"Doing Everything You Can"

The most detailed information I have on World War II is my Dad's perspective as a soldier in the United States Army.  Several photograph albums are filled with small black and white snapshots representative of his tour of duty.  Many of the stories he told are as fresh in my mind as if I only heard them yesterday, rather than twenty years ago.

I know much less about how it was for those here at home.  Filling this gap are compelling historical fiction books by authors whose meticulous research is evident page after page.  Until I read Duke (Scholastic Press), Kirby Larson's most recent title, I had no idea family pets were used to assist military personnel during the war.

Hobie pushed harder against the bike pedals, harder against the cold wind scrubbing his face, as he followed the Adairs' Chrysler sedan.

It's January 1, 1944 in Seattle, Washington.  Eleven-year-old Hobie Hanson is saying good-bye to his best friend; the family is moving to Portland so the father can work in the Navy shipyard.  Hobie's Dad is flying a B-24 on missions in Europe and his Mom has joined the Red Cross.  His seven-year-old sister, June, is even attempting to knit socks for the soldiers.

Remarks by a neighbor, announcements on the radio and even a conversation after his favorite radio show, Hop Harrigan, all urge people to do their part by loaning their pets to Dogs for Defense.  Hobie's head is telling him he should give up Duke but his heart won't let him do it.  He constantly worries about whether he is as courageous or committed as the other men in his family.

An incident with the school bully, Mitch Mitchell, and a chance meeting with the assistant regional director of Dogs for Defense, cause Hobie to reluctantly loan Duke to the program.  As if the sadness of Duke being gone is not enough, tensions at school escalate when a new student, Max Klein, joins their class.  Mitch continues to pick on Hobie, calling him names, looking for opportunities for subtle physical contact, and starts a campaign against Max due to his German heritage.  What's hardest for Hobie to understand in himself is his inability to stand up to Mitch.

A letter from the Marine assigned to Duke increases Hobie's worries.  He thought Duke would be a guard dog here at home with the Army.  Despite the kindness extended by the Marine writing the letter as if it is from Duke, Hobie, to his shame, starts to think of ways to get Duke back.

Special events at school, summer vacation baseball games, more letters from Duke and Pfc. Marv Corff, helping on his family's fishing boat and finding an abused stray dog, make up the days of Hobie's life.  Hobie learns through trial and error some tough lessons about friendship, the difference between knowing the right thing and doing the right thing and the value of family.  News from a Western Union messenger and a nurse at the naval base on Pearl Harbor change everything for Hobie.  Readers will wonder along with Hobie, if he will see his Dad or Duke again.


We quickly become attached to the characters, especially Hobie, in Kirby Larson's Duke through her brilliant writing skills.  Each chapter is titled with words designed to hint at what readers can expect within the next few pages.  Readers are made to feel more personally involved in the story with a date assigned to the chapters.

Descriptions of radio programs, products used during this time period, the buying of Victory stamps by the students, meals cooked (Porcupine Meatballs) and rations used for the purchase of certain items contribute to the authenticity of the story; you are there experiencing life on the home front during World War II.  Dialogue between the characters, the exchange of letters between those serving in the military and Hobie's family and Hobie's thoughts about all the decisions swirling about him, draw you emotionally into this book. Here are a couple of passages from this title.

"Get off," Hobie hollered. "That's mine."
"Finders keepers." Mitch pedaled faster.  Hobie picked up his pace.  He snagged part of Mitch's jacket.  The bike wobbled.  Mitch shook him off.
"Give it back!" Hobie ran harder.
"When I feel like it," Mitch called over his shoulder.  He bumped the bike over a tree root. "Ya-hoo!"
"Young man!" the Doberman's master called. "That's enough. You've had your fun."
"Yeah. Come back here," Hobie yelled.
"Come back?" Mitch repeated. "Okay." He wrenched the bike around sharply, legs pumping like pistons, and headed straight at Hobie.

Hobie and Duke sped for home together, as they'd done hundreds of times before.  But something was different for Hobie.
Like a record with a scratch in it, Mr. Rasmussen's story played over and over in his head.
And in his heart.
His are-you-doing-everything-you-can heart.


Once started Duke written by Kirby Larson will be one of those books read from beginning to end without stopping.  Readers won't be able to turn the pages fast enough, wanting to know the outcome of all the little and big things happening in Hobie's life.  There is so much love in this book; love of country, love of family and the love of a boy for his dog.  I can't recommend this book highly enough.

Please follow the link embedded in Kirby Larson's name above to access her personal website.  Enjoy her conversation about Duke in the video below.

Beauty Is In...

Ask any human with a dog in their lives, they will tell you each dog has their own personality.  It's a combination of their physical characteristics, body movements and facial expressions.  Most will attest to the fact they are positive their dog understands more, much more, than they choose to reveal.

Dogs are no different than people when it comes to their attributes on the outside.  If you love them (which we dog people do), it does not matter how they look.  We can see beyond their appearance into their hearts; the spirit which makes them unique shines.  In Spike: Ugliest Dog in the Universe (Beach Lane Books) written and illustrated by Debra Frasier, Spike's world is turned upside down more than once.

One day my owner entered me in the
Ugliest Dog in the Universe contest.

Can you imagine the kind of person who would do such a thing?  No, me neither.  To add insult to injury, Spike won!  The humiliation of having his picture attached to the local newspaper headlines about the contest win is a blow; it crushes his doggy heart.

In Spike's mind

you can't judge a book by its cover.

When it feels like it can't get any worse, it does.  His human abandons him; leaving him tied up on the porch.  Fortunately, Joe, the boy next door, comes over releasing Spike, feeding him and taking him back to his house.

Joe and Spike together are like two halves of a perfect whole but Joe's mom feels they can't afford to keep Spike.  It looks like he is going to the animal shelter when the weekend arrives.  This calls for some crazy courage.

