• Age: 12 to 15
• Grade: 7 to 10
• Reading age: 12 to 15

Fifteen-year-old Danny is a troubled kid, and trouble always seems to follow him. Things are changing just too fast his family has moved to a new town, his father is battling alcoholism, and Danny has a hair-trigger temper that causes him problems with the teachers and the other kids at his new school. But as they say, everybody can do at least one thing well, and for Danny its judo. The dojo is the one place where Dannys aggression can find an outlet, even as he tries to make sense of a life that seems way out of control. As he gets ready for an upcoming competition, things just might be on the upswing in Dannys life. Its all thanks to the arrival of a four-legged wonder, a remarkable greyhound named Long Shot that may hold the key to Danny finding both balance in his life and, especially, a greater understanding of his father.

John Cooper has published a number of non-fiction books for young people, including Season of Rage: Hugh Burnett and the Struggle for Civil Rights (nominated for a Red Maple Award and a Stellar Book Award) and Rapid Ray: The Story of Ray Lewis. He has written for many publications, including Maclean’s and the Toronto Star. Cooper lives in Whitby, Ontario.

John Cooper's profile page

"The author works hard, and succeeds, in writing a story that makes the reader feel sympathy for both father and son, without being told why."

CM Magazine

a quiet, thoughtful coming-of-age novel about a sensitive boy and his exceptional pet.

Publishers Weekly