Forever Ripley - McCall Hoyle - ★★★★.¾

AUTHOR: McCall Hoyle

GENRE: Middle-Grade Fiction

PUBLICATION DATE: September 2, 2025

RATING: 4.75 stars.

In a Nutshell: A middle-grade fiction about an amazing old dog and her amazing young human. Written in the dog’s POV, which is fabulous. Outstanding characters, storyline, and writing. A strange mix of feel-good and wanna-cry because of the “old” factor. Much recommended. Keep tissues and ice-cream handy.

Plot Preview:

In her younger years, Ripley was a working dog, guarding the wildlife refuge with Max, the best guy ever. But when Max had to leave, he gave Ripley one final instruction: “Take care of the girls.” And that is what Ripley has been doing these past five years, loving Max’s eleven-year-old daughter Charlie more than anyone else, and taking care of her and “Mom” just like Max had wanted. There’s only one problem: Ripley is aging and she knows that she doesn’t have many seasons left. How can she continue doing her job if she isn't around? Who will take care of “the girls” if something happens to her?

The story comes to us in Ripley’s first-person perspective.

Sometimes, I know that a book is going to shatter me, but I still feel a compulsion to read it. This is one such case. If you want a happy book about dogs, this still fits the bill. As long as you remember that not all happiness comes from laughter; some comes through teary smiles and bittersweet memories.

Bookish Yays:

🐕‍🦺 Ripley. Best dog ever. Nothing else to say. 🥰

🐕‍🦺 The idea of using Ripley as the narrator. There are so many scenes where we humans can see what’s happening but Ripley doesn’t. Seeing her attempt at deciphering the events enhances the emotional impact.

🐕‍🦺 Ripley’s first-person perspective. Fairly authentic, though her vocabulary knowhow is somewhat uneven at times. She doesn't understand all human speech but she knows all the important words such as ‘Dad’, ‘bacon’, ‘birds’, ‘vet’, and ‘treats’. 😄 I love how the writing retains Ripley’s doggy personality rather than making her sound human.

🐕‍🦺 Charlie. The perfect companion to Ripley, and with the perfect level of courage and concern to be the lead of this story. I loved her close bond with Ripley.

🐕‍🦺 All the thoughts Ripley expresses about protecting and caring for Charlie and Mom and worrying about them when she might not be there. So touching! 🥰

🐕‍🦺 The secondary characters, especially Charlie’s Mom, Mr. Chen, and Max (in his limited flashback appearances.) They make their presence felt without overpowering this canine-powered narrative.

🐕‍🦺 Special marks for showing that adults can be good and reliable, and that children can count on them for help and guidance.

🐕‍🦺 I adore how Ripley, in an echo of her beloved Max, keeps calling Charlie and her mom as “my girls”. Moreover, she always refers to the other characters the way Charlie would. So it’s always “Mom”, “Mr. Chen”, “Doc”, and so on. The only exception is her own special human Max, though she knows he is also called “Dad”.

🐕‍🦺 The portrayal of grief, both past and impending. Beautifully and realistically done. I wish Mom had been more communicative with Charlie about their feelings, but this issue is brought up in the plot later, so no points deducted.

🐕‍🦺 The special day-before-the-day. Ohhh, my heart! 😭

🐕‍🦺 The ending. 🥰 but also 😭😭😭. I was worried that the book would go overboard in the portrayal of the inevitable, but the author handles it with just the right level of bittersweet intensity.

🐕‍🦺 The soul-soothing B&W illustrations peppered throughout the book, showing Ripley in all her glory.

🐕‍🦺 The author’s note at the end. Almost as touching as the story. Don’t miss this!

Bookish Okays:

🐩 The minor arc with the antagonists. I get why this was essential for the plot, but the characters seemed very stereotypical in their villainy.

🐩 Some readers might find the tone of the book a bit too cutesy or soppy. The story is indeed a bit of both, but the target audience is young AND the narrator is a DOG, so I didn’t mind the twee-ness of Ripley’s thoughts.

Overall, the trivial complaint I have is far outweighed by the massive number of Yays. This was a heartwarming and heartbreaking story at once. I am sure many readers will cry during this book, but don’t let that put you off. It is not just a story of loss or grief but also of unconditional love and letting go when the time is right.

I had heard a lot about this author’s works, and am so happy that my first try of her writing went this well. I’d love to read everything she has written and plans to write.

Much, much recommended. Even though the plot is somewhat sad, it is handled marvellously. The language and the situations are perfect for the target audience of middle-graders, but I am sure dog-loving teens and adults would also adore Ripley’s story. Adults, please read and vet the book first before handing it over to sensitive kids.

My thanks to Shadow Mountain Publishing for providing the DRC of “Forever Ripley” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.