Heart of a Hero

Written by Billi Tiner

This book is a portrait of a loyal and brave Irish Setter, inspired by the author’s childhood family dog. As a pup, Lady wanted nothing more than to emulate her mother, who was a prize hunting dog.  Carl, a teenage farmhand, develops an affinity for her, and Lady is elated when her owner Mr. Thompson sends her to live with Carl. At first life is wonderful, then World War II breaks out; and Carl leaves for battle. Carl never returns. A friend suggests to Carl’s dad that the Marines are looking for war dogs, and Lady is offered up as a candidate. After rigorous training and many adventures with new dog friends Scout and Fancy, Lady is sent to the Pacific with her human handlers, Tim and Steve. Lady succeeds in becoming a war messenger dog. She will prove herself a worthy hero.

After the war things return to normal for a while, but Lady has battle scars and her new owner will make a decision that does not include her. More uncertainty for Lady and a dramatic change in life circumstances again. Will Lady find peace, dignity and happiness in her final years?

This book makes a great read for middle grade students. It deals with complex issues in a plot that is simply laid out and easy to follow. Loyalty, bravery, courage, coming of age, bullying, and family relationships are explored. The characters are well developed; the reader can identify with Lady as she narrates the story from her point of view. I do think the plot moves a bit slowly in sections, but that may be due to the fact that the reader is eager to see what happens next. Recommended for dog lovers, history lovers and anyone who enjoys a good family read. Available in kindle and paperback editions.

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Pippy and Beth

Written by Graham Denny

This book explores the devastating issue of loss confronting a family when a pet dies. Denny writes a powerful tale to illustrate that journey of  a child named Beth, the young protagonist we meet at the beginning of the story who shares a wonderful relationship with her dog, Pippy.  The reader is introduced to Beth’s sad family at the vet’s office where they have brought Pippy to be put to sleep. Beth is distraught and has a tummy ache from eating too much of the ice cream at the fancy restaurant her parents have brought her to in an effort to distract her. Once back at home, Beth kisses Pippy’s picture and finally falls asleep.

Beth is soon awakened by a scratching sound. At first she thinks it is Valerie and Shelley, those horrible twins who make her life miserable at school. As she yells at them to go away, Beth realizes that Pippy is in the room and that he is TALKING TO HER! He warns her to hurry and leads her out the sliding door into the night. Pippy introduces Beth to other talking animal friends including sparrows, mice, a fox, a badger, rabbits and two cats. All of these are dressed eloquently like humans and act as if they were human. Beth finally gets the courage to ask Pippy if he knows that he has died. He explains that of course he does and continues to lead her through the woods to a grassy clearing. After eating a huge breakfast, they reach the top of a hill shrouded in mist. There is music, dance and laughter as Pippy walks down to the other side after saying his goodbyes.

Beth is saddened. What does all this mean? She does not know how to go on. But her parents have a solution, and Beth will eventually find the strength and courage to deal with Pippy’s death and all her other problems at school.

This book is a wonderful read as simply a love story between a child and pet, but it is such a valuable resource to help a family cope with loss turning that tragedy into a vehicle to make themselves stronger. Parents and teachers can use it as a guide for discussion on a very difficult topic.

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Cat Books for Children-Cool Facts about Cats

Written by Barry J. McDonald

The author claims to have written this book for children but I am fairly sure that any one reading it will be astonished by the number of facts you did not know about cats. It really does not matter whether you a cat lover or not, you will be pleasantly surprised. There are beautiful photographs accompanying the text which is presented clearly and succinctly so that even beginning readers will have no trouble handling it. My only criticism is that perhaps the presentation of facts could have been better categorized.

Cats have  lived in human homes half the amount of time dogs have, yet their appearance and behavior have not changed in the last 35 million years! Depictions of cats are drawn on ancient walls. Archaelogists have found more than 300,000 mummies in ancient tombs and many of these had embalmed mice to prevent them from going hungry in the afterlife. When a family cat died, the members shaved their eyebrows as a sign of mourning. The Japanese believed that cats had the power to change into super spirits, and Buddhist spirituals used them as surrogates.

In many ways cats are similar to humans. Every human has a set of unique fingerprints; every cat posseses a unique nosepad. The organization of a cat’s brain is similar to that of a human as it is the center for processing emotions. Cats dream like humans do, they lose their baby teeth, and they can be blood donors for other cats.  They have good memories and may hold something in memory as long as sixteen hours. If you spend time talking to a cat, it is more likely that the cat will talk back to you. Like humans, they may give you the silent treatment if you ignore them!

