Dan Udell

Lucy and Max Dan Udell

Artist, author, and nature-lover Dan Udell cuts through the doom and gloom of the news today with a true story about an unlikely relationship that will delight fans of animal friendships and tug at even the most cynical heartstrings.

Told from the perspective of Lucy, a wounded Canada goose unable to keep up with the rest of her flock, this story chronicles a two-year time period as she trades in flying for walking and finds companionship in a furry, ferocious, and four-legged creature.

Though Max is a guard dog trained to protect his property, Lucy pushes through his initial protests to her presence and wins him over so that the two animals become inseparable.

But as the months pass and Lucy and Max's friendship grows, so does Lucy's strength. Her wing heals and soon she can fly with her flock once more, joining the daily trips from Bell's pond to Skoda's cornfield.

Will Lucy follow the primal call to migrate south-or will her loyalty to Max keep her grounded for another season?

With a keen eye and deft touch, Udell tells this lovely story, which he personally observed in Taghkanic, New York, near the historic city of Hudson, New York.