Going On Sixteen
Betty Cavanna, il. unknown
19__, The Westminster Press

Julie's an awkward, shy 13-year-old agonizing over her unpopularity when she's given three orphaned collie puppies to raise. Her father, long widowed, is a gruff farmer but the puppies are all the comfort a motherless girl could want after a hard day in the freshman class. As Julie sorts out her social problems, the puppies grow to leggy adolescence and are reclaimed by their owner, a famous breeder who'd left them with the farmer to grow up. But by now, Julie loves one of the puppies, Sonny - and as the breeder and his show handler will find out, Sonny loves her.

Deliriously he flung himself on Julie - barking, writhing, panting. She stumbled back from the force with which he hurled himself against her. He was a vibrant mass of ectasy, trying to lick her face, moaning and sobbing with joy.

and the comment by the breeder's kennel man:

I've seen 'em like that. All fire and flame for one person. For the rest, nothing.

There is the continuing story of Julie's struggle with self-consciousness and making friends, which is worthy in its own right, but the heart of the story is right there.

Nice if simple drawings for illustrations - can't find the illustrator.

Setting
suburban Philadelphia

Themes
Show dog
Shy girl

Other Books by Author
Puppy Stakes
The Black Spaniel Mystery

About the Author
1909–2001
Also wrote as Betsy Allen and Elizabeth Headley


Other Editions