MoreThanWordsLK

Grab your sunglasses and prepare for adventure of catastrophic proportions!  In Teddy the Dog:  Be Your Own Dog by Keri Claiborne Boyle, we meet the leader of the pack himself...Teddy.  He is living the dream life while following his own personal motto of "Be you own dog."

One day, Teddy receives a mysterious package from his Aunt Marge.  He cannot believe his eyes when a cat jumps out of the box!  His world is completely turned upside down.

Teddy decides to teach Fishbreath everything he knows about being his own dog.  Much to his dismay, Fishbreath is not skilled at doing dog-like things.  Daring to think outside the box, Teddy tries his paw at becoming more cat-like.  He soon discovers that the feline life is not for him.  Will Teddy and Fishbreath ever be able to find common ground?

I simply adored this book from start to finish!  The illustrations by Jonathan Sneider are adorable and hilarious.  I especially love the illustration of Teddy and his friends at the local food cart.  The poodle with the empty hot dog bun cracks me up!

This is author Keri Claiborne Boyle's debut children's book and I think she has definitely knocked it out of the park.  The theme of being true to oneself is told beautiful through the eyes of Teddy and Fishbreath.  Each character tries their paw at being something that they're not.  In doing so, they find out that they can still be friends even if they are different.

I also loved the humor that is laced throughout the story.  From "...holy purple poodles..." to Teddy and Fishbreath's paw bump on the final page, I found myself laughing out loud with the turn of each page.  This is a wonderful story for animal lovers of all ages that is sure to become a treasured classic.

"Wolf Camp" by Andrea Zuill tells that tale of Homer, a dog that feels like he is a wolf.  He enjoys doing wolfish things, such as hunting his stuffed moose and howling at the moon.  While eating breakfast one day, Homer receives an invitation to attend Wolf Camp.

Through his persistent begging, Homer's family agrees to let him go to camp.  He can barely contain his excitement as he boards the bus with his fellow campers.  Homer soon finds out that being a wolf is very different from how he thought it would be.  Will he have the courage to stay at camp and become an honorary wolf?

This book has officially become one of my all time favorite children's books!  The illustrations are adorably heartwarming.  I fell in love with Homer the moment I saw the cover of the book!  Many of the illustrations remind me of some of my favorite childhood cartoons.

I greatly enjoyed that humor that is laced throughout the story.  From the subtle jokes on the professor's chalkboard to Pixie's moose hunting, I laughed and smiled the entire time I read this story.  Readers and animal lovers of all ages will be enchanted with this story.  I know that this book is destined to become a new children's classic.

"Love Is My Favorite Thing" by Emma Chichester Clark is a charming children's book starring the adorable dog, Plum.  "Plummie" as she is called by her parents, introduces the reader to all of the things that she loves:  wind, treats, sticks, etc.  But her favorite thing of all is love.

On a trip to the park one day, everything goes terribly wrong.  Plum soon finds herself torn between causing mischief and wanting to be a good girl.  Will Plummie's crazy antics cost her the love of her family and friends?

I absolutely loved this book!  The illustrations are simplistic, yet whimsical.  I fell in love with Plum from page one.  Her expressions are priceless and truly capture the essence of dogs everywhere (especially mine!).  I also love Clark's use of soft colors.

Clark's talent as a writer truly shines in this multi-themed story.  The most obvious theme is that of an unconditional love between parent and child (or dog in this case).  No matter what a child does, a parent's love will always be there to guide and protect them.  The second more subtle theme is learning the value of obeying one's parents.  Plum knew that she was not supposed to get into mischief, but ignored her parent's rules.  Had she done as she was told, she would not have had to worry or wonder if her parents still loved her.

This book is a fantastic read for dog lovers of all ages.  The story allows reader's to take a peek into the mind of Plum, which may help us to better understand why dogs do the things that they do.  I can definitely see some of my dogs in Plum! 

Everyone's favorite snowman is back!  In Olaf's Night Before Christmas by Jessica Julius, the reader is once again reunited with lovable Olaf.  The story begins just like the Christmas classic, but by page two there is a twist to the tale.

