"The Angel On My Shoulder is a love song from start to finish. A remarkable story of love, not just between this woman and her beloved pit bull, but a song of celebration for the love of family for each other."-- Susan Wilson, best-selling author of One Good Dog and The Dog Who Danced "In the over two decades I have been reviewing animal books, I have realized that most of the books that come across my desk fall into one of two categories. Some deal with the more global subjects of animal welfare and rescue, while others tell specific stories of life with one special animal companion. Sometimes, however, as with The Angel On My Shoulder, the political and the personal meet in an important and moving work...By sharing Rumer"s all-too-short life as a sweet and wise soul mate, the author has served two purposes. In addition to honoring her own beloved pit bull terrier, Mercadante has written a book that should change minds about a much-maligned breed."-- Sally Rosenthal, Best Friends Magazine Jan/Feb 2012 "Jolene writes with great heart and passion about a dog breed disenfranchised not because of what they are, but because of what we imagine them to be. I love stories that support the underdog, and Jolene"s tale of her beloved pit bull terrier is exactly that. It is also a delight to read, and a worthy story to ponder. And you will fall in love with Rumer, I"ll promise you that." -Susan Knilans McElroy, author of Animals As Teachers and Healers and Animals as Guides for the Soul "Jolene has truly captured the ways animals enrich and bless our lives in profound ways. Not only is Angel On My Shoulder a story of an exceptional, loving pit bull named Rumer, it is on a larger scale the defense of a gentle, loyal breed that has been much maligned and misunderstood. May it help everyone understand both the true nature of the American Pit Bull as well as the true nature of love". -Katrina Kittle, author of The Kindness of strangers and The Blessings of the Animals "Far more than any other breed, the American pit bull represents different things to different people. Badly managed dogs grab headlines because their behavior is atypical; Jolene"s experience represents the far less shocking though no less fascinating reality of life with a peaceful, loving, comedic pit bull as "best friend". If you enjoy tales of true love, you will value this story". -Diane Jessup, author of The Working Pit Bull and The Dog Who Spoke With Gods "Rarely have I found a book with such detail that underscores and exemplifies the power of the human-animal bond. The world desperately needs more people like Jolene Mercadante and her family! Jolene"s inciteful and engaging prose made "Angel On My Shoulder" a delightful read. This book should be read by everyone interested in the Pit Bull, it would forever change the attitude of the breed"s detractors."-- Dr. John A. Perdrizet, DVM, PhD The Sanctuary Animal Clinic On a bitterly cold February day in 1992, a woman named Jolene found herself with a choice to make: the brindle puppy in a kindly stranger"s left palm-or the red puppy in his right? For Jolene Mercadante, a librarian and lifelong animal advocate, this was the first tentative step on a journey that would impact the way she lived the rest of her life. She had no way of knowing how Rumer, a single little soul the size of a sausage, was about to change her life.