A few weeks ago I picked up a book because of the cover. I know you aren’t supposed to judge a book by its cover, but it had an adorable golden retriever on the front. I am a sucker for golden retrievers. Ralph was the name of mine, and the dog on the cover had the same beautiful red-golden coat Ralph had.
Until Tuesday was written by Former Captain Luis Carlos Montalván with Bret Witter and published in 2011 by Hyperion of New York. I was only 26 pages in when I strongly recommended it to my students, especially my 10th graders. AR Book Finder puts the reading level at around 7th grade, but I think the general maturity level of a 7th grader is not ready for some of the topics he discusses, especially when Montalván writes of his experiences during and soon after his return from his second tour in Iraq.
Montalván captures the reader’s heart by starting with the story of Tuesday, from his very early days of training as a pup at East Coast Assistance Dogs (ECAD). Even though he was not present in Tuesday’s life at the time, Montalván’s descriptions of Tuesday’s experience show what a close bond he had developed with his service dog especially as he relates Tuesday’s experiences in the Puppies Behind Bars program.
The second section of the book is about Montalván’s experiences in Iraq and adjusting to life after his return, as a wounded veteran. He doesn’t spare the imagination, but if he had, we wouldn’t have a clear understanding of his desperate need for Tuesday.
The last section of the book entails the life he and Tuesday experienced together: their almost missed opportunity, timid beginnings, and successful leaps toward creating a life worth living for both of them.
Montalván’s writing is engaging, descriptive and honest. He is political at times: critical of President George W. Bush, Commander in Chief at the time of his military experience; and excitedly supportive of President Barack Obama, whom he sees as hope for the military’s future; but his comments do not overshadow the power of his story with Tuesday.
I do have to admit that I had to put down the book for about a week, unable to read. I was excited to see what else Montalván had written, hoping for continued tales of Tuesday. Unfortunately, what I found was that Montalván died in December 2016 of an apparent suicide. His death followed a 10 week period in Australia when he was separated from Tuesday for surgery and rehab due to the amputation of his leg. He was again separated from Tuesday shortly after for another procedure performed in Texas. According to Lu Picard, the founder of ECAD, Montalván was unable to care for Tuesday on the trip and Montalván left Tuesday in her care.
However, there is a follow up memoir called Tuesday’s Promise: One Veteran, One Dog, and Their Bold Quest to Change Lives and two children’s books: Tuesday Tucks Me In: The Loyal Bond between a Soldier and His Service Dog and Tuesday Takes Me There: The Healing Journey of a Veteran and his Service Dog all published before his death.
If you are an animal lover, have respect for our veterans, or just enjoy a good story, this book will meet your needs. I hope you love it as much I did.
One last note: Wounded Warrior Project made Montalván’s adventure with Tuesday possible. They provide countless opportunities for our wounded veterans. There is not enough that can be said in praise of this group.
Having been bullied as a kid, my heart broke when my daughter came home from 3rd grade and cried that the kids were calling her a nerd and a geek because of her glasses. I wear glasses, her dad wears glasses, and 70% of our extended family wears glasses. It was no surprise she would need glasses. It was a surprise, though, that kids still resorted to calling other kids names because of minor differences. It shouldn’t have been. Children have been cruel to each other since the beginning of humanity.
Harriet the Brave 