|
Publisher:
Moo Press |
Release
Date: May 15, 2004 |
ISBN:
0-9724853-3-3 |
Awards:
|
Format
Reviewed: Hardcover |
Buy
it at Amazon |
Read
an Excerpt |
Genre:
Nonfiction -- Ages 4-8 Early Reader |
Reviewed:
2004 |
Reviewer:
Kristin Johnson |
Reviewer
Notes: Kristin Johnson, the founder of PoemsForYou.com,
released her second book, CHRISTMAS COOKIES ARE FOR GIVING,
co-written with Mimi Cummins, in October 2003. Her third book,
ORDINARY MIRACLES: My Incredible Spiritual, Artistic and Scientific
Journey, co-written with Sir Rupert A.L. Perrin, M.D., is now
available from PublishAmerica. |
Copyright
MyShelf.com |
|
One
Incredible Dog! Lady
By Chris Williams
Mix
real-life kids in the hospital, incredibly true animal stories,
and elderly people actively recovering with vigorous bounce-back
spirits, add a lively illustration of one day in the life of a therapy
dog and her owner/trainer, Nurse Kathy Miller, and you get a heartwarming,
understated, simple but complex inspirational story of Lady…One
Incredible Dog!
One incredible Dog! Lady
is part of the Moo Press' new Early Reader series honoring real-life
canine heroes. We all have heard of the rescue dogs that worked
tirelessly alongside their human counterparts on September 11, 2001,
pulling bodies and injured survivors from the wreckage at Ground
Zero. While Lady’s job doesn’t make headlines, it’s
apparent from Chris Williams’ loving prose and Judith Friedman’s
vivid illustrations that Lady possesses the same courageous spirit.
The
book admirably and concisely explains what the qualifications are
for a good therapy dog: No biters allowed! It also shows, rather
than tells, what the “pluses” are in the job description.
A few of these: lying quietly on chemo patients’ beds when
kids like Rosie are too drained to play; exercising with elderly
patients and having a “ball” at work every day (how
many humans can say that?); doing tricks such as praying (perhaps
to the Great Omnipotent Dog Spirit?) and rolling over; donning a
red kerchief to make patients smile; and wagging her tail while
snuggling with appreciative kids. Wouldn’t we all like to
have those job skills, and isn’t it sad we can’t put
them on our resumes instead of “Exceeded sales quotas this
quarter”?
How
many of us can say we like and appreciate our co-workers as much
as Kathy and Lady do? While it’s clear Lady has to follow
strict guidelines from Kathy, the book stresses the importance of
Lady’s role when she does what humans can't always accomplish,
like helping a boy named Charlie accept his hospital stay. The book
is a powerful example of humans and animals working side by side.
The inviting cover, patterned after Lady’s kerchief, makes
the book a winner. |