessons of courage, humanity, and hope. Deftly combining unforgettable case histories with his own compassionate, insightful strategies for rehabilitation, Perry explains what happens to children’s brains when they are exposed to extreme stress—and reveals the unexpected measures that can be taken to ease such pain and help them grow into healthy adults. Only when we understand the science of the mind and the power of love and nurturing can we hope to heal the spirit of even the most wounded child.

A charming children's book about a boy with the special ability to communicate with dogs. A beautiful, touching story with gorgeous, full-color illustrations.

When Jack is washed up on an island, he finds himself alone on an island inhabited by sheep and two packs of warring dogs, yet through his friendship with one special Border Collie, Jack learns to communicate with them and develops a friendship on th

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 My father was a big, wild Irishman, and my mother was a German princess. They met in London when he was with the UN army, and they fell in love. They had a marriage of international proportions, like Germany marrying Ireland. #2 My father, a drinker, would visit our house and turn off all the lights. He would point at someone if they were in the room and say, What do you think this is. Shannon Airport. There’s enough lights turned on to land a plane on the roof. #3 I was so scared of my father that I would sneak into his pockets when he was asleep. I would steal his coins and buy chocolate and cigarettes with them. #4 My father was a drunk, and on bad hangover mornings, he would easily have swapped his soul for a mug of scalding hot tea. I couldn’t push the memory of his bullying roars and Mammy's screams out of my head.

After being marooned on an island near New Zealand, Jack, an orphaned cabin boy from San Francisco, becomes allied with a group of dogs who protect the local sheep from wild dogs.