Spike decides to seek the advice of his nearest neighbor, an award-winning cat.  Yes, you read that right---a cat.  Evangeline suggests Spike act more like her; purring, staying clean, eating carefully, napping, being quiet and enjoying an occasional sardine.  All doggy delights must be put on hold.

Ever mindful of the looming threat, Spike is pup perfection.  Joe begins a pictorial offensive, posting hand-drawn reminders all around the house of Spike's more positive features.  Each day Joe's mom seems to be leaning toward Spike becoming a part of the family...until Saturday.

At each stop along their errand route, Spike is a model of decorum. They still drive to the animal shelter.  But wait!  It's closed!  Joe's mom says they will be back tomorrow.

Back home Spike is awakened from a nap on the porch by a whiffy smell.  Something's fishy.  Evangeline is in need of a hero.  Will Spike prevail?  Will he still have to go to the DOG POUND?  Another newspaper article, a drawing of Joe's and a long conversation wag the tail...er...tell the tale.


Debra Frasier certainly knows how to write a story.  Told entirely in first person point of view she takes readers right into the center of the action.  Spike's voice rings true, loud and clear.  Her impeccable pacing, moving back and forth between good news and bad news, keeps us guessing page turn by page turn.  You will be cheering for Spike, Joe and yes, Evangeline, every step of the way.  Here is a passage from the book.

Have you ever smelled a sardine?
Pew! Pew! PEWWWWWW!
It's a tiny fish with a BIG stink.

Evangeline licked her paws.
"Now it's time for my beauty sleep, ohhhh yes."


Without a doubt what immediately catches your eye, after the title, are the materials used to create the illustrations.  On the verso, Debra Frasier states:

The illustrations for this book are collaged with Cansons papers, used clothing, and worn blue jean pieces.  The jeans were gathered from friends, students, coffee shop comrades, and thrift stores, as well as the author-illustrator's own collection.  

Frasier goes on to explain how the pieces were laid out, positioned, moved and photographed.  Final editing was done in Photoshop.  Her opening and closing endpapers are layers of worn and torn denim pieces with Spike peeking out from a hole or a pocket.

All the frayed edges forming holes in the fabric provide frames for Spike, text and layers used in a picture.  Each page is an astounding example of workmanship, artistic layout and design; text is placed on or pieced into each illustration.  Every portion of a pair of jeans is used, legs, pockets, seams and waist bands.

At times Frasier will cover nearly the entire page in denim with only a word or part of a face showing through a worn spot.  You'll be surprised how much emotion is conveyed with this technique. The color red is used to enhance and accent in all the right spots.  Illustrations may fill double pages, a single page or carry over the gutter; matching the flow of the narrative.  A two page spread at the beginning when Joe comes to the porch where Spike has been abandoned is one of my favorites.  I like how Debra Frasier has placed the word beautiful in red on white surrounded by denim.


Spike: Ugliest Dog in the Universe is quite simply a masterpiece for the story it tells and the illustrations visualizing the words.  Debra Frasier is truly gifted as both an author and illustrator.  The meticulous detail within each picture is marvelous.

Please follow the link embedded in the title to a fantastic page for this title at Debra Frasier's website.  There you will find an explanatory video about the artistic process and an assortment of related activities.  Here is a link to the publisher's website containing additional pages for viewing including my favorite.  Enjoy the book trailer.

Mathematical Cure

We all have those nights when sleep alludes us despite our heartfelt endeavors to drift off to dreamland.  When soaking in a hot bath, warm milk with a touch of honey, relaxing music or reading a favorite or current book does not entice the sandman to visit, there is only one thing left to do.  As a last resort counting sheep, as one by one a seemingly endless line leaps over a fence, may cure your insomnia.

We know from his two previous titles, Dog Loves Books (Alfred A. Knopf, 2010) and Dog Loves Drawing (Alfred A. Knopf, 2012), our small, white, perky canine pal is usually able to accomplish whatever his heart desires.  In his newest undertaking, Dog Loves Counting (Alfred A. Knopf), written and illustrated by Louise Yates, Dog knows the proper amount of rest is important.  For whatever reason, on this particular night, this bookworm extraordinaire can't fall asleep.

Dog loved books.  He loved reading
them late into the night and didn't like
to leave them for long.

Needing to sleep Dog tries counting sheep.  When this technique fails, he wonders if counting some other animal might be the solution.  Looking through the books surrounding him on his bed, he begins with a very special title.

What he sees first is one egg.  After cracking open, a dodo is standing next to Dog.  Now there are two.  They go off to discover another creature.

When the sloth waves, Dog notices his three claws.  This number game is going very well.  The three explore further to find a fourth.

A camel from the desert, a lizard under a log, and an insect snagged from the air have the growing group up to the number six.  Number nine is reached with help from a nighttime marauder, an arachnid, and a sleepy armored mammal.  A sandy shoreline yields their final friend, the number ten.  Dog is having so much fun, he is disappointed when they reach the camel's home; no animals are visible.

Not to be discouraged, Dog suggests they begin counting from the beginning.  To their surprise number one has disappeared.  Whether counting backward or counting by hundreds, Dog and company realize, like the grains of sand beneath their feet, numbering some things could go on forever.


Louise Yates' writing style in her storytelling is light, uplifting.  Her combination of narrative, thoughts and dialogue are utterly charming.  Though simple in structure, each sentence conveys intent, curiosity, the desire for companionship and to help Dog fall asleep.  Dog's compassion and kindness are reflected in each of the animals he meets. Here is a single example.

Inside was a baby dodo.
"Hello, little one," said Dog.
He looked around, but
the dodo was
all alone.
"I'll look after you," said Dog. "Together
we are two.  Number One, follow me---
we must find Number Three."



