Gobi is a little stray dog in the Gobi Desert. When Dion comes to compete in the Gobi Desert race, he meets the little dog who accompanies him on his run. After crossing a river that the dog cannot, Dion makes the decision to go back for the dog and the two are forever bonded. This is an encouraging story about perseverance and indomitable spirit.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* at first the ARC i received was not fully there so i was unable to read anymore than the first 2 pges, was able to track it down in my library app and it was pretty cute! completely forgot i got the ARC lol

Cute story with great pictures. My kids thought it was a great book and I have read it to them several times.

This is a very sweet book, and really wonderful for younger kids! The illustrations are colorful and coordinate well with the text on each page, while also keeping the interest of both of my boys (3 & 8).

This book was so cute, I love that during the ultra-marathon Dion found a stray dog, named it Gobi, let Gobi run with him, and that the two of them became forever friends. I loved the illustrations, the images were bright and colourful.

This was an adorable book! I love that it is based on a true story and that Dion rescued Gobi. I volunteer with a few animal rescues so I love seeing stories like this. I read this book to my.one year old son, he seemed to enjoy the story and the illustrations were adorable. Thanks for sharing Gobi's story!

Oh my. Gobi by Dion Leonard has got to be the cutest book I have ever read. I have heard of it before but if I had known it was this lovely, I would have read it much sooner. Growing up, I always wanted a dog that looked just like Gobi to go on adventures with. Honestly, I still consider adopting every dog that looks like her. This story was nicely written to be understood by little kids and the illustrations are absolutely lovely. I can't wait to read Gobi and Dion's other story as well!

Did not enjoy this story. Did not think the pictures or the story related well with children. Do not think children would relate to a race across a desert with a dog.

This is such a cute story! I'm a teacher and we learn about the Gobi Desert, so when I stumbled across this story about a dog that was rescued from the Gobi Desert, I knew that I needed to share the story with them! The illustrations in this book and bright, colorful, and very eye-catching. They grabbed the attention of my students right away. This book even caused them to want to learn more about Gobi and find more of his story.

Gobi is lost in the desert and he is looking for a friend. He is a curious dog and a playful dog. When he comes across a 7 day race in the Gobi Desert, he playfully thinks that the participants are playing with him. One of the runners Dion takes to Gobi and finds a friend himself. Together, they take the 7 day trek across the desert encouraging each other. It is their encouragement that takes them across the finish line.

A fun book to read with your young kiddos to teach them about friendship. Highly recommend.

A Special Thank you to Thomas Nelson and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book along with its amazing pictures and illustrations brought me to tears. I have never read a more heartwarming story since Marley and Me and how a stray dog attended a race and found a racer named Dion and grew this bond like it was meant to be. No matter how hard it got, Gobi stayed with Dion through the entire race and win or loose they became friends for life. Recently, I lost my dog and reading this story reminded me of how special our bond was and even with the most difficult times, he still stood by my side and never left me. I know children will be inspired by this book and I definitely know that the elementary school teachers will fall in love with this book.

We will consider adding this title to our Picture Book collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

This is a heartwarming story, particularly because it's true.
Gobi is a little desert dog who randomly appears during a race. He thinks he has found his forever friend in Dion, and he is quite right! Through Gobi and Dion's experience, we are reminded of the value of our special furry friends.
The artist did well at varying the landscapes given that it's all set in the desert. Great illustrations throughout. I googled an image of the real Gobi, and the artist has truly captured his likeness.
The bolding of some words on each page can be an excellent starting point for discussion with older children, especially the onomatopoeic words.

I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Cute illustrations from one of my favourite stories, I love Gobi and I love stories where people find animals and become best friends

My kids didnt want this story to end! Such a cute and heartwarming story. The art work is very good and I really enjoyed that Gobi has a voice in the story as well. I think all ages will enjoy this short story and the little ones will love the pictures of this cute dog.

Some stories touch your heart.

For me, if the story involves an animal facing adversity, I am a blubbering mess.

Gobi, A Little Dog with a Big Heart, is a true story that I have recently found and just fallen in love with.

Within the first few pages, readers will meet a little lost dog. He is alone in the desert without anyone to call his own. The little dog is searching for something, but he doesn't seem to be finding his way.

Life changes for the little dog when one day lots of people start running by. Unaware that the people are racing in one of the toughest, multi-day, foot races across the Gobi Desert, the little dog decides to join along.

It is through his curiosity, that the little dog runs into a racer named Dion. The two quickly become fast friends, and they continue the race through the Gobi Desert together.

It is Dion who decides to name the little lost dog, Gobi, to remember the journey the two have ran alongside one another.

As the days of the race pass on, Gobi and Dion friendship deepens and turns into a love that both of them cherish.

