Lucky Dog Comes Home

John Spray grew up in Lafayette, Indiana and was inspired by his beloved step-father, George, to write Lucky Dog Comes Home. John emigrated to Canada in the early 1970’s, making Toronto his home. He founded Mantis Investigation, which continues to be a successful PI company for nearly 50 years. Now semi-retired, John enjoys spending time with his wife and their six grandchildren. John’s previous picture book, What Cats Think, illustrated by Mies van Hout received high praise from School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and Kirkus.Scot Ritchie is an award-winning illustrator and author with more than 75 books to his credit, including most recently Broom for Two. His books have been translated into French, Korean, Indonesian, Polish, Finnish, Arabic, and Dutch. Scot has worked with the National Film Board of Canada and has had his illustrations exhibited at the National Gallery of Canada. He lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Praise for Lucky Dog Comes HomeCBC November Hot Off The Press Feature“The art is delightful, and George is a cheery protagonist.”—Kirkus Reviews“this gentle story could help children in developing empathy and recognizing kindness."—Booklist“Spray’s voice has a conversational quality that makes the story feel like firsthand family lore, while Ritchie’s loosely sketched cartoons capture home as a place of comfort.”—Publisher’s Weekly“Lively drawings contribute to an engaging story of dogs, friendship, and community recovery.” —Midwest Book Review“Scot Ritchie’s gleeful and appealing cartoon illustrations use bright colors to show the new postal carrier trailed by hoards of neighborhood dogs, each with its own personality and style, from the plodding hound to the frisky and beribboned poodle.”—Youth Services Book Review“Healing is a process, and George's story here is a glimpse at a few steps in the middle of that journey.”—YA Books Central“A WWII veteran finds joy in his community as the new mailman, who, along with a few dogs, brings hope back to a grieving community.” —Diverse Classroom Books IG“Being inspired by a real WW2 Veteran made this book all the more amazing. The acts of kindness, adorable doggie parade, and silliness are precious.” —Murray’s Miraculous Mission IG“Gentle storytelling paired with engaging illustrations makes this one especially meaningful for conversations about kindness and perseverance.” —Paumen’s Pages IG“It was heartwarming, it had great illustrations to look at, and I love that this mailman just had a way with all the dogs to where they’d gravitate toward him join him to join him on his route!!”—Mama Coffee Books Cardigans IG