I don't know about you but the matching jacket and cover of this title make me smile...a big smile.  Even if you are not acquainted with Dog from reading the two previous books, this illustration, filled with happy animation in the body language and facial expressions, introduces characters you will be glad to meet.  To reinforce the title by having them carry the bright blue numbers is brilliant.

The same blue is used to color the opening and closing endpapers.  A lighter shade depicts a starry-patterned night.  The first set of endpapers shows connections between the stars forming numbers; the end set also shows connections but of the animals who participate in the story.  As I have noted before Yates uses every part of her books to tell her tale.

Louise Yates luminous watercolor illustrations may extend across two pages or even for most of a single page with loose flowing edges but for the most part white space serves to focus on the individual elements in each picture.  As the animals are presented to readers their number and name are written near them, like in a naturalist's sketchbook.  Yates enhances the text further with random acts of kindness and humor; Dog carries the sloth due to his slowness, the skink spits the fly back out of his mouth to count its legs, and the spider spins a web between the armadillo's ears.  Dog sitting on his bed, holding a flashlight with an open book laying on his legs, surrounded by piles of books, is one of my favorite illustrations.


You have to love the way Dog approaches everything in his life; how books are central to each and every adventure.  Dog Loves Counting written and illustrated by Louise Yates pursues Dog's yearning for sleep by bringing numbers and animals together in an enlightening escapade.  Wouldn't it be fun to find other animals and the numbers they might represent?

With each Dog book I love this little guy and his friends even more.  Where will he go?  What will he do next?  I can hardly wait.

I invite you to visit Louise Yates' website by following the link embedded in her name.  Dog Loves Counting is on the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2014 nominations list.

Pick Me...Please

Knowing real life does not always end happily ever after, makes looking for a silver lining all the more important.  It also makes those moments when everything seems perfectly in place all the sweeter.  A single decision can tip the scales.

So many depend, so much depends, on the myriad decisions each of us makes on a daily basis.  With the pet population in shelters ever growing, a choice to adopt may mean the difference between life or death for one of the temporary residents.  Using events from her own life, author Meg Kearney has created Trouper (Scholastic Press) with illustrations by Caldecott Honor Book winner, E. B. Lewis.  

Back in the before time, 

before I licked your nose

or sniffed your shoes,

before you bought my bed and bowl,

before the place you picked me out,

I ran with a mob of mutts.

Though free to roam, survival is hard for a group of dogs, living on the streets, scrounging for food in the garbage left by humans, and evading the rocks thrown by boys.  When offered the choice of eating steak, they readily enter the back of a stranger's truck.  Taken to a place with dogs, cages and dogs in cages, this canine company is separated.  Eight plus one now receiving food and water are no longer running at will.

Day after day people walk along the row of cages.  One by one the number nine drops until only one remains, Trouper.  No one wants a dog with three legs. 

Someone sees beyond the three legs.  Someone sees the kind soul shining through those big eyes.  Someone wants this last dog.  It's a boy.  A boy whose compassion far exceeds the meanness of those others.  

Now he has his own bowl.  Now he has his own bones.  Now he has his own bed.  Trouper can hardly believe his good fortune.  The best thing of all is a game he and his boy play.  It's a game called...

In 2005 Trooper (his given name) was moved from a shelter in Puerto Rico to live in New Hampshire with author, poet, Meg Kearney.  Written in verse, narrated by Trouper, she imagines how life might have been for this dog; waiting for the right person to notice him.  His voice describes each incident in accurate canine awareness.  Here is another example.

We got water and kibble

from the lady who cared for us.

We got walks,

but wished

we could race

the way we used to.

Everything about the front jacket and cover beckons the reader to open this book.  You don't know what the circumstances are yet, but it's easy to see the boy is with a forever friend.  Rendered in watercolor, the artwork of E.B. Lewis is nearly photographic in capturing the essence of the subjects; each is rich with emotion.  

Nearly all of the illustrations span two pages.  The smaller vignettes and single page pictures convey loss of freedom, sadness, hopelessness, individual dog personalities, and love.  Lewis' dogs are so lifelike you expect them to start barking any minute.  My favorite illustration is of Trouper enjoying his first meal in his new home, bowls on mats, with his boy kneeling, chin resting in his hands as he watches his new pal.  The play of sunlight streaming into the room, the angle used to portray the two friends, the placement of other items in the room, all combine to create a feeling of intimacy.

Trouper written by Meg Kearney with paintings by E.B. Lewis is a very special book; a labor of love about love.  The blend of narrative and illustrations compliment and enhance one another to tell a story of a bond formed by an act of kindness.  It's about the magic of second chances.  This title is meant to be shared often. 

For The Very First Time, Again

People with puppy pals have first-hand experience in knowing the emotional ups and downs of their friends.  Those people without this understanding might not be sure what to do in the presence of a dog; they're not sure how they feel or how the dog is feeling about them.  On the other paw...hand... canines are particularly astute at reading people's emotions and responding accordingly to them.

When readers are first introduced to Henry's new puppy in Charley's First Night (Candlewick Press, 2012), it is impossible not to fall in love with Charley and Henry.  As the boy's affection for his friend continues to grow, he can hardly wait to share his joy with others he loves.  Author Amy Hest and illustrator Helen Oxenbury continue the story of the two in When Charley Met Grampa (Candlewick Press).

Dear Grampa,
We got a dog.  His name is Charley.

So begins the correspondence between Henry and his grandfather.  Henry describes Charley and wants his grandfather to bring a big suitcase so he can stay for more than a short visit.  Grampa replies with his arrival day at the train station and closes with his uncertainty about the dog.

On a snowy Sunday the duo leave the house to meet Grampa pulling a sled for his suitcase.  Charley is happily leaping through the snow, tail up.  Henry is pretty sure Charley knows the way to the depot.

