Dog books get me every time and this was no exception! I had to stop several times while reading together myself because this made me so emotional. Ripley is the protector of a wildlife refuge, but when she near the end of her life, her new owners help her enjoy her last moments while dealing with her inevitable death.

“And I hope I will always feel bits of them clumped close to me.”
🐶
Ripley has spent her life guarding the wildlife refuge with Max, his owner and the best man Ripley has ever known. His final words before passing on were to “take care of the girls.” So that’s why Ripley watches over Max’s wife and daughter with such care and attention until one day Ripley realizes their time together might be coming to an end soon. When danger comes in the form of two poachers Ripley remembers his last promise to Max and vows to keep it at all costs.
🐢
If you’ve read @mccallhoylebooks before you know she centers her stories around dogs. This one tells the story from Ripley’s point of view and it was achingly sweet to read. Ripley loves his humans and that’s shown on every page. While this MG book made me sob, there’s also a lot of joy, hope and healing on the pages as well. Fans of Where the Red Fern Grows will love this one too. This novel releases September 2 and I’m hoping I can get McCall to sign my ARC at #glmasi25!

CW: parental death (off page), grief, death of an animal, dognapping, illegal laws broken in relation to a wildlife refuge

This is a story that was hard to read, especially if you have a pet or know the pain of losing a pet. However it's an important story. I am glad the author chose to tell it through Ripley's eyes, giving it a softer feel as you process the grief alongside the characters.

Just finished and blown away. I have read and loved McCall’s books (Best Friend Dog Takes series) but Forever Ripley is my favorite.
It deals with grief, loss and healing in a way that is healing. The wise words from Mr. Chen and the poem read by Ms. Alvarez, helped my own heart.
As a native Florida, I enjoyed the conservation and preservation part- including saving turtles! The problem (no spoilers) was totally believable and added to healing process.
Highly recommend for children and adults of all ages.

This was a tough book to read. I loved how it was told from the dog’s point of view. I liked how the dog was preparing his family for the time he won’t be there. There was a lot of death in this one, almost too much. I’m glad that I had a chance to read it though.

McCall Hoyle has been a hit with middle grade kids. Her dog stories are so entertaining. I have a hard time keeping them on the shelves. The length is perfect for all readers making it a fun quick read. This was a heart warming but sad story.