Stella is a beagle and a working dog, helping sniff out bombs at the airport with Connie, her trainer and best friend. Stella is a good dog, but she made a mistake - one mistake that cost Connie her life. After three attempts to find a new home, Stella finds she is out of time, and chances. Maybe she's a bad dog after all.

Connie's friend, Esperanza, gives Stella one last chance. She is a trainer too, and very good at her job. She lives on a farm, raising sheep with her trusty dog, Nando, and her daughter Cloe. Cloe attaches to Stella immediately, begging her mother to help train the beagle. Esperanza isn't so sure, but she decides that Cloe could help, warning her daughter that this arrangement might not work. After all, Stella has lived through an explosion and the death of her owner, and has PTSD. A dog with PTSD usually doesn't regain the qualities of a good working dog, but Cloe is determined to try -- and Stella is, too.

When Stella uses her smelling skills to warn the family of Cloe's upcoming seizure, she finds that she is useful again. "Her girl" needs her, more than anyone, including Stella knows.

This is a fast-paced, adventurous, thrilling story of the connection between humans and their dogs. Told from Stella's point of view, the reader lives the life of a beagle in training -- vying to be the best dog she can be. Readers will fight for Stella's right to one last chance, root for Cloe as she trains Stella, long for treats, and feel the love between a beagle and "her girl." Readers will cheer for Stella.

This book reminded me why I love middle grade so much! Stella was so charming and full of heart, my heart broke and mended for our brave protagonist.

The book was told in Stella’s POV and Hoyle did a fantastic job at portraying Stella’s emotions and misgivings. She really felt like a real, fleshed-out character that you can’t help but root for until the very end. Stella’s PTSD was well-handled and researched, which is a huge plus.

Stella was a powerful tale of love, hope and bravery. Perfect for dog-lovers alike and I highly recommend!

I absolutely adored this book! Told from the point of view of a beagle, it is full of heart and love for our canine friends.
Stella was a service dog trained to sniff explosives. She lost her handler when a bomb went off at the airport and now suffers from PTSD. She's been given several chances to be rehomed, but none of them worked out. Until she met Cloe. Cloe turns out to be just who Stella needs. And Stella is just the dog Cloe needs. Cloe has epilepsy and Stella smells the changes in Cloe's body before she has a seizure. She just has to convince Cloe's mother what her keen nose is detecting.
I'll be buying copies of this for my middle-grade granddaughters. They love dogs and reading and this is the perfect book for them.

This sweet book was about a dog whose owner died in an explosion. The dog, Stella, is now frightened of anything that booms or thunders. Her previous owners haven't helped her much, but then she meets Cloe and regains hope. Since it's told in Stella's perspective, the book is funnier, and more serious sometimes. It's an amazing book, perfect for readers ages 9-12.

A beautifully illustrated book packed with emotion.

Any dog-lover will adore this book, especially those with rescue dogs. Stella is vulnerable, but also brave. Kids and grownups alike will empathize and connect with this little beagle with a big heart.

- thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this arc for an honest review.

this was so cute!! i love how the dog is the narrator and i now want a physical copy to give my little sister for christmas.

I cried tears of joy as I read STELLA, a heart-grabbing story told from the POV of an injured service dog. The beagle has one last chance to be adopted after she develops PTSD following an explosion that kills her handler. Retired from service, she fails with one adoptive family after another. But an expert trainer has faith in her, and Stella so badly wants to be useful again.

Her match with young Chloe and her family proves a godsend. Stella can smell chemicals released before Chloe has an epileptic attack, and just as Stella’s gift saves Chloe, the girl’s love saves Stella. That precious cover captures the sweetness of their bond. A must-read for middle graders or anyone awed by the canine-human connection.

5 of 5 Stars
Pub Date 02 Mar 2021
#Stella #NetGalley

Thanks to the author, Shadow Mountain Publishing, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.

"You must do the thing you think you cannot do." - Eleanor Roosevelt.

I absolutely adored this book. It was a short read and very intriguing. Stella has experienced an explosion and the death of her owner, and has PTSD. A dog with PTSD doesn't regain the qualities of a good working dog, but Stella is determined to try. You will find yourself rooting for Stella. It's not just a children's book, even adults can take away a lot of valuable lessons from this story. It's a story of overcoming fear, taking risks and showcasing bravery when needed.

Thank you, Netgalley and McCall Hoyle for an Arc 🖤

This is a middle grade book told by a dog named Stella. Stella is trying to get over explosive chemical mistake and during that event her handler got killed. Stella is having some major anxiety issues, and she is going through new owners. I loved Stella has a character because I love seeing things for the eyes of a dog. I did wish Stella talked to the our dogs in this book. Stella was a great character, and this is a great book. I will be buying this book for my daughter and the school library. This is a great middle grade book from 3rd grade and higher (even adults). I think adults can learn to slow down and see things from other points of view while reading this book, and there are many other messages in this book. I loved the ending of this book so much. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Shadow Mountain) or author (McCall Hoyle) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review about how I feel about this book, and I want to send a big Thank you to them for that. This book is schedule to be release on March 2-2021.