Santa is coming to Arendelle!  Elsa and Anna are already fast asleep.  Olaf is working hard on counting his sheep.  Suddenly, a noise causes him to awaken quick.  He cannot believe his icicle eye.  It's jolly old St. Nick!

Will Olaf and Santa become the best of friends?  You will have to read the story to see how it ends!

I absolutely love this book!  Julius does an amazing job of changing a time honored Christmas story staple into a modern tale with a Frozen twist. I especially love that the story is told from Olaf's point of view.  His innocence is reminiscent of my own childhood Christmas memories.

Olga T. Mosqueda's illustrations are whimsical and enchanting.  I love that all of Santa's reindeer look like Sven!  Additionally, I like how each main character from Frozen has his/her own stocking that is decorated to resemble his/her clothing (or appearance) from the movie.

This book will delight readers of all ages and makes the perfect Christmas gift.  There is also a CD included in which Olaf himself reads the story.  Children can follow along with Olaf and discover the magic of Santa and Christmas together.  

What Pet Should I Get? by Dr. Seuss is a delightful story that depicts two children faced with a very difficult decision: choosing a family pet.  Just as each child believes he/she has found the perfect pet, a different breed of animal emerges, tempting them to change their minds.

The children then begin to think about what type of pet their parents would like.  While this appears to help with the elimination process, the siblings still cannot agree on which pet to pick.  Time is running out!  Will they ever find their perfect pet?

Dr. Seuss has once again masterfully written a story with an adult concept in mind: making decisions.  I believe that all readers will easily relate to this story.  The reader is introduced to a cast of unusual and colorful characters that are sure to enchant and delight.

I especially loved the ending of this book.  No spoilers here!  I also thoroughly enjoyed reading the special section at the end of the book that discusses Dr. Seuss' longtime love of animals.  The vintage pictures of Seuss with his various dogs is truly a treasure to behold.

Meet Mabel.  This Frenchie's antics rival that of Paris Hilton.  Well...almost.

Being the pampered pooch that she is, Mabel tends to break many of the rules that her humans make.  She is constantly immersing herself in the fun-filled world that clearly revolves around her.  Mistakes can easily be fixed, right?

One day, Mabel discovers the true meaning of the word "naughty."  Could her greatest act of rebellion cost her the love of her family?  You will have to read Naughty Mabel by Nathan Lane and Devlin Elliott to find out, darlings!

I absolutely love everything about this book!  I find it refreshing that the story is told from Mabel's point of view.  Lane and Elliott did an amazing job of giving Mabel a very distinctive voice and personality.  As I read the book aloud to my own furry pack, I could hear Mabel's spoiled, upper-crust accent emerge.

I also found the style of writing to be very humorous and entertaining.  This is definitely not your typically children's picture book.  There are parts of the story that will certainly make older children and adults chuckle.

Many of Mabel's antics are totally relatable to pet and human parents alike.  I think this makes the story even more enjoyable to read.  Dan Krall's illustrations are wonderfully whimsical.  I fell in love with Mabel by page one.  Her numerous facial expressions are simply adorable.  I also noticed similarities between some of the human characters and celebrities (such as a Martha Stuart look-alike).  Genius!

Naughty Mabel is sure to become the next children's classic.  This book will enchant and delight dog lovers of all ages.  I cannot wait to read it again!

Simon has a problem.  His human has just given him a brand new bed.  The only thing standing in the way of Simon enjoying his gift?  Miss Adora Belle, the cat.

This fickle feline has decided to claim the bed as her own.  Simon makes numerous attempts to move Miss Adora Belle back where she belongs, but to no avail.  Exhausted and upset, Simon realizes that there is only one option left.  Will he be able to swallow his pride and make the ultimate sacrifice?

Simon's New Bed by Christian Trimmer is now one of my favorite children's books.  Trimmer's story is filled with humor and heart.  Being the proud fur mom to five rescue dogs and two rescue cats, I can definitely relate to Simon!  Melissa van der Paardt's illustrations are gorgeous.  

