An inquisitive little girl asks her mom all sorts of questions about what it really means to be a princess.
This week I thought I’d review a new book mom bought recently while on one of our camping trips. Since it is new that means there haven’t been any kids who have had an opportunity to read it to me. Mom read it to me, she reads to me quite a bit. I’m hoping that soon we can get back to our Read with Me Program in the libraries and then a really, really, really adventurous girl, or boy, could read me this book.
We bought this book when we were camping near Bryce Canyon National Park. I couldn’t go into the Visitor’s Center with mom, they don’t allow dogs, how rude. They will let service dogs in but no other type. They don’t know what they are missing. But while mom was looking through the book section, she said she saw this book and thought it would be perfect to add to our collection for kids to read.
That’s me and my mom at Bryce Canyon National Park. Some nice people took this photo for us.
The book is titled, “Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots” and it was written by Carmela LaVigna Coyle. I thought that was a silly title when mom first read it to me. I don’t know what a princess is but I know what hiking boots are because my mom wears them, a lot.
Strange title, I thought.
This is the story about a little girl who asks her mom all sorts of questions. Sometimes, I wish I could ask mom questions, but instead I have to try and use body language and some different noises to try to get my message across. Mom is pretty good at understanding me, most of the time. Well, this little girl through all her questions, gets to heart of what it means to be yourself. Oops, I sort of gave away the ending of the story, but not quite all of it. You’ll see as we go through the book.
As you can probably guess, the first question the little girl asks her mom is, “Do princesses wear hiking boots?” Her mom answers, “When they wish to take the scenic routes.” That’s a really, really, really neat way to answer the question . . . with a rhyme!
The first of many questions.
The little girl continues to ask if princesses ride bicycles, climb trees, walk in the rain, and play in the dirt. Of course, they do, but her mom always answers in a rhyme. Now, my mom rides a bicycle and even though I haven’t seen her climb a tree she tells me that she has climbed a tree many times when she was a kid. We’ve been out in the rain and we have played in the dirt. That’s one of my favorite things to do, play in the dirt. Most times we do that at home, out front when mom throws a ball for me to chase. There’s lots of dirt and I can sure stir up a bit of dust.
That’s my hedgehog. I thought he’d enjoy the part about dirt.
The little girl asks if princesses follow rules, have chores, even if they have a favorite vegetable. Now I know all about rules, you see, I am a very well-trained Therapy Dog. Mom knows the rules too and together we make a great team. I especially enjoy when we go out for training sessions. We typically go to places where there are other people and lots of noise and distractions. You know, Home Depot is a great place for that. I concentrate really, really, really hard on following all the rules and the commands that mom gives me. Sometimes people stop to watch us. I’m really proud to be able to show them just how good I am at following rules.
I don’t think my hedgehog liked the part about chores.
My favorite vegetable is raw carrots, YUM! I don’t get them often, but when I do I really, really, really enjoy them. Mom’s favorite vegetable is, are you ready for this . . . broccoli – YUK! I don’t like broccoli, but mom seems to love it. Believe it or not, mom says she doesn’t like carrots. Well, to each his own.
There are a lot more questions about princesses that this little girl asks her mom and each time her mom gives her a rhyming answer. The answers always seem to say that princesses can do, have, and be just about anything they want.
Do princesses seem at all like regular people?
The last question the little girl asks her mom is if princesses seem at all like her. Her mom tells her to look inside herself and see. When you turn the last page, guess what? THERE IS A MIRROR!!!! So, whoever reads this book all the way to the end will see their reflection and know that inside they are a princess . . . or in my case a prince.
Hey, that’s me in the mirror. I guess I’m a prince!
I like that ending. I think it is important that everyone sees themselves as having value, being appreciated for who and what they are, just the way they are. We may not all be perfect according to some people, but we are perfectly ourselves. And that is just fine with me . . . and mom.
It is good to have a big-heart, but Thidwick learns a valuable lesson when some unwanted/uninvited guests take advantage of that big-heart.
Hello everyone, time for another book review.
I was looking through the collection of books mom has for our Therapy Dog / Read with Me Program trying to select a book that everyone would like. We have a few Dr. Seuss books so I thought that would be a good start. I mean, EVERYBODY has heard of Dr. Seuss and probably read a gazillion of his books. I think he wrote elebenty gazillion books of all types for all ages. The funny thing is, even though they ‘appear’ to be books for children, they all seem to have an underlying adult moral to the story. I like that, it makes them timeless.
Well, today I thought I’d review “Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose”. I choose this book because I like to think that us Therapy Dogs, and our moms/dads, have big hearts. Let’s face it, if you have any kind of pet at home, you probably have a big heart. Some of you out there have really, really, really big hearts and either rescue, foster, or adopt lots of animals. I call those people “heroes” for helping to save lives and trying to make life better for people too.