Yet, there are many differences as well. Cats move the left front and back leg together as they walk. The only other two animals in nature that do that are the giraffe and the camel. Cats’ vision is better than that of a human, but their color sensitivity is poor. A cat’s whiskers are controlled by muscles in its face and are used for balance. The average cat has twelve whiskers on each side. When a cat is blind, it can actually move the whiskers in front of its face to prevent bumping into objects using its whiskers like a human would use a cane.

You might think that I have already presented most of the information in this book, but that is far from the truth. The reader will find out how cats were used in war and as spies. McDonald explores the senses of the cat and how they work, how they hunt, gender differences, the classifications of cats, and social behavior. The reader learns how to tell if your cat is too fat, if he is in danger of being poisoned, and what you can do to keep your cat safe and happy. Parents, teachers, children and  anyone interested in animal behavior will benefit by reading this book and keeping it on hand for reference.

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Errol Come Home

By: Harvey Rooster

Harvey Rooster is a pseudonym for a crime writer, who has taken time to foray into the world of children’s books. Errol Come Home is the first in a new series featuring Errol the Cat. At the beginning of the tale, we are introduced to Errol who is a sleek, black cat with green eyes the color of emeralds. He lives a magnificent life as he is adored by the couple who own him. Errol was born on a farm, but one day his fortunes changed when he was adopted by a man and wife who gave him meals with gravy, milk and his favorite, tuna. The only bad times happened when he had to go to the vet or his owners vacationed. Then he was put in a cage and placed in the “box on wheels” Soon he was home again snuggling up with his owners on the couch, and those bad times were easily forgotten,

One day something strange happened. He returned home to find two children with small hands who promptly yanked his tail. Errol yelped, stuck out his claws and ran. He had cut his master’s arm. So he spent the next few days outside hoping that those little hands would go away and that his masters would forgive him. After a few days Errol decided he could no longer bear to be away. So he jumped on the settee. But the little one was sitting there and he scratched her leg. Errol’s master threw him into the air and out the door. The next day, Errol was still despondent and very hungry! He heard his master and two little ones calling his name, but he thought it might be a trap. So when a kitten crept through the neighbor’s door, Errol decided to follow. He found a lady with red fingernails who caressed him gently. What will Errol decide to do? Should he stay at his new home or take a chance with his former masters? How will those little ones treat him? So many choices…Errol will need to make up his mind.

This story is very well written; it flows nicely. The book makes a wonderful read aloud for younger children. Jacoba Dorothy does a good job of illustrating and the paw prints on the pages are a nice touch. Children older than six may attempt to read the story independently, but vocabulary words like monotony and confronted will need adult explanation. I am looking forward to Errol’s Christmas and Errol’s Tuna Mystery, the next books in the series.

Animals for Kids: 20 Exciting Animal Pictures with Animal Facts for Kids

by Nabila Owens

This is a nonfiction book which taught me some interesting facts about animals. A giraffe has the highest blood pressure of any animal, turtles have been on earth for more than two million years, and you can tell the mood of a zebra by looking at its ears! Owens points out that scientists are continuing to research  and investigate. They will undoubtedly discover new species on land, in air and under the sea. The author discusses their patterns of behavior, what they eat, the climates they live in, and how they survive. Many of them are as afraid of us as we are of them. There are many animals that are endangered because humans have taken over their native habitats. The author urges the young reader to learn about conservation and how to protect them from extinction. All of us must share the planet earth together!

This book features twenty animals. Some of them like dogs, cats and turtles have been largely domesticated and may be our pets. Others like elephants, cheetahs, lions and zebras might be visited in a zoo. An aquarium visit could allow us to visit dolphins, whales and sharks. There are animals who may be seen all over the world like the many species of birds and spiders, and others like the kangaroo which are only found in Australia and New Guinea.  Animals like some spiders and snakes have the ability to harm humans with one bite! Animals may make wonderful pets, or interesting creatures to visit in a man-made controlled habitat, but they can be dangerous. Each of them have unique qualities to their species. Always ask an adult before approaching an animal you do not know.

The author provides actual photographs of the animals. I think a little more illustration would have been beneficial to the kindle edition which I reviewed.  Photographs are limited to one small picture per animal making it is difficult to see details. Teachers might want to choose this book as a read aloud introduction for one animal which will be further researched. Parents would not want to attempt to read this book in one setting to a younger child. The text is aimed toward a middle grade and up reader. All in all it is a good book to introduce children to animal life on planet earth! If you would like to get information on more books for children, please subscribe to this biweekly blog by clicking on the Follow + icon in the lower right or the orange RSS feed icon in the upper right hand corner,

HAPPY EARTH DAY EVERYONE