"Rose In A Storm" by Jon Katz is a WOWIE!-Updated 3/2/11

We Loved This Book!

UPDATED 3/2/11: Karen's Review:
I agree with Gerard, Rose in the Storm by Jon Katz is really good! It’s a touching fiction story about the life of a farm working dog, Rose. I really liked learning about farm life through this book and seeing how the animals connected and interacted with each other. When Sam, the only human on his farm gets injured during a 5-day blizzard with temperatures -30 degrees and is air-lifted to a hospital, his border collie, Rose, takes care of the farm without him. I especially identified with Rose’s memory of her special connection with Sam’s wife Katie, who died. I’m sure anyone who lives on a farm or likes animals would love this book! I am a city girl and enjoyed it very much. I kept thinking about our blogging buddy, Mountain Woman at Red Pine Mountain, who blogs about her farm in Vermont as I read this book.  We both highly recommend this book!


The author has also written a non-fiction book, The Dogs Of Bedlam Farm, about his farm in upstate New York. Gerard liked that book too and now I’m going to read it too! The author’s website is www.bedlamfarm.com.

Gerard's Review:

WOW!  What a book!  Rose in a Storm by Jon Katz is about Rose, a working dog on a farm and her owner, Sam.  Rose has a lot of work to do as there are a lot of animals on the farm to look after.  Rose tells the story which is very cool.  One day a huge storm comes and Rose is put into a situation she has never been in before.

I felt a lot of emotion while reading this book which to me says that is a really good book! Rose is a wonderful dog that the reader can't help but love. I think anyone would enjoy this book, especially dog lovers. The best part is that it has a good ending--the dog lives! I cried when I read Dewey, The Library Cat and cried at the end of this book too--yes, it's that good! Karen is going to read it as well.

We saw Faye's write up about Rose In A Storm by Jon Katz over at Summit Musings and ordered it from the library.  I'm so glad I did! 

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?  You can help Canine Lifeline (a dog rescue organization that saved our dog, Abby) by leaving a comment on any of our blogs in March.  We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month.

"What A Difference A Dog Makes" by Dana Jennings

Dog lovers like me will love this one!  What A Difference A Dog Makes by Dana Jannings tells the true story of Bijou, a poodle who helps his master through a bout with cancer.  If you own a dog you will relate very well to this book.  Cute stories and Bijou is still alive!  Always a good thing!  Quick read, only 187 pages.  I give it 5+ stars.
(Gerard's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Last Dog On The Hill" by Steve Duno

At Where Is My Mind I found this "Review In Five" meme that fits Gerard's short reviews perfectly. You just say five things about a book like this:

 1.  It is the true story about Steve Duno befriending a dog.

2.  The dog's name is Lou.

3.  Steve and Lou have a great bond of friendship.

4.  Steve trained Lou well and Lou taught Steve a few things too.

5.  Last Dog On The Hill by Steve Duno is a good read if you like stories about dogs and the human-animal bond.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"DogTown" by Stefan Bechtel

DogTown is my kind of town!  DogTown by Stefan Bechtel is just a wonderful book!  It's about Dog Town--a no-kill sancturary for dogs in Utah.  All the stories in DogTown are excellent!  I had a hard time deciding which was more amazing, the people or the dogs!  You will smile, laugh and cry as you read these stories.  They touched my heart and will probably touch yours too.  It also includes tips on how to handle dogs.  I hated to see this book end.  I really, really enjoyed DogTown a lot--it made me want to got there!  I did visit online at http://www.bestfriends.org/ and sponsored Cabby.  I highly recommend DogTown to anyone who likes dogs.

(Gerard's review)

DogTown is a very good book about dogs and I am glad there is such a nice place for homeless dogs waiting.  Woof!  Woof!  I am proud of Gerard for sponsoring Cabby.

(our dog, Abby's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Planet Of The Dogs" by Robert J. McCarty

Planet of the Dogs by Robert J. McCarty is a delightful book for children with some drawings included.  It is a tale that takes place long before any dogs were on the earth.  Because of greed on the Earth, the Stone City Warriors were getting ready to attack Green Valley and take what didn’t belong to them.  The dogs had a meeting and decided to help the people on Earth remember how to love again by sending dogs down to show them how.  Only children can hear what the dogs say.  No one had seen or heard a dog before but they quickly found out they are wonderful creatures.  They made people smile, helped the sick feel better, helped herd the sheep and protect the farms from intruders, run off bears and rescue children from drowning.  I liked how the Planet of the Dogs sent lots of dogs to Earth so that every family who wanted one could have one. 

Our dog, Abby, gives this book 4 paws up!  She loved how the dogs came to the rescue and many found new homes on Earth with families of their own.  She also liked how the dogs all worked together and barked and wagged their approval of the rescue plan.

