Katie Up and Down the Hall
The True Story of How One Dog Turned Five Neighbors into a Family
Glenn Plaskin

Hachette Audio
September 8, 2010/ ISBN 978-1609410384
Nonfiction / Memoir
Amazon

Reviewed by Jo Rogers

This book is a heart-warming story about how a cocker spaniel brought five neighbors into a family. The author and narrator, Glenn Plaskin, had moved into an apartment complex in Battery Park City in Manhattan. He didn’t know the names of the neighbors on the same floor and hall where he lived. Then he did something he’d wanted to do for many years – he got a dog.

The first dog, selected by his interior decorator, wasn’t a good match with Glenn’s personality. He returned the dog to the pet store and resumed his search. A friend had a cocker spaniel that was the kind of dog Glenn wanted. He began to check out the cocker spaniel breeders in the area.

He finally found one who had a litter of puppies that had been all sold, except for one. She was the runt of the litter and seemed to have several health problems. All of those were taken care of by Glenn’s vet, and Katie became a healthy, active puppy. She could always get one of the other people on the hall to let her into their apartment for food and water, as well as loving attention. Pearl and Arthur, an elderly, childless couple a few doors down, were especially welcoming, treating Katie as their own.

The book is well written and Katie’s story is beautifully told. The characters, both human and animal, are fully portrayed, with their personalities well filled out. They become living beings and are the kind of people you’d want to meet and know. And Katie is absolutely adorable! Listen to Katie Up and Down the Hall and enjoy a beautiful tale.

Reviewer's Note: Unabridged Audiobook 7 hrs, 30mins