Penny the Railway Pup

Series: Family of Rescue Dogs, Book 4

By: Brian L. Porter / Narrated By: Verona Westbrook

Length: 2 hrs and 14 mins

Such sweet stories the deplorable narration almost grows on you

First off, let’s get the audio out of the way. This is one tinny recording, and Verona Westbrook, who is supposedly Brian L. Porter’s voice, narrates it all in officious tones with an odd sort of cadence. Seriously, every time Porter asks himself a question, I was unutterably shocked that Westbrook managed to break that weird staccato beat and add an inflection at the end. All of this is tragic as I have three other audiobooks narrated by her, and one of them happens to be a Pride and Prejudice sequel that I was oh so looking forward to getting around to.

After listening to Ms. Westbrook’s narration here? Cripes, not so much!

But Penny the Railway Pup is so unbearably precious that I started automatically weeding through the gunshot rhythm and quite simply fell in love with the rascally little dog.

This is Book 4 of a series Porter has written chronicling his family’s life amongst hordes of rescued hounds. It is the only book available on Audible, however, so I’m still pretty clueless, even after a Preface explaining who all the other dogs have been, as to the greater narratives of those dogs (Tho’ Porter says those dogs, chronologically, come after Penny).

Penny was found tied to a railway track by two little girls who rescued her then took her to a crazy Dog Lady who then hit Porter up as he’s a noted soft touch when it comes to giving unwanted dogs a home. Porter and his wife Juliet and their two daughters almost immediately fall in love with Penny when they meet the loving girl, and they see her through fun times, through medical emergencies, through her old age.

Fear not, however. This isn’t the standard memoir-type book that tells a dog’s entire life’s journey, complete with death at the end. No, as Porter says up front: It’s very, very much just a feel-good listen (Well, you’ll be feeling good along with the pain that comes from Westbrook’s unfortunate performance/recording). There will be no tears, I tell you, except for a stray one or two that come when Penny repeatedly barfs her guts up in the car in an increasingly long road trip.

And we get the whole sense of Penny’s life, complete with stories of the other dogs around her, who they are and how they interacted with her. Throw in her favorite games and toys, and add a dash o’ doggy drama, and you’re in for a sweeeet little barely 2+ hours listen.

The writing is decent enough that, should they ever become available, I’d honestly consider getting the other audiobooks in the series.

Verona Westbrook, though, would give me pause…

Or would that be: Paws?!?

Honestly, after a good listen, I just sit around and crack myself up.