While getting through 4 straight days without electricity, internet, cell phone service, and running water due to a massive wind storm, I felt thankful that I’d already bought and downloaded Patricia McConnell’s first-ever murder mystery novel — Away to Me — for my Kindle. Grateful too that my Kindle was 90% charged when the power went out last Thursday. You probably know McConnell from her longtime work as an animal behaviorist and author of many nonfiction books.
If you’ve ever wondered how we ended up with the dogs we love at our sides, what we know about their unique abilities (thanks to science), and how they help us survive all the things, then I hope you enjoy this For the Love of Dog book review. The book is part memoir, part research paper, and part life stress and pet loss treatise. It’s written by Maggie Marton, who also authors “Oh My Dog!” She’s a pal and a colleague; a dog and kiddo mom extraordinaire; dog nerd and cancer survivor. She understands and reveals a lot in this book. It’s subtitle is How Dogs Think and the Unbreakable Bond That Connects Us. You will cry a little. I did. But, you will also laugh out loud and learn a lot.
Author Jeff Pawlecki contacted me a while back, asking me to review his fun book for kids called The Three Terrier Tales on the Farm – Barking Up a New Adventure. He lives on a farm in Ohio, with family that includes people and several species of animals. The book is cute and pretty funny. If you know young readers who like terriers, it’s perfect for their bookshelves!
That tiny foster pug puppy from a few years ago came as a revelation. One of the things I love about fostering is getting the chance to experience breeds I’d never know otherwise. So, I felt pretty excited to read some books written by PD the Pug.
Don’t you love the idea of kids learning about dogs through reading? WT Kosmos asked me for a dog book for kids review for the first book in a planned series. It’s called Maya & Waggers – I have to scoop what? (ha ha) The truth is that I had a few issues with some things in the chapter book for kids ages 8 and up. Let’s clap for Kosmos who took my feedback and made revisions so that kids learn accurate (and safe) info about dogs and dog training, including how to teach sit and the dangers of dogs running loose. Yay! Let’s take a look at the book’s premise.
I got news today (Feb 19, 2024) that my fellow Colorado author and border collie lover Leland Dirks died recently. It’s such sad news, but I know that his beloved (late) border collie Angelo shepherded his crossing. As I often do upon the death of people I love and admire, I wrote a bit of a Leland Dirks tribute that I like to pretend he’d appreciate.
Are you sitting down? I’m going to recommend a mystery book series that repeatedly breaks my #1 rule about including debunked, outdated, and total BS dog training and behavior details. Shocker, I know. And, yet, these otherwise funny and engaging books have helped me survive a difficult year, and I adore them. FIVE STARS — Highly recommend. I traded emails with the author to share my angst over those mentions of alpha dogs and being pack leaders and other stuff, so they know where I stand. Why on earth am I writing this? Keep reading to find out what I enjoy these books in the Bought the Farm Series by Ellen Riggs (pssst … that’s a pen name).
Let’s get going with my Starter Dog book review. TL/DR Loved it. Perfect read for a long holiday weekend. Also, don’t miss the reason my copy of the book got chewed up.
Here’s another somewhat overdue book review of Queen of Second Chances by D.M. Barr. It’s a novel with a couple pivotal canine characters who help drive major plot points and excitement. Here’s what I liked about the book, thoughts on places younger readers might feel lost, and a few minor quibbles.
This book review of A Dog of Many Names by Douglas Green is so long overdue it’s comical. The book’s publicist first contacted me a year ago. The review copy arrived in March 2021 in advance of a July release date, but I didn’t get around to reading the book until Clover had minor surgery in October 2021. I took a walk on a local trail in town and then sat next to a creek to read until I got word I could pick her up. I nearly stopped reading the book several times for several reasons, but I did finish it in a single day. I tried contacting the publicist again in October with some questions / concerns, but I never heard back. Still, I think it’s worth discussion, so let’s get to it.