To pass the time while waiting on the bench outside for Grampa, Henry talks to Charley about his grandfather's unique personality.  Charley seems to wilt a little when Henry mentions Grampa does not know how to make friends with a dog.  After what seems like forever the train's whistle is heard in the distance.

Before Henry and Charley know it, there's Grampa waving his hand as promised wearing his green cap.  Introductions are made.  The silence stretches.  Charley smiles but Grampa does not.

Even though the snow is falling faster with a fierce wind blowing, Charley knows the way home.  Whoosh! Oh no! There goes Grampa's cap.  There goes Charley.

Charley and the cap have disappeared into the swirling whiteness.  Frantic Henry and Grampa shout Charley's name over and over.  Will the puppy's persistence prevail?


To begin by using the exchange of the two letters between Henry and Grampa,  Amy Hest introduces readers to the loving relationship between the two as well as the visit to come.  Blending Henry's narrative with his and Grampa's conversations with Charley makes us intimate observers in this day of their lives.  Henry's interpretation of Charley's intentions lets us know how strong the bond is between this boy and his dog.  Of note, as Charley's vanishes into the snow, Hest is especially skillful at increasing the tension we feel by quickly shifting her sentence structure. Here is a single example from the book.

Charley barked at the train for a while,
and when it was gone, he held his
head tall, which is code for Follow me,
gentlemen! I know the way home! 


Helen Oxenbury treats readers to a double page spread across the jacket and cover, presenting the three characters, Charley, Henry and Grampa on their snowy walk from the train station with the village tucked in the background on the left.  A different color, soft steel blue instead of a dusty brown, the opening and closing endpapers feature the same small, endearing  caricatures of Charley in various poses as did the first book.  All of the illustrations, including the title page and verso, are framed either in a warm light tan or a pale blue-gray with a narrower brown and white line on the inside next to the illustrations.  The first four pages in the beginning and at the end are done in the tan.

Oxenbury has masterfully conveyed, using watercolor and pencil, all of Charley's puppy playfulness, Henry's love for both he and his grandfather and the wisdom that comes with age.  Her details of the landscape, village and Henry's home, the clothing each is wearing (how it blows in the wind), and all the facial expressions are simply lovely. As she did in the first book, each text page, opposite the full-page pictures, includes a small picture of Charley.  Although I adore all the illustrations in this book, the one of Henry and Charley sitting on the bench outside the train depot waiting for Grampa, snowflakes falling, is probably my favorite.


Whether you share this story one on one or with an entire group, when the final sentence is read and the final illustration is shown, I know there will be a collective silence before you are asked to read it again.  When Charley Met Grampa written by Amy Hest with illustrations by Helen Oxenbury is as beautiful as the first title.  This books has staying power, a timeless quality.  I certainly hope the adventures of these two continue within the pages of many more books.

To learn more about author Amy Hest visit her website by following the link embedded in her name.  Enjoy the video below where Helen Oxenbury speaks about her work.






Interestingly enough a study was released recently by Gregory Berns, professor of neuroeconomics at Emory University and author of How Dogs Love Us: A Neuroscientist and His Adopted Dog Decode the Canine Brain, demonstrating dog's emotional capacity along with their sensitivity to our emotions. (Here is a link to a great video included in a post today titled Do Animals Have Feelings Like Humans?)

To Face Your Fears

Having spent more than half my life terrified of storms, it's fairly easy for me to identify with Xena's look of panic when thunders starts to rumble.  Yesterday, after the sun played hide and seek for most of the afternoon, a front quickly passed through our area.  We were both surprised when out of the quiet, a large boom shook the walls of the house.  Xena froze and I checked the radar.

We have sat together on the floor, covered ourselves with a blanket like a tent and one night Xena came up on the bed, lay next to me and I hugged her until the lightning and thunder were finished.  Boom!: Big, Big Thunder & One Small Dog (Disney Hyperion) written by Mary Lyn Ray (Stars) with pictures by Steven Salerno introduces readers to Rosie, a fearless pooch except for one thing.  It's like I always tell my students, everyone has one thing (or more) they wish to avoid at all costs.  It's up to us to provide comfort and understanding.


Although Rosie was a small dog,
she was usually very brave---
just like the boy she knew best.

Nothing fazed this dynamic bundle of energy.  No stuffed tiger toy, no household cats or orangutans pictured in books kept Rosie from being her happy, on-the-go self.  Neighborhood helpers like postal workers, firefighters and law enforcement people (even the sirens) did not fill her with fear, only curiosity.

Some canines go crazy in the car wash with the water shooting in all directions but not this spunky pal.  Some dogs hear the word bath or if you turn on the shower or tub faucet, they will vanish but not this loyal friend.  Rosie was invincible...well almost invincible.

Thunder was not Rosie's friend.  Her boy tried giving her doggy treats, singing and even offering explanations for all those loud...loud...loud sounds but nothing worked.  She knew in her heart of hearts the sky was growling at her.  And the sky was huge.

Every attempt to hide would not keep the sky from seeing her.  Even when Rosie could not see the sky by closing her eyes, she knew it was watching.  Caring for Rosie as he did, the boy knew what to do.  In the coziness of his bedroom in the center, they made a shape with no beginning and no end, a shape formed by love, as the thunder fiercely continued.  Two friends, facing fear...together is better.



It came as no surprise to discover that author Mary Lyn Ray shares her life with a dog.  Her keen observations of canine behavior shine through in her word choices.  Her description of the boy's attempts to ease Rosie's fear, three of which involve food, speak to the soul...er...stomach of most dog's I've known.

He told her it was hot clouds popping like popcorn.

Each portion of the narrative reads like a verse in a poem; vivid, alive and with a subtle beat.