So, as you may already know, Thidwick is a moose – the title kind of gives it away. Also, some of you may have already read this Dr. Seuss book.
It starts out with Thidwick munching on moose-moss on the northern shores of Lake Winna-Bango. I wonder if that is a real lake. I should have mom do some research on it. If it is a real lake maybe we can go camping there someday. We’re always looking for new and interesting places to camp and hike and Lake Winna-Bango sounds really neat.
Anyway, Thidwick is just munching away, along with all the other moose (or is it mooses, or meeses). While munching on moose-moss a little Bingle-Bug asks if he could sit on Thidwick’s antlers. Well, being such a big-hearted moose, Thidwick says it is just fine. The bug settles in and Thidwick continues to munch away on moose-moss.
Now it is always polite to ask before just barging in and sitting in someone’s antlers, or home, for that matter. Just like when we’re out doing Therapy Dog stuff and mom always asks if someone would like to meet me or pet me. You never know, somebody may be having a bad day or be afraid of dogs (or bugs) and not want to meet me – or to let a bug perch on their antlers. It’s always good to ask permission first.
Unfortunately, from that point on it gets a little out of hand. It seems the bug invites a spider to live in Thidwick’s antlers without even asking Thidwick. Can you believe it? Even I know you should be polite and ask your host if it is OK for someone to come in and live in your antlers.
Soon a bird comes along and sees the bug and the spider in Thidwick’s antlers and decides to join them. This bird just barged in and when Thidwick realized the bird was there he asked what was happening. Well, the bird said not to worry even though he was building a nest using Thidwick’s hair! OUCH! But having such a big-heart, Thidwick thought he should be nice to his guests. Thidwick thought they would eventually leave, as most guests do, but the next day they were still there . . . and they had invited even more guests to live in Thidwick’s antlers. Things were really getting out of hand now, but Thidwick and his big-heart just couldn’t throw them out, so he let them stay.
Let’s talk about boundaries here. When mom and I are out doing our Therapy Dog stuff, or working on our training, mom always sets boundaries. The boundaries are for my protection, because mom always has my best interest at heart, but they are also for mom’s protection, and for the protection of anyone who may want to interact with us. Whenever you see a strange dog, you should never just conclude that you are welcome to walk up to them and pet them. The dog may not be friendly, or the handler may not want anyone to interfere with what they are doing at the moment.
(Aside: did you see what I did in that last paragraph – I used the word conclude instead of assume, because we all know what happens when you ‘ass-u-me’ right? Mom taught me that words matter and we should be conscious of the words we choose. Mom knows this from her volunteer work with Special Olympics and how much words matter – but I’ll leave that for another day.)
Back to the book – from this point on all these so-called guests keep inviting and allowing more and more to join them in Thidwick’s antlers. His fellow moose (or is it meeses, I don’t know) tell Thidwick to get rid of them, but Thidwick says he must be a gracious host to his guests. Well, the other moose (meeses) leave Thidwick telling him he is not their kind of moose. How rude! Just because someone is different you shouldn’t just turn your back on them. We are all different and that’s what makes the world so special. I only have three legs, but other dogs I meet don’t seem to mind and play with me just like they would with any other dog. Our differences should not be a problem when they could actually be an opportunity for others to learn.
Thidwick is now friendless, which makes me sad. And even though he has a lot of (unwanted) guests, he sticks by his big-hearted belief that he should be kind to his guests. Thidwick goes off to find moose-moss to eat and tries to smile through these trials.
The seasons have changed and the weather is getting colder. That means there soon won’t be moose-moss on the north shore of Lake Winna-Bango. All the other moose (meeses) are swimming over to the south shore where there will be warmer weather and plenty of moose-moss. Thidwick starts to swim to the south shore but all the guests in his antlers yell for him to STOP! They don’t want their home to be moved to the south shore. Now that is just not nice. Thidwick has been nothing but polite and gracious to these guests (I’d call them pests) and now they are going to tell Thidwick what he can and can’t do with his life. That is not right. A moose should be able to make their own decisions about their life. But alas, Thidwick and his big-heart abide by their demands to stay on the north shore.
Something terrible is about to happen but I don’t want to give it away. Suffice to say, Thidwick is going to have to get rid of the guests and swim to the south shore. He manages to do just that, but not after a real scare from some hunters.
In the end, Thidwick gets to the south shore and rejoins his moose friends. He no longer has all those guests in his antlers and he is happier for it.
I guess the moral of the story is that while it is certainly nice to have a big heart and to help others, we shouldn’t let others run our lives and make major decisions that affect our lives.
I hope you continue to have a big heart, to help others, but most importantly to take care of yourself. If you don’t take care of yourself, how will you be able to take care of others?
I hope everyone had a quiet and safe New Year. WOW! Things are really crazy lately and I think one of the best ways to cope with crazy times is to find a really good book and settle down for a nice read.
