Diane Daniels Manning's Almost Perfect is..."Almost Perfect" in My Opinion...

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 with social-emotional challenges,
She is the former Chair of the Department of
Education at Tulane and a practicing child
psychoanalyst. She learned the inner workings
of dog shows by writing an oral history of a
lifetime President of the Poodle Club of
America. Her writing awards include the
Faulkner-Wisdom Novella Prize and the
WIFT Short Script Competition.
~~~

Almost Perfect is a book that can be read by a variety of people and will be affected in quite different ways. It definitely is suitable for anybody at the grade school level who is able to begin enjoying comprehensive novels. As we know, that varies from child to child. In fact that is very well recognized in the school which is part of the story. Many young children will find it a fun book about a boy and his two special dogs and be thrilled how the story proceeds... But that's only the surface story...

For myself, I found Bess as the character I watched. She's just at the point that she thinks it is time to give up her business and retire...but a young boy came into her life and along the way thereafter, she was forced to confront and fact many issues...

For dog lovers, handlers, owners and those involved with show dogs, I consider this as a must-read fun novel that you won't want to miss.  I was fortunate to have a cat judge in my extended family so I'm quite acquainted with the rigors of the shows on those that work them, as well as for owners and the animals themselves... The author has done an excellent job, in my opinion, of revealing not only the actual shows, but the feelings, jealousies, and hopes and dreams of all those who find they want to strive to recognize their loved animals in this way...

I think the most important part, however, may be about the purpose of the school and those special children who attend... There will be several spotlighted so I'll stop now and just mention that it's an outstanding YA novel for quite a number of reasons...

As many know, when I find this type of book in my hands, I want to know the academic credentials on the author...What you will read in this terrific, realistic, yet simple novel [for many] is what many will recommend due to its encouragement and discussion of hard work and goal-setting. Kudos on this fine book in that regard. But, there is much more expertise than is available to astute readers if specifically looking for it and/or just recognize it as the underlying reasons behind each of the characters...  Therefore the author's credentials are being highlighted right at the beginning. This review may be longer than the norm as well so that I can try to spotlight different issues that may be important to potential readers...  In many ways, I point out that this book is "Almost Perfect"...

Benny Neusner sat on the front porch of the New Hope
School shivering in the cole December air. His shrink,
Dr. Kate, would say he was angry because his mother
was late again. The stupid divorce judge said he could
see her every Wednesday after school and every other
weekend, but what good was that when a mother was as
busy as his? Sometimes he didn't see her for weeks at
a stretch. The rest of the time he had to live with his dad
and, worse yet, his stepmother Sonya.
~~~

Benny lived with his father as decided by the court.

That day when his mother was late, he heard something.

It sounded like something crying.

Benny had always wanted a dog but his father refused to 

allow it. Still, when he heard the crying, he just had to see 

what was going on somewhere in that big house.

When Benny met Bess that day, his world was also turned

upside down.

Of course, Benny meeting McCreery might have been just

as important!  When the boy and dog met, they immediately
became friends. And since Bess was closing the business, he
wanted to buy McCreery. But, McCreery had been with Bess

since he had been born  and naturally were closer. 

Benny had ADHD. In fact, all the children at his school

were special-needs children. Each were treated

independently based upon his or her special needs.

 

Hypothermia. The newspaper saved him so far, but we've got

to get more warmth into him. She nodded. Her fingers were

tingling with cold after holding the puppy only a few seconds.

She glanced around the room for a solution. There was only

one. She opened her flannel shirt and tucked the icy body

inside.

For answer, she slumped down on the floor, her back resting

against the whelping box. The shallow rise and fall of the

puppy's chest fell into rhythm with hers...

Automatically, she rubbed her forefinger gently across the

crown of his head.

~~~

While Benny and Bess were becoming acquainted, Benny
had a new friend at school!

Steffie was new to the school, having been moved 

from school

 to school. Her mother thought she had 

a specific type of 

autism and kept reacting to Steffie based 

upon how she was

being described in a medical dictionary.

Steffie was acting out, just to make an impression on her
mother and Benny seemed to be the one person to whom she
could be open. Benny was beginning to see girls as friends!

Benny's shrink who works at the school is an excellent role 
model and has just the right thing to say to students. But
when Benny begins matchmaking for her to connect with
Bess's son, there are personal feelings she has to deal with 
for herself.

As you can see, I could continue to talk about this book--about 
Bess's twin sister for instance...The characters are wonderful
and, like I said, also contribute a personal issue for readers.
So in many ways, this book is indeed for all ages!

And I didn't even talk about what happened at the dog shows! 

What makes it "almost perfect"? Well how about a surprise 
far from what we expected... LOL  Ya Got to Check It Out!


GABixlerReviews

Bess Rutledge is a 70-year-old owner of a Standard Poodles breeding, training, and showing business that has become well-known for champion show winners.

Umpawaug Kennels, Elizabeth Rutledge, Breeder/Owner

 She has come to the age when she must do some serious thinking about keeping her business. And at the beginning of the story has decided to close, turning over the last of her business to her former top rival in town. Her dog McCreery has been mated recently and Bess retains right of first choice which she was also going to give up...

Until she meets Benny and her whole world turns upside down.

Benny is a student at a neighbor school [Note tnny hat the author identifies this school at the ending of the book, so I am using actual pictures if available...]



They hadn't asked him where he wanted to live! There had been a lot of changes since he married Sonya, including his having to attend this school. He loved his mother very much and missed her, He forgave her though because of how much she had to work...at least until he was older and started to learn better...
Got

McCreery

On that day, though, when Benny came to find out what    the crying was, he learned that puppies were being born and Bess ultimately offered one of the new puppies.  But along the way, there were many hurt feelings, anger and discussions.

Breaker, however, joined

the family...

Benny flopped onto his bed and stared up at the ceiling certain for he was the
most miserable boy in Fairfield County.
His mother was late picking him up
for their weekend together; he
hadn't seen his friend Steffie all
week. and Sonya had taken away his
game player just because he said he
had emptied the dishwasher when
what he meant was that he was
about to get around to it...
~~~

Handlers at Dog Show

Benny and Bess's son soon became friends, having the same issue to discuss...I've already given a clue!