All you have to do is look at the matching jacket and cover to discover the attention to detail noticeable in the work of illustrator, Steven Salerno (Brothers At Bat: The True Story Of An Amazing All-Brothers Baseball Team).  Much like the Boom! in the title, the illustrations are vibrant and full of motion; calling attention to Rosie, her personality and her fear of thunder.  The ISBN bar code on the back has been designed to look like rain falling from a darkened cloud.

The opening and closing endpapers are a pattern of blue sky, black, gray, and white clouds, a shining sun and bolts of lightning.  One of the internal pictures becomes a frame for the title page.  A special touch on the final right-hand side page is a single color visual in response to the Rosie's bark. Brilliant.

Throughout the book, the color palette focuses on primary colors with emphasis on blues.  Salerno's skill in combining gouache, crayon and layering in Photoshop makes his double page, single page and vignettes irresistible.  Readers will completely enjoy the shift in perspective; the opening two pages of Rosie running along with the boy riding his bicycle (all we see is the lower half of the bicycle), the more wide-angle view of all the community people about their work looking at a cat stuck in a tree, Rosie getting a bath zooming in on the tub and her expression, Rosie covering her closed eyes with her paws as the booms surround her and she and her boy in his bedroom.  I have too many favorites in this book to select only one.

Boom!: Big, Big Thunder & One Small Dog written by Mary Lyn Ray with pictures by Steven Salerno is one of those picture books where readers can easily identify with the main character.  With each reading your affection for Rosie grows.  This is a perfect read aloud for addressing fear and how the kindness, friendship and love of another can give you courage.  I can predict multiple requests for reading this again and again.

Embedded in the author and illustrator names above are links to their websites providing additional information about each of them.  Here is a link to illustrator Steven Salerno's blog.  He has written a detailed post on the process of creating the pictures for this title.  It's loaded with artwork.

A Summer To Be Remembered

Today I looked up the definition of a word whose meaning is probably known to most---beginning.  The meaning I chose for this post is:

being brought into being (The Free Dictionary)

When you think of an author laboring for years to write a book, getting it published and into readers hands, it's an act of creation, a true labor of love.  Every time the cover is opened, the pages turned, the words read, the book comes to life.  It becomes animated in our minds.

The beginning, whether it's the jacket, cover, title page, dedication, preface, first words, sentences, paragraphs or pages, beckons to readers.  For me the jacket of Patricia MacLachlan's The Truth of Me (Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers) captures my attention; a boy, a dog, and deer surrounding a person nearby.  Who is this person?  Why is the dog sitting there so

patiently?  Then between the contents and the first page I read:

This is a true story.  The truest story ever.

You may not believe it.  Your loss.

But it's true.

I have a witness.  

With these six sentences I am committed to this book.  I need to read this story.  For me this tale is already becoming a part of my story.  

Robert, an only child, is the latest in a long line of Roberts. His parents are deeply committed to their passion, their professional music careers; Robert thinks they like music more than they like him.  To his parents credit they brought a rescue dog, a brown hound mix, Eleanor or Ellie for short, into their home for Robert.  

For two months this summer Robert and Ellie will be staying with Maddy, his grandmother, his mother's mom.  His parents are going on an international musical tour with their group, the Allegro Quartet.  Robbie (as his grandmother calls him) loves spending time with Maddy for her stories, her ability to get close to wild animals in the nearby woods, but most of all because she, like him, make his parents nervous. 

Maddy's doctor, Henry, lives four doors down from her cottage style home.  Robbie knows he is more than Maddy's doctor; he's a fantastic cook and has dinner with them nearly every night.  While Henry likes everything about Maddy he's not quite sure about the truth of her stories either.  In a conversation with Kiddo (his name for Robert) Henry says:

"We all have our truths, Kiddo," says Henry. "Some are big truths. Most times they're small truths.  But those stories are Maddy's truths.  Your parents have different ones of their own."  

For some reason, it's particularly important to Maddy this summer, for Ellie to be able to remain calm around all wild creatures.  Robert is confident she can be except for squirrels.  Imagine his surprise to see Ellie calmly sitting among squirrels next to Maddy one morning.  So begins Robbie's training with Ellie.  

Weeks go by, walks are taken off-leash every day from Maddy's house to Henry's house; both Robbie and Ellie are learning.  One day upon their return home, Maddy has a surprise.  They are going overnight camping, up the hill and into the woods.  

In the morning after their first night there, Maddy's truth becomes a truth for Robbie, too.  When they return the next night an unplanned event tips the scales into the danger zone.  Little by little other truths emerge; gifts, fears, and the healing power of love.

Reading a book written by Patricia MacLachlan is like eating your favorite comfort food.  Her written words surround you with their calm, their realistic portrayal of family dynamics.  In this title one generation provides the bridge for another.  

In choosing what words to use in conversations and in Robbie thoughts, we have clear pictures of each of the characters' personalities, even Ellie.  Patricia MacLachlan knows people, she knows dogs, she has a keen sense of the natural world and she blends all this together with seamless beauty.  When she writes, she invites; invites her readers to examine, wonder and appreciate the wonders of the human heart.  Here's a sample passage.

"You'll see," says Maddy mysteriously. "Now who's cooking tonight?"

"What do you have in the pantry?" asks Henry.

"Cold cereal," says Maddy.

"Oh, good grief," says Henry. "I made spaghetti sauce this morning. I'll get it."

Henry goes out the door.

"Did you make meatballs, too?" calls Maddy.

"Yes, yes yes!" Henry calls back.

"Maddy?"

"What, Robbie?"

"You have chicken in the refrigerator," I say.

"I know," says Maddy, laughing. "I love Henry's spaghetti and meatballs."