I decided to review one of my books about a furry friend, “Ben – The Very Best Furry Friend” by Holly Raus and illustrations by Preston Pysh. This was one of the first books I collected for my Read With Me program in the local libraries and it is still one of my favorites. I like it because it tells the story of Ben, a Therapy Dog who visits people and helps them to cope with crazy times.
Just like me, Ben’s job as a Therapy Dog is to make friends and to help people feel happy. Now, that can be a really tough job. Sometimes there are people who are so very sad that it seems like they may never be happy again. I wish I could talk, in a human voice, and let them know that I care about them and want them to be happy, but I’m just a dog, and dogs can’t talk in human words. So instead, we try to convey our message in other ways.
I’ve been a registered Therapy Dog for almost 4 years now even though this past year has been a little slow as far as visits are concerned. In my therapy work I have visited with people who were sad. Some of them even had leaking eyes. When I came upon someone like that, I would just sit close and stay quiet. Mom was quiet too and would wait for the sad person to reach out to pet me or maybe to start talking. When that happened, mom would let them know my name and that I really loved to be pet around my ears. I also like when people talk to me. Sometimes they would do that. Other times, they would just sit in silence and pet me. That’s OK, I know I was helping in some small way.
Anyway, in the book, Ben visits schools, and nursing homes, and libraries. When Ben visits schools, his mom talks to the children about caring for a dog, the things a dog needs to stay healthy, and most of all how to be safe around a dog they may not know. That’s really, really, really important. When we visited schools, my mom would always tell the children that they should always ask the owner if they could pet their dog. Asking permission is very important, and it goes both ways. Sometimes when we are out on one of our training exercises in a store and mom sees some children who appear interested in me, she will always ask the adult if they would like to let the children pet me. Almost all the time the answer is YES! That makes me happy because I know I’m going to get some attention. Mom always has my therapy cards and stickers with her so she can give one to the children. I like that because then they will remember me.
When Ben meets friends in the libraries, the children there will read to him. Ben likes when they read to him. I like that too. It is so soothing to hear someone read to me. I have to confess, sometimes I fall asleep. But I always wake up when the story is finished.
In the book, Ben asks if anyone knows what his favorite stories are. He tries to fool us by saying that his favorite stories are about . . . elephants! But he really likes stories about dogs. I like elephants. Some of you may know that I have a stuffed fren Sebastian. He’s in some of the pictures in my review this week. He is a good friend and always listens to me when I have something important to tell him. The best part is that he is great at keeping secrets. He never tells anyone what I tell him. I like that. Maybe in a future post I can write about my stuffed fren Sebastian so you can officially meet him.
When Ben visits nursing homes he says that’s where there are grandmas and grandpas living. Ben knows that he has to be very gentle with grandmas and grandpas. Some of them may even be using a wheelchair, so Ben just sits down next to them so they can pet him. I remember when mom and I were visiting the VA Hospital near our home. There were people living there who could be considered grandmas and grandpas. Some of them were using wheelchairs too. When I would go into their rooms, or into the main area where many were gathered, they would all show me some really big smiles and then pet me and tell me all about the dogs they had when they were growing up. I liked hearing their stories, I think mom liked it too.
So many of the people Ben meets during his visits tell him he is their very best friend. They give him lots of attention, lots of pets, and sometimes hugs too. I think that Ben really, really, really enjoys his job as a Therapy Dog. I think so because I know that I really, really, really enjoy my job as a Therapy Dog.
It’s important to be someone’s best friend. I hope you have a best friend, maybe even a furry best friend.
Since this book review falls on Christmas Eve, I thought it would be appropriate to review “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” by Dr. Seuss. So, grab a hot chocolate, sit back, and enjoy my review.
Now, many of you may already know the story about the Grinch. This is a time-honored classic that has probably been read elebenty gazillion times by a bazillion peoples. Heck, a couple years ago, mom read this book, on Christmas Eve, at our local library when we were still doing the Read With Me Program. I sat nearby with that stoopid reindeer horn that Max wore in the book. Mom said it looked cute, and I humored her for a while and just sat very still. Well, as you can see from the photos in this episode, she put it on me AGAIN! Amazing what the humans find amusing.
In the book, the Grinch gets really, really, really annoyed each Christmas because the Whos would make lots and lots of noise on Christmas morning, opening and playing with their toys. Then they would start singing, and the Grinch hated that even more. I’m not sure why. Sometimes mom will sing along with the music in the truck when we are traveling and I like hearing her sing. I like hearing mom’s voice anytime; I like when she talks to me, which she does a lot. I may not always understand what she is saying, but I can tell by the tone of her voice that she loves me, lots!