Adults and children alike will fall in love with Simon and Miss Adora Belle.  I especially loved all of Simon's facial expressions.  Melissa truly captures Simon's emotional turmoil.  I also loved how the text of the story changed in position and size based upon the character's actions in the illustrations.  Furthermore, I found the mini prequel at the beginning of the book to be clever and intriguing.  Readers of all ages will greatly enjoy this book.

Based on the award-winning short film, Dog Park written and illustrated by Jennifer Stolzer tells the story of three dogs and their adventure at a dog park.  Lily, Parker and Cowboy cannot wait to play.  Once there, Lily and Parker take off running leaving poor Cowboy behind.

He soon decides to investigate a large, black dog that is tied to a tree within the park.  Cowboy quickly finds himself in over his head when the captive canine rejects his lick of friendship and proves that the only thing he is interested in is his personal space.  Can Lily and Parker save Cowboy from being hurt?  Will Cowboy find a way to win over the disgruntled dog?

I absolutely loved this story!  The illustrations are simply adorable.  Jennifer Stolzer has created characters that are sure to delight dog lovers of all ages.  This is also a great book to read to the furry members of your family.   

Who Wants Broccoli? by Val Jones tells the heartwarming tale of a lonely dog named Broccoli. He was left on the doorstep of Beezley’s Animal Shelter as a pup. The Beezley’s try their best to find Broccoli a home, but Broccoli is not like the rest of the animals at the shelter. He is…different.

While the other animals sit quietly in their cages, Broccoli likes to perform tricks. His favorite move involves taking his full water dish and tossing it into the air all so he can catch the dish on his head! But what Broccoli really likes to do is show off his big bark.

Broccoli becomes extremely excited when he sees a new little boy move into the house across the street. He begins to dream about being adopted and all the fun that he and the boy could have together. In his excitement, Broccoli makes the biggest mess of all.

Fed up with his antics, Mr. Beezley puts Broccoli in the storage room where he won’t be able to cause any more trouble. How will Broccoli ever be adopted now?

This story had me captivated from start to finish. Broccoli’s personality reminds me of one of my own rescue pups. Val Jones’ illustrations are whimsical and charming and are sure to enchant young and old alike. I can also definitely relate to the theme of being unique and staying true to oneself. Animal lovers of all ages are sure to fall in love with the adorable Broccoli.

Prepare yourself to be bombarded by pooches of all kinds in "I Love Dogs!" by Sue Stainton.  A little boy proceeds to tell the reader about all of the different types of dogs that he likes...which is quite literally EVERY kind of dog.  The boy then takes the reader on a delightful (and colorful) journey through the world of canines as he heads to the local pet store to adopt a pup of his own.

Bob Staake does an amazing job of creating a whimsical world within his illustrations.  His colorful cast of canines will delight readers of all ages.  I especially enjoyed the dogs that were drawn to look like their owners.

Being the proud pet parent of five rescue dogs, I love the theme of adoption that runs subtlety through out the book.  I can also relate to the different types of dogs that are featured in the story (especially the crazy ones!).  Most importantly, I love that the little boy loves ALL dogs.  He is not searching for a purebred or discriminating against Pit Bulls.  He simply loves every dog that he meets.

With powerful life lessons and a cast of unforgettable characters, "I Love Dogs!" is sure to be a classic that will dazzle readers (and animal lovers) of all ages.

Theo embarks on yet another adventure to try to find his sense of smell in "Theo at the Beach" by Jacklyn Crupi.  Forgetful Theo has misplaced his sense of smell but is pretty sure that he will find it...at the beach!  In his quest, Theo encounters many new sights and smells.  He soon finds himself entangled by the very items that should be waking up his nose.  Will Theo's snout ever sniff again?

I absolutely love the illustrations by Aurelia Verdoux.  Theo is an adorable character that is sure to charm readers of all ages.  The characters that Theo meets along his quest are very comical as well as imaginative.  However, I was disappointed to discover that there are only three scents to find in this book.  With Theo being at the beach, I thought of numerous scents that could have been included.  I believe that this would have made the story more memorable and more fun to read.