 

I think this book would make children want a dog of their own.  The author does a fantastic job of creating a word picture of the excitement of the dogs that reminded me of how our dog gets and made me feel as though I were right there with them!  Planet Of The Dogs is a short, quick read, perfect for reading a chapter or two each night as a bedtime story to be continued.  This is the first book of a series.  The other two are Castle In the Mist and Snow Valley Heroes—A Christmas Tale.  This whole series will be available in our Follower Appreciation Giveaway in November.

Thanks to the author for giving us a complimentary copy for reviewing.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

“Snow Valley Heroes—A Christmas Tale” (Planet of the Dogs Series) by Robert J. McCarty

If you are looking for a children’s story with adventure about dogs that actually has an interesting plot, Snow Valley Heroes—A Christmas Tale (Planet of the Dogs Volume 3) by Robert J. McCarty is it! This is sort of a silly story but one that gets the message across that dogs a wonderful creatures. The king of the North who lived in the Ice Castle decided to end Christmas by stealing a couple of Santa’s reindeer and ambushed the traders delivering supplies to Santa’s Workshop. At this time all dogs lived on a separate planet but heard of this and after holding a meeting, were anxious to come to earth and help save Christmas. Only children and elves can communicate with the dogs. (I told you it was silly.) I loved the ending, but will not give it away and spoil it for you.

I thought the map in front of the book was very helpful which showed the places that were referred to in the story such as Santa Claus Village, Snow Lake Trail, Royal Forest, Snow Town, Tundra Town, Tundra Trail and Snow Hills. I also liked the names of the places on the dog planet: Terrier Town, Waggy Valley, Muttville, Retriever Meadows and Spaniel Corners. There are also other illustrations throughout the book.

I enjoyed reading this book because I love dogs and had no idea how they would help save Christmas. I particularly loved the part when the dogs were running through the Ice Castle with the guards trying to catch them.

The Planet of Dogs Series was inspired by stories the author made up for his children and grandchildren. The first two in the series are Planet of the Dogs and Castle in the Mist. To read a sample chapter, order a book or for more information visit www.planetofthedogs.net and the blog at http://barkingplanet.typepad.com.



We received a complimentary copy from Barking Planet Productions to review this book and will include it in an upcoming giveaway among others to show appreciation to our followers.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

Movie Review: "Hotel For Dogs"

This humorous, light, dog movie was just what I needed to life my spirits after watching another disappointing loss by the Cleveland Browns.  “Hotel For Dogs” has parallel story lines going:  the first is a bunch of stray dogs that no one wants to find a home, the second is a brother and sister who have been bounced around in the foster care system in search of a real family.  I love that both story lines have happy endings.   

It’s not very realistic, but very amusing and entertaining.  When the brother and sister find an old, unused hotel, they convert it into a shelter for dogs with all kinds of very nice amenities such as an automatic feeding machine, simulated car rides, treadmills for exercise, a vending machine containing “chewables,” and an automatic clean up bathroom facility.  I thought this was a very cute movie and loved all the dogs that were in it.   Parts were touching and I even shed a few tears of joy at the end when the dogs were being introduced to the community in a last ditch effort to let them stay in the hotel and keep their home.  Thanks to a dedicated social worker, the kids found a good home in the end too.

The only thing I did not like about “Hotel For Dogs” was that the main boy and girl stole things and scammed people to get money at the beginning.  I think that part could have been omitted except it served to show how they changed from being selfish brats to actually caring about others and becoming responsible.

I highly recommend this movie to anyone who loves dogs and kids.  I think kids would like it because the boy and girl were underdogs who acted on their passion and made a difference with the help of some like-minded friends.  The beginning starts off a bit slow, in fact, my husband gave up on it, but it gets good so stick with it.  After I told him how good it was, he felt bad for giving up on it and decided to watch the rest of it after all.

(Karen’s review)

We got this on a DVD from the library that also contains extra information about the making of the film.

Related Posts:  You Must See "Hotel For Dogs" (by Abby our dog) and What A Cat Thought Of "Hotel For Dogs" (by Manny our man cat)

A Dog’s Life--Autobiography of a Stray by Ann M. Martin

A Dog’s Life--Autobiography of a Stray by Ann M. Martin is my favorite dog book!  A Dog's Life is about a stray dog written from the dog's perspective and wasn't boring at all. I read it straight through in just a few hours. It shows how cruel some people can be but also how nice others can be. It's a story of the dog's life from when she was born to when she grew old but at least it has a happy ending and I'm glad the dog didn't die in the book.

I recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading about animals or who likes dogs. I wasn't surprised to see the author works with an animal rescue organization.
(Karen's Review 2/09)


Told By a Dog--Awesome! 15 Stars
This is just an awesome book.  Never read a book with a dog telling the story.  You really do feel like you are seeing this through the dog's eyes.  This dog is a stray that first loses her mother and then her brother.  Later she meets a friend.  There are so many good adventures in this book.  Anyone would love this book because you get into it fast and it is hard to put down.
(Gerard's Review 2/09)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Raining Cats and Dogs" by Laurien Berenson

Raining Cats and Dogs by Laurien Berenson was a murder mystery with some dog and cat stories tossed in.  The main character has five poodles and a neighbor who has a bunch of cats.  Her private life relating to her neighbor was the humorous part of the book.  She and her poodle went to a dog obedience class which invited her to join them on their visit to the nursing home.  Although they weren't therapy dogs exactly, many of the residents enjoyed seeing the dogs and I was interested in this part of the book because it's something I would like to do with Abby some day.  The murder was committed while they were at the nursing home and the main character is the one who just started her own informal investigation and discovered who did it. 