Since the Grinch hates Christmas so much and is so annoyed by the Whos in Whoville, he devises a plan to steal Christmas! WOW! How do you steal a holiday? Even I know that could be difficult, but the Grinch seems to think his plan will work. He’ll steal Christmas and then the Whos won’t make a lot of noise and they won’t sing. I think the Grinch wants to make the Whos feel sad. That’s not a good thing at all. I like making people feel happy. I do that as a Therapy Dog when we visit people who may not be in a good mood, or who may have some troubles going on in their life. I really like it when they start smiling while they are petting me.
The plan that the Grinch devised needed a reindeer and since reindeer were scarce in the area of Whoville, the Grinch enlisted (or should I say forced) his dog, Max, to be the reindeer. Now we all know that reindeer can fly, that’s how Santa gets around to deliver all the presents. And, we know that dogs can’t fly, at least I think we can’t, though I have never really tried. Mom lets me run real fast sometimes when we are outside. That’s the closest I’ve come to flying. I guess you could say the ‘zoomies’ are the equivalent to flying. OK, I’m going to go with that.
The Grinch ties some ‘antlers’ on his dog, Max
Well, reindeer have antlers, right? Dogs don’t. Enter that stoopid one-piece antler thingy that mom puts on me once a year about this time. Apparently, the one the Grinch chose for Max was a little heavy and made Max tip forward. After cutting off a couple branches, Max gained his balance again. He looked pretty silly, just like me when mom puts that thingy on my head. But it makes mom smile, and I like when mom smiles.
The next thing the Grinch has to do is get down to Whoville, so he puts Max up in front of the sleigh and expects him to pull the sleigh downhill to town. He does this in the middle of the night, dressed as Santa, when all the Whos are asleep in their beds.
You can imagine the funny positions Max ends up in on the way down. If the drawings on the pages of the book are any indication, it’s pretty funny. Sometime I do silly things as well, not really trying to, but they come out silly. Mom laughs with me, never at me, and sometimes takes a picture of me in my silly position. Those end up on the tippy-tap box known as Facebook. Lots of mom’s friends get to see my pictures and then tell mom how much they like them. That makes mom smile too. That’s why I let it happen.
Once down in Whoville, the Grinch starts to gather up just about everything! He bags up all the presents, all the decorations, all the food for their Christmas feast! I know I’d be really, really, really sad if someone took all my toys and all my food. I’d especially miss my stuffed fren Sebastian, and my treats. I don’t think we have a Grinch in the area so I guess my stuff, and mom’s stuff, is safe.
Cindy-Lou Who just caught the Grinch taking their Christmas tree!
While gathering up all the Christmas stuff, one of the little Whos, Cindy-Lou Who, wakes up. Oh no – the Grinch just got caught! When I get caught doing something I’m not supposed to do, mom tells me in a stern voice to ‘stop’ and I do, and then give her a look that says, ‘I’m sorry’. She always pets me after that and tells me how much she loves me, but that I really need to behave. I understand a few of the words, enough that I try not to get into trouble again.
The Grinch is a sly character and tells Cindy-Lou Who that there is a light out on their Christmas tree so he is going to take the WHOLE TREE to his workshop to fix it and will then bring it back. Even I know you don’t have to take the WHOLE TREE just to fix one light! But this seems to satisfy Cindy-Lou Who. The Grinch gives her a drink of water and sends her back to bed. You would think that gathering and bagging up ALL the toys, ALL the decorations, and ALL the food would be very noisy and wake up more of the Whos . . . but they slept through the whole crime! If I was there, I would have woken up and barked, and barked, and barked, and chased that nasty Grinch back up his mountain! I do a really good protek of my house and always let mom know when there is someone, or something, at the door or in the backyard. I have to protek my mom, I love her bunches.
Now the Grinch has to load ALL that stuff on the sleigh and poor Max has to drag it up the mountain. Now, I don’t really see how a small dog is able to do that, but apparently Max is up to the task and gets the Grinch and the loaded sleigh up the mountain. Now, the Grinch is just waiting for the sun to rise, the Whos to wake, and then find that everything is gone. The Grinch expects that the Whos will be sad and that there will be lots of crying. Boy, was he ever wrong.
The Whos wake up and even though everything has been taken from them, they still gather together in the town square, hold hands, and start singing. The Grinch is perplexed. He can’t understand why the Whos are not sad, why they are not crying over all the missing stuff. And that’s when it hits him. The Grinch finally realizes that Christmas isn’t about ‘things’ – Christmas is about love. It is about being present, not about getting presents.
Sometimes, when I would visit people in the hospital, just me (and mom) being present with them was enough to make them smile. Sometimes, just petting me, and talking to me, was enough to make them a little happy. I like that, making people smile, making people happy. I try to be happy all the time. Sometimes, I even have to make mom happy because things happen in our lives that may be a little sad. But most times, when someone who is sad, sits with me and pets me, it helps them not be sad anymore.
