About Toby’s Tale
Toby lives with his mother, sister and brother in a field. One bitter winter day, tragedy strikes – his little brother wanders off and freezes to death. Mama decides they need to live in a safer place and travels with the two puppies to her older brother Heinz, who lives in a nearby town. But once they arrive, Toby overhears that Heinz’s family would take two dogs, but not three. That triggers his decision to leave his family to save them all from being put into an animal shelter.
As Toby embarks on his quest, readers are taken on an immersive journey that allows them to see the world through a dog’s eyes. This emotional rollercoaster is filled with joy, laughter, fear, sadness and moments of reflection.
On the first step of his adventure, Toby befriends Sam, a lovable old Beagle whose family takes Toby in, and Fei-Fei, a Confucius-spouting Pekingese. Toby learns about friendship, loyalty and the joy of being part of a human family. When the family is forced to move to another city, however, Toby is taken to a shelter, where he quickly becomes the adversary of malicious animal control officer Thurman Snipe and discovers the cruel side of people. Toby develops a close friendship with a lonely Irish Setter named Rosemary and becomes the shelter “cheerleader,” inspiring her and the other dogs not to give up hope that they will be adopted.
Despite many frightening days in the shelter, Toby is encouraged as Rosemary and several other dogs find new homes. But as days stretch into weeks, Toby himself loses hope that he’ll ever leave the shelter, and he plots his escape. During one of his attempts, he’s attacked and injured by Thurman’s dog and is rushed to a veterinary clinic from which he later flees.
Toby ends up on the streets as his second winter approaches. Hungry, cold and desperate, he cautiously joins up with Joe, a homeless man who renews Toby’s faith and trust in people. He learns that dogs are not alone in sometimes facing homelessness and hunger. But when Joe falls sick and is hospitalized (thanks to Toby raising the alarm), Toby is again on his own. His spirits plunge as, miserable, starving, cold and alone, he realizes his situation is close to hopeless. He finally gives up and lies down in the snow, expecting to die.
On the verge of death, he’s rescued by a young man out riding his horse. The two “click” and Toby finds his new home, a family to love and people to love him. On top of that, he has a chance encounter with his mother and learns that his family is together and flourishing. But then Toby and Thurman again cross paths (to be the subject of Book 2, Toby’s Travels: The Adventure Continues).
Buy the book, and follow the author on social media:
Learn more about the writer. Visit the Author’s Website.
Like the Authors Facebook Fan Page.
Author Bio:
I have been a print journalist for well over 30 years, working for international media in the United States, Europe and the Middle East. A Michigan native who grew up in Southern California, I’ve spent most of my life overseas (Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia for five years, then three decades in Europe, where I raised three wonderful children in the Netherlands, Belgium and France).
In 2020, I moved with my four-footed family to beautiful Costa Rica, where I work as an editorial consultant and journalist (the work that pays the bills) and creative writer (the work I love the most). I am passionate about writing stories that not only entertain and educate, but also tug at the heartstrings and have readers rooting for the (under)dog.
My first novel and the first in a series of at least three is Toby’s Tale. I’m now working on the second book in the series, Toby’s Travel: The Adventure Continues, which I aim to publish in September 2024. My rhyming picture book, Ashley’s Rescue: A Miracle Breakdown, was published in May 2024.
info@jenniferfreedmanbooks.com