The Truth of Me written by Patricia MacLachlan is one of those books you will read over and over.  The strength of this tale does not diminish with subsequent readings but grows.  That's the power of storytelling from a master.  While this book can surely be enjoyed by an individual, as a read aloud it's a winner from the beginning to the final sentence.

To read the first twenty-seven pages of the book, follow this link to the publisher website.

A Dog, A Dinosaur and a Boy's Love

On the wall in my home is a signed print by the late artist and author, Stephen Huneck.  Huneck is best known in the children's literature community for his series of Sally, a black Labrador, books. My print is of the front paws, head, chest and winged back of a yellow Labrador, nose pointed upward toward a single shining star, the laces of a dangling shoe, in his/her mouth.  The print is captioned, Dogs Have A Soul.  

If you've ever loved and lost a dog, the need to believe this, for this to be true, is very strong.  When children grow up with a puppy, there is something extraordinary about the bond formed between them and their dog.  It's as if they are the other half of one another.  Author/ artist Doug TenNapel, whose graphic novels, Ghostopolis, Bad Island and Cardboard, are extremely popular with readers, has a recently released, newer version of the title, Tommysaurus Rex (Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic) filled with king-size heart about the remarkable connection between a boy and his canine....er....prehistoric companion.

Ely, an only child, living with his parents in suburbia has grown up with a golden retriever named Tommy.  We are introduced to the characters around the breakfast table as Ely is getting ready to take Tommy for a walk to the park.  On the way to meeting his friends with their dogs, tragedy strikes.  Another dog gets away from their human, chasing Tommy out into the street where he is struck and killed by a car.

Absolutely heartbroken, Ely is comforted by his Dad that evening with the suggestion he go stay with his grandpa, helping him on the farm.  Upon arrival at the farm, amid the greetings, Ely receives the gift of a toy Tyrannosaurus Rex from his grandpa. All goes grandly, as is often the case between grandparents and their grandchildren.

The next day after hours of hard work, Ely takes a break walking around the area with his new, smaller plastic companion.  A local boy, Randy and his two buddies Shem and Beckett approach Ely.  Their intentions, however, are not friendly.

Ely takes off with them in hot pursuit running through the woods trying to hide in a cave.  Caught off guard by strange sounds within the dark cavern, he is nabbed and bullied by the three, losing his grandpa's gift too.  That night neither Randy or Ely can sleep; Randy is filled with anxiety over the absence of his father and Ely hears those same noises, heard earlier, louder and closer, coming from the darkness outside.  Who or what is out there?

Making his way through the night back to the cave, Ely frees a trapped, full-grown Tyrannosaurus Rex.  The friendship between the duo is immediate.  Of course, there is the slight problem of his size, appetite, friendship with a local black cat and fear of fire.

It's up to Ely, Grandpa and Rex to prove to the mayor of the community that he's an asset rather than a liability.  While their determination to succeed seems to be working, Randy is equally driven to make life as miserable for Ely and Rex as possible.  When Randy's efforts roar out of control, Ely's decision alters everything...except for the love he shares with Tommysaurus Rex.


Told entirely in dialogue, visual and sound effects, Doug TenNapel creates a story poignant in its sadness and happiness alike; breaking your heart and fixing it more than once. His placement of humor (and dino poop) are spot-on.  His characters are fully human; flawed but rising to the occasion when they need to be better than they think they can be.  Here is an example:

The newly acquired Rex has just eaten a cow.

Ely: COOOOL!
Grandpa: A dinosaur is eating my cow.
Ely: They do that.
Grandpa: Mmm...so they do.
Ely: His name is Rex.
Grandpa: Ely, that's a Tyrannosaurus Rex! You can't keep him.
Ely: Oh, come on, Gramps! He's gonna be my best and only friend.
Ely: PUH--LEAAAASE!
Grandpa: And don't try to give me "Weepy Eyes"! I've got my Weepy-Eye Shields up!
Ely: Aw, come on, Grandpa! We get a T-Rex dropped in our lap and you wanna get rid of it!
What kind of man doesn't dream of owning a T-Rex?
Grandpa: You've got a point there.
Ely: Look at him go! He finished all of the bowels in thirty seconds!


In perfect sync with the dialogue the graphics accentuate the emotional heartbeart of the story.  Alternating between framed panels, single page and double page illustrations and shifting perspective they captivate the reader, pulling them into the center of the action.  Numerous times the humor is unspoken but obvious.  Some of my favorites are: the series of pages when Ely first encounters Rex foreshadowing events to come, the three panels when Ely throws a stick saying fetch and Rex brings back the local policeman dangling from his motorcycle, when Ely's dad comes to his room to comfort him, lying down on the floor next to him and the uplifting final two pages.


Having read Tommysaurus by Doug TenNapel twice cover to cover and other sections a third and fourth time, I can say, in complete honesty, this graphic novel is a great read.  It is first and foremost a story of the love a boy has for his dog and in turn of the dog's love for his boy.  But, many other life challenges are raised within this story, the why of bullying, remorse, forgiveness and death.  Plan on multiple copies.

Puppy Pal

There is nothing that makes me want to roll around on the floor as much as a passel of puppies.  Even the presence of one will draw children (and adults) to it like metal to a magnet.  There's something about their eyes, ears, too big paws, little cold noses, chunky bellies and the wobbly way they walk and run, that's hard to resist.

Apparently humans are not the only ones who find them to be perfect pals.  The champion of charm, humble and heartwarming little red tractor, Otis, is putt puff puttedy chuffing his way back into our reading lives with his newest title, Otis and the Puppy (Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.) written and illustrated by Loren Long.  It seems the change in seasons is bringing more than usual to the farm.

It was springtime on the farm where the friendly little tractor named Otis lived.  The flowers bloomed, the trees were filled with leaves, and the farm buzzed with the joy of a new season.