I think the Grinch realized sometime like that too. He decided that he should return all the toys, all the decorations, all the food. So, he and Max rode the sleigh with all the stuff back into Whoville and brought everything back. And you know what the Whos did? Instead of being angry or mad at the Grinch, they welcomed him into their circle, into their community, so he could share in the love that they shared with everyone. They even invited him to their feast and let him carve the roast beast (that’s what they called the main course).
Did you know there is even a TV story about the Grinch? I’m talking about the short version, the one that is like a cartoon. At the end of that version there is a really, really, really nice saying that mom copied down in the back of the Grinch book we have. I’ll put it here for you to read, and share.
“Welcome Christmas. Bring your cheer.
Cheer to all Whos, far and near.
Christmas day is in our grasp.
So long as we have hands to clasp.
Christmas day will always be.
Just as long as we have we.
Welcome Christmas while we stand.
Heart to heart and hand in hand.”
Now I know that there are many, many, many other holidays during this season and I don’t want anyone to think that I’m ignoring the others. It’s just that I happen to be writing this review on Christmas Eve, but I want to wish everyone, everywhere, a very happy holiday season. I hope you are able to gather (safely) with family and friends, and share the love. The most important thing to remember is that last line of the above sentiment . . . heart to heart and hand in hand.
A stray dog who thought its name was ‘Mangy Mutt’ finds out her true name could very well be ‘LOVE’.
Hello again and thanks for joining me for another book review. I’m excited about the book because it seems to closely resemble my life and how mom and I got started in therapy work.
This book is titled, “I Know My Name Is Love” written by Margaret Cate. It’s a short book, I like that, and so do most of the kids that have read to me in the past. Short books are nice so they can start and finish it in just one session with me.
So, this one begins with a stray dog, on the streets, scrounging for food, water, and shelter. Most people ignored the dog and the dog thought its name was ‘mangy mutt’ because that’s what most would call it. I grew up as a stray also. I had to scrounge for food and water. It was difficult to find shelter and it seemed no one wanted to help me either.
Well, the dog in the book talked about a really, really, really bad thunderstorm. The dog tried to hide but a loud crack of thunder scared it and the dog ran across the street right in front of a car. I’ll let you know right now that the dog DID NOT get hit by the car. A nice older lady got out and approached the dog and asked if the dog wanted to go home with her. She ended up taking the dog home, feeding it, washing it, and taking care of it.
When I was running as a stray, I also ran out into the street, but was not as lucky as the dog in the book. I was struck by a vehicle and my right rear leg was shattered. That hurt a lot and made it even more difficult to get around to try to find food and water. I don’t really remember how, but someone found me and took me to a Vet where I got a quick examination and a rabies shot. From there I ended up with United Animal Friends of Prescott, AZ. But let’s get back to the book.
When the nice lady takes the dog for a walk in the park, they see a boy using a wheelchair and not looking happy. The dog, which the lady named Tilly, went up to the boy and put her paw on his leg. The boy started to smile, and the boy’s mom said the dog’s name could be ‘miracle’ for being able to make the boy smile.
Tilly’s mom had a thought that perhaps Tilly could help other kids smile. So, she began Tilly’s training to become a volunteer therapy dog. OH MY DOG! That’s exactly what happened to me! Mom and I were on a camping trip and happened to be in a park where there were a lot of kids. When the kids saw me, they came over to pet me. Mom was close by and said it would be OK. I just loved the attention. I rolled on my back so they could pet my belly. It was heaven. There were lots of kids in this park that day and so many of them came over to pet me and talk to mom . . . well, mostly to pet me. Mom started to think that maybe I could become a therapy dog and looked into training for us.
Well, Tilly, in the book, goes through all the necessary training and then one day gets to visit a children’s hospital. In the hospital Tilly meets so many people, kids who she refers to a ‘beautiful’, babies she refers to as ‘miracles’, nurses she refers to as ‘love’ and just lots and lots of people who want to pet her.
When they finally get home, Tilly’s mom calls her all of those names as well. Finally, Tilly realizes that even though her new, official name is Tilly – she truly believes in her heart that her name is ‘LOVE’.
My mom has a lot of different names for me too. Sometimes she calls me ‘sweetie’, other times she calls me her ‘silly boy’, and sometimes she calls me her ‘baby’ . . . and while I know my name is ‘Cruiser’ I sometimes think my name could also be ‘LOVE’ – and I like that.
Young Jane and her stuffed fren Jubilee have some great adventures while Jane learns all she can about animals.
Cruiser’s Corner
Today I’m going to review a book about a very, very, very special person. She has helped so many animals during her lifetime and talks about how the lives of all living things are really, really, really important. I also like her because she had a special fren when she was little girl. A fren who went on a lot of adventures with her and was with her while she dreamed of someday helping animals.
