DOG DAYS
August is hot and humid and is referred to as Dog Days of summer. To celebrate these hot and last days of summer before school starts the dog books in the children’s section of the library have been pulled and are on display. Bring your children into the library and take home a book or two. Below is a listing of the dog books. -- Nancy Olson, Librarian
Easy Books
Broach – Wet Dog
A dog’s attempt to cool off on a hot day gets him into trouble and finally leads him to disrupt a country wedding. The pictures are worth checking this book out.
Carroll – The Managing Hen and the Floppy Hound
This is the story of Floppy the hound on a farm in the Great Smoky Mountains, and particularly the dealings with the chickens.
Day – Good Dog, Carl
Carl is the babysitter for the toddler in the family. There is fun and mischief shown in the small book with almost no words.
Ernst – Walter’s Tail
Disasters caused by Walter’s wagging tail made him unwelcome until Walter wags his tail during a heroic rescue.
Herriot – Only One Woof
This is the story of a sweet but silent sheepdog named Gyp. Gyp goes everywhere with his master on his rounds of chores on the farm. When Gyp attends the sheepdog championship trials he sees his brother Sweep and the story ends with a surprise.
Hill – Spot Goes to the Beach
Have fun following Spot as he enjoys his summer at the beach. Each double page has a flip-up object with a surprise underneath.
Hill – Spot Goes to School
Our little puppy goes off to school for the first time. Again there are flip-up objects for young readers to lift.
Inkpen – Kipper’s Toy box
Kipper the dog’s life changes when he discovers why there is a hole in his toy box and who made the hole.
Jeuesse – Dogs
An informational book about dogs. What makes this small sized book more interesting are the cellophane pages that flip back and forth.
Peet – The Whingdfingdilly
Scamp the dog has the blahs and wishes to change himself and a witch grants Scamp’s wishes. The changes are not good ones and Scamp has trouble until the witch changes him back to a plain dog. A silly story with fun pictures.
Rylant – Henry and Mudge
Henry is the proud owner of Mudge a 180-pound dog. The story is a lively, comical telling of Mudge’s adventures.
Zion – Harry the Dirty Dog
Harry is a white dog with black spots. He did not want to take his bath so he ran away and got so dirty that he became a black dog with white spots and his owners didn’t recognize him. Harry eagerly jumps into the bathtub and a clean Harry is welcomed back home.
Middle grade books
Armstrong – Sounder
This is the story of a coon dog named Sounder. The family is so poor that they are starving and the father steals a ham to feed his family. Sounder was injured when the posse comes for the father. The boy searched the chain gangs looking for his father. After each long trip, Sounder would hobble up the road to greet the boy. But one day the dog broke the silence with a baying voice – why Sounder is so vocal you will have to read the book to find out. Sounder was made into a movie and could be rented.
Cleary – Strider
By reading diary entries, Leigh Bots tells how he comes to terms with his parents divorce. An abandoned dog named Strider helps Leigh to go out into his world again. A warm, funny, and moving story about friendship and growing up. Leigh even teaches Strider to read – really!
