Dogs were the theme of the day, and many had been invited to attend by event organizer Wendy McDaris. Present were several Siberian Huskies, like the sled dogs that Buck was teamed up with in the Yukon, a Scottish Deerhound, a yellow Lab, a little white Spitz, a German Shepherd, like Buck’s mother, and a wolfy black dog of uncertain heritage named William, who had been invited because he like Buck is a mixed breed with some shepherd in his ancestry.

There was music provided by Abby Lappen and by Slink Moss. Dan Region read a chapter from The Call of the Wild. Karen Squire, an expert in dog breed genealogy, talked about the domestication of the wolf and the characteristics of Northern breeds, illustrating her talk not only with charts and pictures but with real live examples. She also talked about Buck’s ancestry—part St. Bernard, part German Shepherd—and helped readers visualize what Buck would have looked like. Mr. Twisty was also there to entertain, doing magic tricks and creating balloon dogs.

Big Read organizers Sharon Getty and Lisa Dolan scooped up ice cream—vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry—which attendees could enhance with their choice of sundae toppings. Paperback copies of The Call of the Wild were available to all, as well as Big Read T-shirts with the message “Books Make Me Howl!”

The Big Read, which officially began on Saturday, continues through November 2 with a variety of events and community book discussions. Copies of The Call of the Wild are available at the Hudson Area Association Library, 400 State Street in Hudson, during regular library hours.