I’m talking about Dr. Jane Goodall and the book it titled, Me . . . Jane. It is written by another really, really, really great animal advocate, Patrick McDonnell. He’s the guy who draws the Mutts comic strips that mom sometimes posts to her Facebook page.
But, let’s get to the book. It tells the story of Jane, who was given a stuffed fren named Jubilee. Jubilee is a chimpanzee and he stuck with Jane while she explored and learned all she could about all different kinds of animals. That’s like my stuffed fren Sebastian. I like taking my stuffed fren Sebastian with me when we go camping. Sometimes I just carry him around the house. I’ve told my stuffed fren Sebastian all types of things, he’s a great listener.
Jane loved to be outside. I love to be outside too, especially when mom and I go on hikes, or go camping in some really neat places. I love to see all the new sights, the different animals, and the SMELLS! Oh. My. Dog. – the smells are wonderful. Jane would climb her favorite tree and lean against its trunk listening to the life inside. She always had her fren Jubilee with her. I don’t take my stuffed fren Sebastian outside. I don’t want him to get lost! He is strictly and inside stuffed fren.
Jane was very curious about so many things. She and Jubilee hid out in her grandma’s barn so they could discover where eggs came from, she read books about all the things she saw outside, all the animals, all the sounds, all the smells. She read, and read, and read – a lot. I like when kids read to me. I hope we can get back to that soon. I really miss it.
Jane read books about Tarzan of the Apes. Tarzan and another girl, also named Jane, lived in the jungles of Africa. Well, Jane started to dream about living in Africa, helping the animals who lived there. At night, Jane would tuck Jubilee into bed, then she would get in bed too and fall asleep – again dreaming about Africa.
I like when mom tucks me in bed. We have our nightly ritual . . . mom takes me out for a last pee break, then she goes in the bathroom to brush her teeth. When that happens, I know it’s time for me to get in bed. There is a small padded seat next to my side of the bed to help me get up. Since I’m missing my right rear leg, it can be a little difficult jumping up on high places. But once I’m in bed, mom comes over with my blankie, tucks me in, and gives me goodnight kisses. That’s the best part. Then she gets in bed and reads for a little while. When she turns off the light, she always tells me to have a good night, sweet dreams, and that she’ll see me in the morning. I think maybe Jane did the same for Jubilee.
Well, after a lot of learning, reading, and exploring, Jane finally had her dreams come true – she was able to live in Africa and help lots and lots of animals, especially the chimpanzees. YAY!!! I love when dreams come true.
I hope you all have some fabulous dreams that you are working on and that one day they will come true for you. Or, maybe they already have come true! You should read the book, Me . . . Jane, and also read about Dr. Jane Goodall in some big-people books as well. Mom tells me Dr. Goodall is a remarkable person who has really, really, really worked at helping animals. I like that and think everyone should try to help animals. It would make everyone feel good. And feeling good is a good thing.
That’s all for now. I hope you have a great night and work on those dreams!
Dog loves books so much he opens his own bookstore. But there are no customers for his Grand Opening. What is a book loving dog to do?
Cruiser’s Corner
Hello again fellow book lovers. Cruiser here with another book review. This week I’m reviewing a book that speaks to me and mom and our love of books. It is titled “Dog Loves Books” by Louise Yates. Appropriate title, don’t you think? Do you like how I opened by calling you ‘fellow book lovers’? A play on words – ha, ha, ha, bet you didn’t see that coming.
Anyway, this book is all about a dog that . . . wait for it . . . loves books! Just like me and mom. Well, this dog loves books so much that he decides to open a bookstore. He orders lots of books, stacks them in his store, takes a bath (that part I didn’t like), and then throws open the doors for his customers. But there are no customers. Oh no, what should he do?
A man comes in and asks for directions.
He tries to stay busy and makes himself some tea, when a lady walks in and tries to order a cup of tea! The nerve of some people. He tells her that this is his bookstore and she promptly leaves. He again tries to stay busy waiting for customers when a man walks in and asks for directions. What??? I think Dog gave the man the directions he was seeking, but when the man left, Dog was sad. He was wondering why no one came to his store.
Cruiser and his pilfered dinosaur enjoy an adventure.
Then he had an idea. He took down a book from the shelf and began to read. When he read the book, he forgot about being sad and lost himself in the book. He read book after book and had great adventures. He forgot he was even in his bookstore! Then, all of a sudden, a young girl came in and asked for . . . a book! Yay! Dog knew just what books to recommend and together they had some great adventures.
Adventures!
Dog loves books, a lot, but mostly he loves to share them with others. I like to share books with others too! That’s why I started this book review, to share some of the books that kids have read to me in the past. I may even have to write about some of the new books mom bought for me for when we start up our reading program again in the local library. The kids haven’t read those to me yet, but mom has, so I feel comfortable reviewing them.