Gobi: A Little Dog with a Big Heart is a picture book that I will be adding to my classroom mentor texts this upcoming school year. The story is engaging and so full of meaning. Students of all ages will fall in love with Gobi right alongside Dion.

A man meets the stray dog that will become his pet in a most unlikely situation: a seven day long ultramarathon across the Gobi Desert.

A stray border terrier mix crosses paths with a group of extreme athletes racing across the Gobi Desert and forms a bond with runner (and author of this book) Dion Leonard. In this book, Dion recounts the events occurring after the arrival of a stray dog he would later name Gobi, an homage to the race’s location in a Chinese desert, the place where they first met. Although Dion didn’t win the ultramarathon, he and Gobi crossed the finish line together.

A series of hapless setbacks and unavoidable delays prevented Gobi from accompanying Dion to Europe after the ultramarathon. Dion’s hopes were realized when he was reunited with Gobi who came to live in Scotland with Dion, wife Lucja, and Lara the cat. The illustrations by Lisa Manuzak are colorful and appealing, brightly complementing Dion’s narrative.

This uplifting book is one I’d recommend to parents and teachers both. An abundance of positive character traits and qualities such as determination, perseverance, goal-setting, and friendship lend themselves to a cozy tale, perfect for bedtime. As an educator, lesson planning is always lurking in my thoughts and I see a lot of potential content in this book. Geography and math, especially unit conversion, were only the first among many that came to mind.

I was curious to learn more, and though lengthier and more comprehensive accounts are available for purchase, the internet provided me with everything I wanted to know. (Bonus: loads of pictures!) I found a wealth of details surrounding Dion and Gobi that weren’t recounted in the book’s short thirty-two pages.

(Though this is the end of my review, I had started taking notes about Gobi’s story at the bottom of the page. Rather than delete them, I’ve left them tacked onto the end of my review in the event anyone reading this is curious about what other information is out there, but doesn’t want to squander their time away like I did.)

Thanks to Thomas Nelson: Children’s and NetGalley for the provided e-ARC and the opportunity to read this book. My review is honest, unbiased, and voluntary. #NetGalley

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•••
In 2016, Dion Leonard, an Australian/British runner living in Scotland embarked on a 250 kilometer race across Mongolia’s Gobi Desert. The 155 mile ultramarathon included running across sand, navigating rocky slopes, racing through water, and enduring temperatures that reached 125°F (52°C). Dion didn’t start the race as a dog owner, but striking up a friendship with a little border terrier mix along the way changed that.

On the second day of the ultramarathon, called the ‘4 Deserts Gobi March,’ Dion noticed a small dog running alongside the group of marathoners, and she kept pace with them the whole day! Dion shared his water with her and though he didn’t bring extra food, he gave her small pieces of his jerky anyway. Soon, the other participants were sharing tiny amounts of their own rations.

She slept curled up next to Dion, sharing his tent. Dion carried her through water along the route that she was afraid to cross on her own. When the 125°F heat threatened her well-being, race organizers transported the dog in a vehicle traveling with the runners. Dion didn’t win the event, but he and Gobi crossed the finish line together and was determined to bring her home.

Some bureaucratic red tape, Gobi’s disappearance, her reappearance with an injury, a surgery to repair it, a successful crowdfunding campaign to cover the veterinary costs and transportation, and a mandatory quarantine period complicated and delayed things, but Gobi eventually ended up at home in Scotland with Dion, his wife Lucja, and their cat Lara.

This book is a great choice for children (and adults). It is very heartwarming and Gobi is drawn adorably.

I felt my heart increasing by several sizes and hope Gobi is still living her best life. Kudos to Dion Leonard for rescuing Gobi and giving her a home.

I really like this story and can't wait to read more about Gobi! I like how the story is about the authors dog! Recommended for young readers! The illustrations are really good! :D

**I received a copy of this book from its publisher on NetGalley in exchange for my honest review**

I read this one to my 2 month old son and we both loved it. It was a very nice story with quite adorable illustrations. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a nice picture book with a great story.

Gobi sees people running across the desert and thinks that he will run with them. He meets Dion and they begin to run together. Soon, they are eating and sleeping together, too. Will that mean that they will stay together when problems arise? Dion can’t leave Gobi and they cross the finish line together.

This is a wonderful picture book for children. The story is simple yet sweet. Gobi and Dion quickly become friends and begin to count on the company of one another. When Dion goes back to the shore to get Gobi even though it could cost him the race, children will learn that sometimes you have to set aside what you want for your friends in need.

The illustrations are lovely. They are realistic and colorful. Children will be enthralled with the deep blues, bright greens and sunny yellows.

I highly recommend this book for toddlers and young children alike.


I received an ARC from Thomas Nelson Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. That is no way affects my opinion or rating of this book.