During the day he and the farmer prepared the fields for planting but when their work was done the fun began.  Otis and his barnyard friends liked nothing better than a rousing game of hide-and-seek; especially when Otis was it.  Like a group of neighborhood children, they played until just before dark.

As they made their way to the barn one evening the farmer had something special to show them, a burlap bag.  As they watched it move and make sounds their curiosity mounted.  When they saw a puppy pop out, planting puppy kisses all around, their happiness grew and grew.

After everyone was in their places fast asleep Otis was awakened by puppy-in-distress noises.  Otis, clicking on his light, left the barn to investigate.  His new friend was not comfortable alone in the dark in the old doghouse.

Each night from then on, one little puppy would be snuggled up with one little tractor in the barn.  One day during a fun-filled game of hide-and-seek with Otis being it, the puppy forgot to hide, being distracted by a new thing.  The puppy forgot all about playing.  The puppy got lost.

Otis found everyone but the puppy.  All the animals and the farmer looked in every nook and cranny for the little guy until it was past-bedtime late.  Back at the barn Otis could not sleep knowing how afraid of the dark his pooch pal was.  He understood that fear; Otis was afraid of the dark, too.

What Otis wants to do is find his friend.  Otis wants to shine his light in the darkness, moving through the woods to rescue the puppy.  Otis wants the strength of friendship, his desire to do the right thing, to overcome his own fear.  Hide-and-seek skills, for one loving to be it, can come in handy in the nick of time.


Four years ago when Loren Long introduced readers to a friendly little tractor, barn red in color, who putt puff puttedy chuffed his way through a story full of heart, he gave us an enduring character, a home-grown hero you can't help but love.  Using simple, descriptive, almost lyrical, sentences with a pacing gently unfolding the story, readers enter life on the farm with Otis and his friends.  Word choice deepens the mood of the moment, the sense of emotions and the readers' attachment to the friendly little tractor.  Here are a couple of examples.

And then, as quickly as he had jumped out of the sack, he wobbled over to Otis, leaned on his tire, yawned, slouched, and plopped off to sleep.

Otis finished counting, peeled out, and motored here and there, putt, puff puttedy chuff, swerving and darting and skidding as fast as he could to find his friends.

Just inside the forest, Otis stopped dead in his tracks.  The sounds of the night crackled, thumped, and croaked all around him.


Unlike the two previous titles, Otis and Otis and the Tornado, with a more subdued color palette, this title's matching jacket and cover, a cloud for the highlighted background, is surrounded in a pale sunny blue; a sense of lightness, laughter even, shines forth.  The deep silver opening and closing endpapers showcase a single image of Otis on the move in white. The initial single title page, in white, shows the puppy stretched out curiously looking at a blue butterfly.  In contrast the two page illustration for the second title pages foreshadows the fears to be met with a night scene of the barn on the hill opposite the edge of the forest.

Using pencil and gouache Long's illustrations seem to have a luminous deep silver (of the endpapers) quality to them.  He shifts perspective and size fashioning a companionable flow with his narrative; single page, double page, smaller groupings with portions breaking outside the frame, or singular visuals unframed, surrounded by white for emphasis.  During the hide-and-seek game when the puppy becomes lost the narrative never states the distraction or what the puppy is doing; the illustrations tell a parallel tale.  There is a definite classic richness to Loren Long's work in the Otis books.


Whether you are a fan of the Otis books or not, Otis and the Puppy written and illustrated by Loren Long will have you falling in love with this friendly little tractor again or for the first time and quickly seeking out the earlier titles.  Everyone needs a friend like Otis.  When they read these books, he is not just the friend of the calf, the bull or the puppy but their friend too.

Be sure to visit Loren Long's website for lots of Otis extras; the link is embedded in his name.  Follow this link to the publisher website for a sneak peak at a few pages.  Loren Long visited teacher librarian John Schumacher's school this year.  Follow this link to his blog, Watch. Connect. Read. to share in the delights of the day.

To The Rescue

We all need to be rescued from time to time whether it's once in a blue moon or if life is topsy-turvy, daily.  It can be as simple as helping to banish a bad mood or as critical as performing the Heimlich maneuver on someone choking.  Frequently we are well aware when we provide assistance to a person in need but on occasion the smallest gesture in word or deed, can make a significant difference without our knowledge.

Members of the animal kingdom are no different than we when it comes to needing human intervention. Having no voice our vigilance is of the utmost importance.  In her first chapter book of 2013, White Fur Flying (Margaret K. McElderry Books), Patricia MacLachlan writes about the varied forms rescue can assume.


"Once upon a time there was a wicked queen," said my younger sister, Alice.

In the Cassidy family Alice is the talkative sister, an observer of life, a weaver of outlandish tales and a writer jotting her latest thoughts in a journal.  Daddy is a veterinarian with a huge heart.  Mama with an equally large heart, rescues Great Pyrenees.  Zoe, the narrator, while not as talkative as Alice misses little of the world around her; she sees and knows much.

Into the mix are Kodi and May, Pyrs.  May will soon leave for a new home.  A recent addition is Lena, an African grey parrot whose favorite phrase, repeated in a British accent is "You cahn't know!"  It seems Mama is not the only rescuer; Daddy seeing the need to save this feathered mimic.

As the story begins a new family has moved into the home across the street appearing to be pretty much the opposite of the Cassidy crew.  The suit-wearing Mr. Croft comes and goes silently in his big black car.  Prim, proper Mrs. Croft seems uncertain and slightly fearful.  A boy, Philip, Alice's age, does not talk.  Philip is staying with the Crofts until his parents can work out some problems they are having.