Simply lovely! Stella is a wonderful, heartfelt story about a dog with PTSD and the girl who helps her rediscover her purpose and her joy.

Readers will love that the story is told from the dog's point of view, and teachers will love the depth of detail the author provides about working dogs, service dogs, dog training, and facing your fears.

The steady pace and relatable characters make it an engaging and enjoyable read. A must for any library.

Thank you to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Short synopsis: Stella is a beagle that used to be a working dog at the airport. However, after an accident at the airport, she never sees Connie again. Soon, the pound places her in multiple foster homes but none of them work out. She then gets taken to a farm where Esperanza and her daughter Cloe live. Stella forms a special bond with Cloe. However, will Stella get to stay with them or will Esperanza send her back to the pound? And what will Stella do when Cloe needs her the most? Read this book to find out!
My opinions: I thought this book was cute, but a bit boring. Also, I feel like the storyline was suitable for middle-grade readers but the writing style felt younger. (However, this could be due to the fact the book is written from the viewpoint of a dog.)

Man's best friend is always a great attention grabber especially for young readers, but a story from a dog's perspective is engaging and a great change up from the usual. I was immediately sucked into Stella's story and her sweet doggy point of view. Her descriptions and explanations of human behavior is endearing and cute, while still conveying the frustration at the misunderstanding between humans and hounds. Why don't the humans understand something so simple, you find yourself wondering, before realizing you're 100% thinking like Stella.

The book Stella covers PTSD in a way children can understand, as well as living with a difficult condition like epilepsy. It is a great overview in children's terms for service dogs, while still being an entertaining read that captures the imagination and is a bit of a throwback for older readers to a childhood of pretending to be our favorite animals.

Adorable, engaging, and covertly educational - Stella is a great read that moves to my recommended for all ages shelf immediately.

*I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

This is such a darling middle grade book about overcoming your fear, learning from your mistakes, and--of course--dogs! This book is told from a dog's point of view, which makes it a very fun and interesting read. Stella is a beagle who is now without a true home following a horrific incident with her owner. As a working dog, Stella feels personally responsible for her previous owner's death and wonders if she can ever be a good dog again. Then by an incredible stroke of luck Stella is sent to live temporarily with dog trainer Esperanza and her daughter, Cloe. Cloe and Stella hit it off from the start, but can Stella prove that she's the perfect best friend for her new human? This book has so many wonderful themes that readers will resonate with. Anyone who loves animals is sure to love Stella!

Stella is a working dog that a
sniffs out bomb chemicals at an airport, when an unfortunate event occurs. Her handler goes away and she is forced to go to other people who can't handle her anxiety. Eventually she is fortunate enough to run into an experienced trainer and her daughter who want to give her one more chance. Stella proves herself in a different capacity.
I read this with my 8 year old and while it was tough in some places, both of us enjoyed the book.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book for our opinion.

The connection between a dog and a girl is one filled with love. And Stella and Chloe have that kind of connection. You will find yourself rooting for Stella. You will find yourself cheering for Chloe. And you will find yourself falling in love with them both. This is a story of bravery and overcoming challenges. It's a story of taking risks and finding acceptance. For every reader who has ever loved a dog, this story will warm your heart.

Imagine being a dog that has lost your person. Imagine it being because you made a mistake or couldn't do what you were trained to fast enough. What would happen when the people around you tried to find you a new home? Would you be scared? Would you be aggressive? How might you behave?

I must say I am not a big animal lover, I can take them or leave them most of the time. However, I loved this story. Written from the dog's perspective, it gave some remarkable insight into what the dog might be thinking. or feeling. It takes us through the dog's training with a new family and a new purpose to help her new girl.

I fell in love with the story and the characters and loved seeing the world through Stella's point of view. I think it is something that anyone can relate to and can be a help for those experiencing grief and change.

Heartwarming story told from the point of view of the beagle named Stella. Trained to sniff out explosives, when her trainer dies in explosion, she is fearful of loud noises. After having 3 foster homes she goes to live with a dog trainer and her daughter, Cloe. Cloe trains with Stella, falls in love with Stella which is good because through all her fears, Stella becomes Cloe's protector, even being able to predict Cloe's epilepsy seizures. Solid characters unfold in this quick read.

I have no words for how amazing Stella is. The titular character, Stella, is a bomb dog suffering from PTSD after an explosion and her struggles as she learns to love another human and use her skills in a different way. I coerced my own beagle to snuggle with me about halfway through reading this delightful book and then couldn't stop crying. The author clearly has a deep understanding of dogs and I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

This is a sweet story about facing fears and finding your place In the world. Stella, a bomb-sniffing dog, suffers from anxiety after a catastrophic accident leaves her without a handler. Stella spends the next few months bouncing between foster homes before another dog trainer offers to take on the challenge of rehabilitate her. Esperanza and her daughter, Cloe, work with Stella and she makes some progress towards facing her fears. However, when an accident leaves Cloe lost and in danger, Stella must “do the thing she thinks she cannot do” in order to save her new person.

This book is so good. I could not stop crying. Maybe I'm a sucker for hero dog stories but I just loved it! I'd definitely recommend this book to kids that love dogs.