David Wroeblewski's "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle" has been described as a modern American retelling of Shakespeare's "Hamlet." The novel deals with the life and events surrounding Edgar Sawtelle, a mute teenager who has the special ability to wordlessly communicate with dogs through hand signs.

Edgar lives in northern Wisconsin with his mother Trudy and father Gar on the Sawtelle family farm where they raise a fictional breed of dogs. Edgar's Uncle Claude comes to stay at the farm for a while following his leaving the Navy. However, old animosity between Gar and his brother Claude resurfaces, resulting in Claude's murdering Gar.

Gar's ghost appears to his son and Edgar is determined to confront his uncle, but accidentally kills family friend and local veterinarian Doctor Papineau. Edgar than flees with three dogs into the wilderness, ultimately returning home determined to evict his uncle. Yet in the end, Edgar is killed by Claude and Claude is killed by a collapsing barn. Many of the dogs then head out into the wilderness like Edgar had before, determined to take their chances.