That’s it for this week. I hope you have a book, or two, that you love to read. Maybe you are enjoying one right now. You can always let me know in the comments. Who knows, maybe your recommendation will sound good to mom and she’ll read the book that you are reading. Wouldn’t that be neat?
A little boy so loved a tree, and the tree so loved the boy. But as in all stories, and life, the boy grows up, and we learn about giving from the heart and what that truly means.
Cruiser’s Corner
Hello everyone. What a week we have had out here! Mom and her very close friend finished putting together the final touches for their Holiday Sale this weekend. They set up our really large garage with all sorts of neat stuff Kathy has from around the world and then there was a huge display of mom’s photography. Have I mentioned that mom is a photographer? Well, she is, and a really, really, really good one. First day of the sale was today, Friday 11/26, and they will be at it again on Saturday and Sunday as well. Mom’s exhausted, I got to sleep in the house for most of the day so I’m well rested.
Our Thanksgiving was loads of fun! We were at Kathy’s house, where my good buddy Frankie lives. Frankie and I hung out and managed to mooch some plain turkey and uncooked carrots from both mom and Kathy. We were really happy about all the good snacks we got.
Speaking of Thanksgiving, I thought I would review a book that is appropriate for this time of year AND is one of mom’s all-time favorites. I think she’s had this book for elebenty gazillion years, at least that’s what she told me. From the looks of the cover, I believe her.
Anyway, the book is by Shel Silverstein and is titled, “The Giving Tree”. I’ll bet there are a few of you out there in book-land who have already read this book. If you have, then you can see why it would be one of mom’s favorites. Turns out it is a favorite of some of the kids who have come to the library to read to me. Each time we were in the library, at least one kid, and sometimes more than one, would pick this book. I really, really, really like it as well.
So, it starts out talking about a little boy who loved a tree, a lot! Everyday they would play together, games like hide and seek, the boy would make a crown out of the leaves and play king, and sometimes they would just rest together. And the boy loved the tree, very much, and the tree was happy. I like that part. You know, I like when mom and I go on our hikes among the trees. I love all the smells along the trails, and I especially love that the trees whisper to me. I think mom hears them too, which is a good thing. We should all learn to listen to the trees and all the other living things around us.
So, to get back to the book. As time goes by, the boy grows up, as all boys do. The boy visits the tree less and less and the tree is sad. But when the boy comes back to the tree, the tree is happy again. Unfortunately, the boy only returns to the tree because he wants something that will make him happy. And the tree, because she loves the boy, always give him something that the tree thinks will help. Each time the boy stays away for a really, really, really long time. The tree is often sad. That makes me sad, and I know it makes mom sad as well. When we can’t get out to hike, or go on one of our camping trips, mom seems to get a little sad.
Well, one day the boy returns, as a very old man, and the tree is nothing but a stump in the ground. The tree has nothing left to give to the boy, but the boy doesn’t need much at this late point in his life. The tree offers up the one thing it has left, a place to sit and rest. And the boy, who no longer wants material things, takes the offer of a seat. And, the tree is happy.
That makes me happy. The tree, throughout its life, gave, and gave, and gave to try to make the boy happy. The boy took everything the tree offered. You would think that was pretty selfish of the boy, but in the end, when the boy came back, he took the last thing the tree had to offer, a place to sit and rest and just be with the tree. It took the boy his whole life to realize the love of the tree and to gladly accept it.
During this season of giving, please remember to give to others, with no expectation of return. I try to do that when I’m out being a Therapy Dog. I know the humans I meet, and try to cheer up, may not have much to give in return . . . but that’s OK. My heart has more than enough to keep on giving. Mom and I know how to refill our hearts, with each other, so that we always have something to give. Sometimes I even have to give some therapy to mom and help refill her heart. But that’s what dogs are supposed to do – love unconditionally.
Spot is the family dog and he loves his little boy.
Cruiser’s Corner
Hello everyone! It’s time for another book review. Where does the time go . . . seems like I was just writing one last week when all of a sudden – BAM – time for another. I hope some of you out there have had an opportunity to check out the books I’ve previously reviewed. They really are good books.
This week I’m reviewing a short book. One that is written for really, really, really young readers. The title is “My Dog Spot” by Jack and Norma Levin. It is actually a true story, sort of, about the author’s dog who was named Sporty. You know how sometimes writers change the names of real individuals in their books, maybe to protect their privacy, or something like that. If someone wrote a book about me, I’d have no problem with them using my real name. I would want everyone to know who I am.
Anyway, this book is about Spot, the dog, and how he likes to go on walks (like me), and chase rabbits (like me), and go for car rides (like me). Hey this could be a book about me, but I have a little more depth to me. More about that later.