The highlight of the book for me was the lady who didn't like dogs but tolerated the poodle.  She was really a cat person.  She gave the main character helpful information and the poodle owner brought a surprise visitor for her at the end, a cat!  Her neighbor let her bring one of hers.
(Karen's review 9/09)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"One Dog at a Time--Saving the Strays of Afghanistan" by Pen Farthing

One Dog At A Time by Pen Farthing is about a true hero.  This is an outstanding true story of Pen Farthing, a royal marine serving in Afghanistan.  One day he came upon a stray dog and just knew he had to do something to help that dog.  I really enjoyed this book A LOT.  This is a page turner that I did not want to put down.  I got into it quick and stayed to the end.  


Mr. Farthing, I thank you for your service and God bless you and your wife for the great things you are doing for these dogs.  Thanks for sharing your wonderful story with us--you are a true hero!

From the back flap about the author, Pen Farthing:

He and his wife, Lisa, share their home in the English west country with five dogs, walking them in two shifts!  They also manage the Nowzad Dogs charity, which was set up to help relieve the suffering of animals in war-torn Afghanistan.  For more information, please visit www.nowzaddogs.com.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Breakfast At Sally's" by Richard LeMieux

Breakfast At Sally's is an excellent book about being homeless, written by a homeless person.  He was once a very successful, wealthy business man who even had traveled abroad but when his business failed, he lost everything.  His wife left him and his grown children didn't want anything to do with him.  All he had was his van, some clothes, an old typewriter and his dog, Willow. 

It's an inside look into the homeless way of life and their community.  I will never look at the homeless in the same way again after reading this book because it showed how it could happen to anyone and how much a little help from someone can make a difference.  Richard also suffered from depression and fortunately got some help.  What stood out to me was the willingness of the homeless people to help out one another.  Richard said the other homeless people became like a family to him.

It's a very interesting book about the 18 months this man spent living in his van which he was fortunate to have.  Reading this certainly made me thankful for the things I have. The day I missed my bus one rainy, cold morning and had to wait an extra 20 minutes, I thought about the poor homeless people who slept outside the whole night and who would be outside today, looking for a place they could hang out for awhile just to warm up.
(Karen's review 11/08)

Please tell us: What categories of literature do you like? What are you reading now? Who are your top five favorite authors? Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"I thought You Were Dead" by Pete Nelson

I Thought You Were Dead by Pete Nelson is a novel about Paul Gustavson who can’t seem to handle any situation just right.  He has a dog named Stella who seems to be a big help to Paul in handling his life experiences.  I enjoyed reading Paul’s ups and downs and just loved Stella.  It has a real good ending too.  I got into it right off the start.

(Gerard's review 5/22/10)

Please tell us: What categories of literature do you like? What are you reading now? Who are your top five favorite authors? Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud" by Ben Sherwood

WOW!  This is really, really good!  What a great read The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood is!  It is about Charlie and Sam who have a bond as brothers that not even death can break apart.  You will have to read the book to understand that.  Then, there is Tess, who becomes a love interest for Charlie with her own story to tell.  I thought I had this book pegged before I read it, but I was wrong.  It is so much better than I expected.  Read and enjoy!
(Gerard's review)

Please tell us: What categories of literature do you like? What are you reading now? Who are your top five favorite authors? Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"To The Rescue: Found Dogs With a Mission" by Elise Lupkin

This is a collection of remarkable Dogs and people stories I thoroughly enjoyed!  To The Rescue:  Found Dogs With a Mission by Elise Lupkin--Photos by Diana Walker works in so many ways.  First, the dogs are so good.  They are ones left unloved, handicapped, ready to be killed and neglected.  Yet, with special love and affection and training by the people in this book, they have become dogs who visit hospitals, nursing homes, live with blind people or people who cannot hear.  The stories are just REMARKABLE!  The love that people share talking about these dogs makes you feel good!  I really loved this book a lot!  If you need a feel good book to read, this is it!

(Gerard's review 2/16/10)

Please tell us: What categories of literature do you like? What are you reading now? Who are your top five favorite authors? Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Big Little Life" by Dean Koontz

First off, this is a MUST READ for all dog lovers.  Big Little Life is a true story of the author, Dean Koontz, who gets a C.C.I. dog by the name of Trixie.  You will know what kind of special dog these are when you read the book.  you will fall in love with Trixie and also learn things about Dean Koontz that you did not know.  The book moves pretty fast and I found it very entertaining.  Enjoy!

(Gerard's review 9/21/09)