D. L. Havlin Provides Recommended "Must-Read"!

Check out Havlin's  Blog!

"McKenney took a deep breath. "I was talking to Dawes.
He said he's coming back to paint the cross on top of the
steeple every five years. I want to do something like that
for you. What can I do? What would you really want of me?
"Reverend Hurley sat down in the chair next to the bed.
He sighed. "You're determined?
"Yes, with all my spirit."
"After remaining silent for several seconds, the reverend
said, "I'm going to ask something that may be very hard
for you to do, Lieutenant."
When Hurley hesitated, McKenney prompted, "I'll do
anything."
"Marcus' sad smile spoke as definitely as his words.
"Some things that may seem very easy can become very
hard, and I fear I'm going to ask one of those from you.
You are a fine man, Lieutenant. You're honest, high-
minded, and honorable. So, what I'm going to ask you
may trouble you. This war is over. The Confederate
leaders haven't acknowledged that, I don't know if
they realize it or not, but it is. I see the death of more
men, the foolish destruction of property, the
prolonging of the southern people's agony, when the
South can no longer win, as sins. I will ask that you
no longer lead men in battle, that you'll never kill
another man. No matter what the situation, no matter
whether you perceive your honor will be lost, no matter
how threatened you or those around you are--that may
be very hard."...
"I asked you what you would require of me, and what
you have asked, I will do..."

The Cross on
  Cotton Creek

By. D. L. Havlin


This powerful story has more to offer than the historical perspective...perhaps when a cross is involved, miracles seem to happen? Or perhaps many individuals can never understand that time when Americans turned against each other in war? For those like me, we can't understand such hatred--perhaps that's why a story of such love in the midst of that war creates the impact that this story will have--if you only believe...

The story begins in the 50s, in a small town you probably never heard of. Away from the town with lots of land around it, a country church was once built. During the Civil War, something terrible happened their--so terrible that it would never be forgotten by the town folks and those who were related to those who died that day.


Landry Dawes is the storyteller--I won't go into which one because there will always be one who would pass on the story, learning more each time somebody went back...

To paint the Cross...

For during the war, one of the Landry Dawes was a confederate soldier who had been the last man available to finish an important mission--to deliver supplies, which included gold, further south. But they never got further than when they had first been attacked. Hiding the gold, the men were soon gone, but Landry Dawes was injured and wound up at the church on Cotton Creek.

Soon Eli McKenney joined him there with a leg wound that was treated by a vet but would never heal properly. Reverend and Mrs. Hurley, who had once bought six slaves, only to give them their freedom, still had two of those individuals, who had decided to stay, helping them with their church activities.

Now they were risking their lives to hide and help the two confederate soldiers. The two soldiers were so grateful that they wanted to do something to repay the Reverend. Landry agreed to his request to repaint the cross before he left. Dawes' response was that he would not only paint it then, but he and his family would return every five years to repaint it and keep it bright and shining and maintained... But what he next asked of Eli McKenney was much harder--never to kill another man...

And then later, the Reverend had asked Landry to also not kill. He made the same promise; however, Landry recognized his short temper, and he knew he would never keep his word if the Yanks came again. So he decided to leave and head back home.

That decision saved his life...

For that church was soon surrounded by soldiers. McKenney had been hidden up in a high tree away from the church. He had tied himself to the limb so he wouldn't fall off and even then,  as far up as he'd been pulled, he couldn't get down. So, by straining to turn his head, he had to watch all that happened, until most of the church had been destroyed, except for the cross...

Only one had not been there of the families who died that day. But she had heard of what was happening but arrived too late except to save McKenney. And soon, there was nobody in the community that could tell what had happened...

Except the ghosts who remained and led to "some" of the miracles that started to happen when somebody bowed there in front of the cross to pray...

Perhaps there have been even more miracles that have happened since those that were recorded in his novel. One thing I do believe is that if that cross still stands near the remains of that church,  a "Landry Dawes" will be coming back to paint it every five years...

And what I also believe is that D. L. Havlin has provided us with a wonderful Civil War Novel  that includes an unusual side of that time when men of faith asked that the killing stop and that the promises of men may continue through the decades and hundreds of years when they are asked to give their word... A truly outstanding tale of wonder, ghosts...and...love.  I offer this one to you as a must-read!


GABixlerReviews

D. L. Havlin is an eclectic author whose novels, novellas, and short stories mirror his rich, varied background. Born April 18, 1941, he's packed three lifetimes of experiences into one brim full existence. He believes, "The one big advantage writing at an advanced age provides is that life is what you know and not what you project it might be."

Schooled in Ft. Myers, Florida, Anderson H.S., in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the University of Cincinnati, his widely varied career included: systems analyst, procedure writer, production manager, materials manager, licensed boat captain, fishing guide, high school football coach, product sales manager, manufacturing plant manager, world-wide divisional customer service director, chemicals distributor general manager, call center tech service rep, president and general manager of a small manufacturing company.

An avid lover of the outdoors and sports enthusiast, his passion for fishing, hunting and camping are frequently included in his writing. A deep love for nature and especially wild Florida often furnish settings for his work, but his travels make places such as Kiev, Singapore, London, New York, Modena, or Saxonhausen backgrounds for his stories as well.