A Year for the Dogs

You may or may not know this about me, but I am pretty obsessed with dogs. I have two at home that I fawn over and whenever there is a picture book with a dog on the cover I go crazy. On the other hand, if there is a novel with a dog on the cover I am sure to ask anyone (librarians, publishers, family, friends, etc.) whether or not the dog survives. While in Barnes & Noble quite a few years ago I saw Marley and Me and picked it up. I looked at my mom and pointed at the cute puppy on the cover. She stared at book and said, "You know the dog dies right?" I gasped, placed the book back on the shelf and stared at it thinking about the horror that awaited the reader at the end of the book! I still haven't recovered. Now picture books on the other hand... that I can do! I keep a stack of dog themed picture books in my office and whenever a new one comes in I nab it and place it in my pile. Here are a few from my 2014 Dog Book Haul! 

Dogs in Books

 This Book Just Ate My Dog! by Richard Byrne follows Bella who just wanted to take her dog for a walk. While she is crossing the pages she gets to the other side, but her dog disappears into the the middle! She pulls on the leash, but it doesn't budge. She enlists the help of friends, ambulances and even police cars, but they all get sucked into the middle of the book. Will Bella be able to rescue her dog? The reader really needs to shake things up in order to come to Bella's aid!

 Is There a Dog in this Book? by Viviane Schwartz has three very nervous cats asking our titular question. They can smell something different and someone has drank all of their milk! By lifting flaps and having a conversation with the cats the reader is the main focus in this line of K9 questioning. 

Dogs and Friends

 Dog and Bear: Tricks and Treats by Laura Vaccaro Seeger stars are best friends on three silly adventures during the Halloween season. Between picking out costumes, trick or treating, and an interaction with a ghost the reader will just have to giggle with the cute pair.

 Just Right for Two by Tracey Corderoy and Rosalind Beardshaw explores how the people (or animals) in your life are way more important than any material thing. Dog has a suitcase where he keeps all of his most important belongings: a pine cone, a rock, a feather and more. One night he goes to sleep and when he wakes up Mouse is sleeping on his suitcase with him. Mouse asks if he can see inside the suitcase and then after he will leave Dog alone. Once their day together is done Dog realizes he is missing something. After a bit of exploration that something turns out to be Mouse. The final image of the two cuddled on top of the suitcase is just too cute to deny!

Working Dogs*

  Charlie and the New Baby by Ree Drummond puts an animated spin on the life of Drummond's real dog Charlie who lives on a working ranch. In this particular story Charlie falls asleep and the next thing he knows there is a new baby calf getting all the attention. What is Charlie to do? This offer s anew take on what happens when a baby sibling is born.

 Tuesday Tucks Me In: The Loyal Bond Between a Soldier and his Service Dog by Fmr. Captain Luis Carlos Montalvan tells of the daily life between Montalavan and his service dog Tuesday through photographs in their home of New York City. Being a soldier who has come back from war Montalavan suffers from flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety and other disabilities. With the help of Tuesday, his constant companion, he performs daily tasks and lives his life without worry. The fantastic photos portray the incredible bond of the veteran and his service dog as they support each other every day. Their relationship is incredibly moving and Tuesday is such a wonderful pup.

*Speaking of dogs with jobs I just have to include this photo of Daisy the Great Dane therapy dog who recently made a visit to the Hampton Bays Library for their holiday party. 

What a sweet lady!

Happy 2015 everyone! I can't wait to see what amazing stories about delightful dogs will make it into my dog pile this year!