A simple story with complex themes. A young boy, Jody, who has self esteem issues and is a misfit at school, is used by his mother and her extremist friends to help "rescue" animals they perceive as being abused. Moss, a well trained sheepdog becomes injured after the group tries to free the sheep at a sheep dog trial. Jody still innocently believes that his mother will give Moss back to his rightful owners, but when he sees this will never happen, he hatches a plan of his own to see Moss returned home. The arguments used on Jody as to whether an animal is really being abused could be easily confused in a young child's mind. The reader will come to love Moss and want to see him a happy working dog again. ( )