I do feel that the story could have been longer as there is much more to explore at the beach than what was written.  Overall, this is a delightful read for the emergent reader.  I am intrigued to see where Theo's nose will take him next! 

Margaret Wise Brown has done it again!  From the creative mind that brought you Goodnight Moon, comes a new holiday tale:  Jingle Paws!  This story takes place on Christmas Eve night.  While mother and son are snuggled in bed, a mouse wakes their cat who is determined to catch the furry intruder.

As the cat gets closer to catching its prey, something magical happens.  Jingle Paws comes down the chimney!  He hands out gifts as he spreads holiday cheer.  Then, in a flash, he seems to disappear.

Left alone with the gifts he placed there, the cat and mouse decide to...share.

I enjoyed every second of reading this book.  The rhyming style reminds me of a mixture between The Night Before Christmas and Dr. Seuss' classic, How the Grinch Stole Christmas.  The illustrations are whimsical and will be treasured by all who view them.  This story is a true delight and sure to be the next holiday classic. 

Do You Want a Hug? by Kevin Lewis follows everyone's favorite snowman, Olaf!  He is on a quest for a hug...from YOU!  Olaf tries to jump through the book, but can't get through.  He decides that he will win your hug by playing a game of hide-and-seek.  Do you think you can find him?    

This interactive book comes complete with an Olaf plush, perfect for hugging.  Children will love to snuggle up to their very own Olaf while listening to this sweet tale.  Parents can also choose to play hide-and-seek with the plush, truly immersing their children in the story.

Just like the famous Elf on the Shelf, parents can also use adorable Olaf as encouragement for good behavior.  Olaf is watching!

Once again, Olga T. Mosqueda delivers flawless illustrations.  I love how she incorporates snowflakes into Olaf's body.  He is made of snow, after all.  While simplistic in design, these illustrations will certainly capture the attention of little ones everywhere.  And I am delighted that Sven makes another appearance!

I found the story to be lighthearted and fun.  I especially loved the surprise at the end!  This book and plush set would make a perfect gift for the Olaf lover in your family.

An Amazing Snowman by Barbara Jean Hicks explores the complex creature that is Olaf!  Hicks skillfully navigates through the range of human emotions by following Olaf through a typical day.  He defies the stereotypical snowman and dreams of playing on the beach and sailing to exotic locals.

Through all of his adventures, Olaf treats those around him with love and respect.  He is constantly encouraging everyone to be the best that they can be.  And Olaf never misses an opportunity to stop and smell the roses.  He treasures every day life experiences as magical moments.

Olga T. Mosqueda provides breathtaking illustrations for this uplifting story.  The characters appear to have a stunning watercolor-like quality.  I especially love her interpretation of Sven!

This story will certainly delight the young and the young at heart.  Children will definitely be dazzled by the pictures.  I am sure that An Amazing Snowman will become a new favorite bedtime story throughout the world.

A Rainbow Bridge for Gus by Barbara Bareis Rigabar is a touching tale of love and loss.  While out on a bike ride with her dad, Gracie sees a rainbow in the sky.  She immediately thinks of her dog, Gus, who passed away.

Gracie's dad stops the bike at one of Gus' favorite spots:  the park.  While there, the pair remember all of the wonderful memories that they have of their beloved pooch.  Her dad then explains why Gus crossed over the Rainbow Bridge into heaven.

Gracie knows that Gus will always be in her heart and that someday, they will be reunited once again.  Until that day, she will be reminded of their bond every time she sees a rainbow.

I greatly enjoyed reading this book.  The illustrations are whimsical and sure to be adored by children of all ages.
Rigabar masterfully writes about the delicate subject of death in a way that will educate, not frighten.  Through her story, she encourages children to share their feelings of sadness, but to also remember the joyful times.  There is even a special section at the end of the book in which children are encouraged to write their own story about a pet that they have lost.

This book is a must read for animal lovers and anyone who has ever dealt with the loss of a pet.  I believe that young and old alike will relate to Rigabar's message that love transcends mortality and lasts forever.