Wander — Susan Hart Lindquist

He just appears one day--a grayish dog with white-tipped ears and a tail that wags like crazy. And he keeps coming back, until it feels to James and his younger sister, Sary, as if the old stray is their very own. Soon they've given the dog a name, and after that both children are bound to protect him against all odds. Even if it means keeping him a secret from Dad.

Home has been a lonely place since Mom died last winter. Dad spends too much time apart from James and Sary, and though their aunt Lorrie does her best to add cheer, a painful silence fills their house. But now a frisky companion has become part of their lives, and if James and Sary can figure out a way to bring the dog into the family, maybe joy and comfort will tag along with him.