Everything seems cold and unwelcoming to Josh as he moves into a new house and a new life in Vermont with his mother and his stepfather. On the first day of school, he finds himself face-to-face with bullying, and he's challenged to a rite of hazing. Then, strangely, when he goes out to play in the snow, he hears his dog, Manch, talking with the other dogs about the rivals, the River Gang that they face. Josh, with a vivid imagination as his companion, struggles to face his fears and to defend the dogs as they face their own enemies. 112 pages Ages 8-12