Almost Perfect by Diane Daniels Manning

Dogs are loving, nurturing and healing animals. They sense our pain and are there to help us through the worst moments of our lives. Almost Perfect by Diane Manning follows the relationship of a young boy and an older woman with her aging dog.

About Almost Perfect

Seventy year old, Bess Rutledge, has fantasized about winning the Westminster Dog Show all her life. She has now come to the decision that she is just too old to follow her dream. By chance, she meets Benny her neighbour one night. Benny is an angry, fourteen year old with mild autism and ADHD. Benny has his own dream: to impress his self-absorbed mother. He becomes convinced that the only way to do so is by winning Westminster with McCreery, Bess’ aging champion standard poodle. Trying to get Bess on board with his plan is not going to be an easy accomplishment.

My Thoughts

When I first read the excerpt of this book I knew it was going to be one that just melted my heart, made me cry and bring me back up again. Diane Manning delivered on this and more!

The relationship between a dog and it’s owner is special. There is an unconditional love and bond that forms that lasts a lifetime. I still miss my Pepper with all my heart – the way she would jump and bark by just hearing our voices even over the phone! A dog can also be very therapeutic and help a child learn responsibility.

When we meet Benny you can tell this is exactly what he needs. He is hurting inside and is angry at the world. He has a Mother, that no matter how hard he tries does not want to be part of his life. She is so absorbed in her own life and her needs that she places a great burden on Benny. He shows this burden through his actions and anger at others. I wanted to cry and reach out to him as my heart broke for the pain he felt. From the way Diane writes you can tell she has had experience with children with social and emotional challenges. I was not surprised at all by her education and work experience! It shows through strongly in her work.

Almost Perfect is a well written, emotional journey that will reach to the heart of every parent and dog lover. You will not be disappointed with this read! You can purchase your own copy on Amazon, Audible and Barnes and Nobles.

Rating: 5/5

About Diane Manning

Diane Daniels Manning is the co-founder and director of The New School in the Heights, a therapeutic school in Houston, Texas which helps children dealing with social-emotional challenges find success in school and life. She has a Ph.D. in Education and a post-doctoral M.P.H from Harvard and is a practicing child psychoanalyst certified by the American Psychoanalytic Association. She was formerly the Director of the Reading and Learning disabilities Clinic at Tufts University, Lecturer and Research Associate in the Department of Behavioural Sciences at Harvard and Chair of the Department of Education at Tulane University. She learned the inner workings of dog show kennels by writing an oral history of a lifetime President of the Poodle Club of America.

You can connect with her on Twitter, Facebook and her website.

The Giveaway!

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Bonus Info: Westminster Dog Show!

This year the 139th Westminster Dog Show will be running from February 16-17. Make sure to check out their website.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.