Spot is a family dog and has a young boy at home who loves him very much. Spot loves his little boy too. Kind of like me and my mom. She loves me a lot and I love her a lot too. She’s older than the boy in the book, but has told me about some of the dogs from her past. My mom didn’t grow up with dogs, something about her mom not wanting animals in the house. My mom’s dad grew up with all kinds of animals in his home. Mom told me that she used to like to visit her grandma and grandpa so she could spend time with Rusty. That was the name of the dog that was in the house when my mom was really little. Mom said as she grew up and was a little more responsible, her grandma would let her take Rusty for walks. Mom said she really loved Rusty, so much so that her first dog when she was able to have one of her own, was named Rusty.
Mom has had a few different dogs over the years and every now and then she tells me a little about them. From the way she talks about them, I think they were all loved very, very much – like me!
So, the book, My Dog Spot, is all about a young boy’s dog and the love they have for each other. I think you’ll like reading it.
That’s it for now. Told you it was really, really, really short. Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving and get all the turkey you want. I hope I get a taste of some too.
Madeline Finn and Star are evaluated as a Therapy Team, but Madeline Finn can’t stop thinking about one particular resident in the facility.
Cruiser’s Corner
Hello everyone – I’m here with another book review. This is the third book by Lisa Papp about Madeline Finn. I really liked this series as I got to see Madeline Finn help shelter animals and also learn about Therapy Dogs.
This one is titled, Madeline Finn and the Therapy Dog. As you know, I’m a registered Therapy Dog and mom and I volunteer at various locations hoping to bring a smile to the faces of the people we meet. Most times that’s exactly what happens. Smiles and they always pet me and talk to me. Every now and then, there may be someone who isn’t feeling well and doesn’t want to interact with me or mom. That’s OK, everyone has their own reasons and sometimes it just takes time to break through that tough outer shell. Madeline Finn is about to discover exactly what I just described.
But, let’s start at the beginning. Madeline Finn has been training her dog, Star, to be a Therapy Dog. Do you remember the first book about the Library Dog, Bonnie, and Madeline Finn practicing her reading? She really, really, really wanted to get a ‘star’ sticker at school for her reading out loud. It took a while but she finally did it. Bonnie, the Library Dog, had puppies at the end of the first book, and Madeline Finn ended up adopting one of the puppies at the beginning of the second book. She named the puppy Star – do you think it was because she finally got a star sticker in school thanks to Bonnie? I think that’s why, but you can come to your own conclusion. Just saying, I think I’m right.
Anyway, Madeline Finn and Star have been practicing and training a lot. I know, because it takes a lot of practice and a lot of training. My trainer, Deb, did an excellent job training mom how to give me all the right signals. You see, I already knew how to do everything, it was mom that needed the training.
Well, the day finally arrives for Madeline Finn and Star to be evaluated. In the book there are three separate days when they are evaluated in different tasks. Madeline Finn and Star do very well in all their evaluation activities, but Madeline Finn is concerned about one resident in the care facility they visit. This older gentleman doesn’t want to interact with Star. He doesn’t smile. He doesn’t talk to Madeline Finn or Star.
Let me tell you about a visit I had at one of the hospitals that kind of relates to this story. Mom and I were visiting lots of different patients in lots of different rooms. This was before that nasty COVID stuff came around and we were able to visit patients. We can’t do that just yet, maybe soon, I hope. Anyway, we knocked and announced at one of the patient room doors that we were a Therapy Team and were here to visit if they wanted to see us. Well, the patient looked at us but didn’t say anything. Since they didn’t say, “no”, we walked in. Mom sat in a chair next to the patient and I sat right in front of the patient. After a few minutes, the patient began to pet me. Then the patient started to talk a little bit to mom about the dog they had in the past. We spent a few minutes while the patient talked about their dog all the while petting me very gently. I was very still and stayed in front of the patient while we were visiting.
After a little while, mom said it was time to go and we left the room. There was a nurse just outside who saw us come out of the room. She asked mom if the patient had said anything to us while we were visiting. Mom said the patient talked about their dog and pet me. The nurse was amazed and told mom that patient had not uttered a word since arriving at the hospital. The patient did not acknowledge anyone who came into the room.
Mom said it was my super amazing powers of therapy love that broke through. The nurse agreed. It really made me feel super extra special that day and I walked a little taller. I was so happy to be able to break through and connect with that patient.
Well, as you can imagine, Madeline Finn and Star eventually break through with the older gentleman. I’m not going to tell you how they do it, you’ll just have to read the book. It’s a great story about the power of animals and the love they radiate. Mom says I sparkle with love when I meet people. That’s because everyone I meet is just a friend I have yet to make.
I hope you make lots of friends and that you radiate love when you meet others. It is really, really, really important these days.
Well, that’s it for this week. I hope you enjoyed my review and my personal story about one of my rewarding hospital visits.
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