Within a couple of days, outgoing Alice, wise Zoe, warm Mrs. Cassidy and the two dogs have welcomed Philip into the supportive, loving fold of their lively summer.  Philip still does not speak (except to Kodi and Lena) but he is now smiling and laughing.  When Mrs. Croft accepts an invitation for a tea date at their home, a new understanding of their neighbors is revealed to the Cassidy family.

With May in her new home, Mama has rescued two more Great Pyreness, Callie an adult female and Jack, a young male.  Very soon though the rhythm of their days changes.  In the middle of a stormy night, two are missing, one canine and one unable to speak.

Three leave to search; Mama has Kodi but Zoe has only her knowledge of the truth to assist her.  By morning all that has been lost are thankfully recovered.  Understanding and compassion can and does heal, sometimes the rescued becomes the rescuer.


Consistently Patricia MacLachlan delivers stories reaching into your heart, shaping it and holding it warmly surrounded by love.  When you step into the world of the Cassidy family, narrated by the older Zoe with the added day-to-day dialogue between the characters, you can't help but want to be a part of that world too.  The importance of a dog's ability to heal and help, to sense and see, what some humans can't is at the essence of this tale.

Each of the short chapters carefully connects to the next with a single profound closing sentence or remark.  Through the technique of Alice's writing MacLachlan offers further insights into what she hopes readers will take away from this book.  Alice's poem, You Can't Know, and the final pages of the book taken from her journal are pure perfection.  One of my favorite passages is:

My voice sounded loud in the quiet kitchen.
No one said anything.
"He thinks many things. And those things are trapped inside of him.  Maybe something happened that made him afraid to talk," I said.
I looked out the window.
"Except to Kodi," I added softly.
"Kodi and Phillip are friends in some way we don't know about," said Daddy.  "And it doesn't have much to do with words."


Happily and with confidence give White Fur Flying written with impeccable, masterful skill by Patricia MacLachlan to fans of her work, to those people who love dog books, or to someone who might need rescuing.  This story shows family dynamics at their very finest; full of understanding for the personalities traits of one another.  Also, if we choose to view those around us with the same care as our canine companions, bridges can be built and crossed.

Two Fast Friends

Reactions upon finishing books for the first time are as varied as the books themselves. Tears may come if your heart is pierced to the core.  Laughter may burst forth if you are filled with joy from head to toe.  Hugging is assured if the book is endearingly adorable.  It goes without saying, especially if they are picture books, rereads are a given.

Even before I finished reading Ollie and Claire (Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.)written by Tiffany Strelitz Haber with illustrations by Matthew Cordell, I knew it would be a favorite.  To begin, the characters, best friends, are dogs.  Secondly, there is something about Matthew Cordell's illustrations that I find irresistible.

What I tend to do on the second reading is to read the story aloud.  Before I had finished the first page my reaction to this book made a tuneful appearance.  I was singing the narrative of Ollie and Claire!

Ollie and Claire were a tightly knit pair,

like hot buttered biscuits and jam.

They frolicked by day at the park and the bay,

where they yodeled and yoga'd and swam.

There is no doubt about it, Ollie and Claire are best buds day in and day out.  You could set your clock by their routine.  For Claire this perfect punctuality starts to become a problem.  She's ready for a little variation, new discoveries.

On a Friday morning stroll she sees an answer to her dilemma hanging on a nearby tree.  Someone wants a companion on a trip around the world.  The thought of what she might do or see thrills her, fills her with excitement. She quickly pens and posts a reply.

 Not wasting a second, she heads home to pack.  Though, truth be told, a phone call from Ollie that evening leaves her perplexed.  All weekend she worries and frets. Claire writes another note, this time left for a friend.  It's now Monday at 4 and there are surprises; surprises galore for both Ollie and Claire, friends to the end.

You couldn't ask for a more lively story penned in flawless rhyme.  Tiffany Strelitz Haber is a wizard with words; her selection a reflection of the canine companions' love for one another and their secret desire for a bit of adventure in their lives.  The narrative flows from one rhythmic sentence to the next with a catchy cadence.  The bits of humor, their yodeling, practicing yoga, running hurdles, bologna on white and their visions of travel, are sure to elicit smiles. (I'm grinning still.)


With no stretch of imagination you can feel the elation of Ollie and Claire on the front and back jacket and cover. Whether they are yodeling among the flowers or twirling in a circle, hands clasped, suitcases upraised Matthew Cordell 's special interpretation, his flair for creating comical creatures is evident.  Twelve possible scenarios of the two engaged in the most outrageous of activities, hand gliding, floating as astronauts in space, or snowmobiling or the most everyday, inline skating, biking or butterfly catching, decorate the opening and closing endpapers.  Their two houses, side by side, are shown on the title page as they meet, eat and leave in three small visuals on the verso and dedication pages.

Using pencil (with a hint of digital magic) and watercolor Cordell works his own brand of magic with a blend of light and bold colors using wide margins of white space to frame his pictures, except for several two page, edge to edge, spreads.  It's impossible not to laugh at the eyes, mouths, the facial expressions, and body movements of the two dogs; eating and talking while standing on a park bench or looking like ballet stars in the ocean wearing a bathing cap (Claire) and goggles (Ollie).  As Claire is dreaming of and packing for her new escapade, careful readers will see who her "new" partner really is as Cordell tucks them into the pictures. The downtown store front dream scene in this place populated by dogs is downright hilarious as is the visual of Claire throwing things out of her closet in her packing frenzy.


Ollie and Claire is a happy-go-lucky ode to friendship and its challenges.  When you pair the rhyming writing of Tiffany Strelitz Haber with the distinctive, detailed art of Matthew Cordell you have a book that will be a joy to read repeatedly.  This is a story where listeners will be moving to the narrative beat and laughing at the lovable dogs.

Make sure you follow the links embedded in both the author's and illustrator's names above to view their official websites.  Enjoy the book trailer below.