Review By HOMA WOODRUM

This book tells the story of a real life dog named Fred who goes from a non-veg home to a vegan one when his caretaker, Gertie, becomes too ill to care for him.

A large portion of the story sets up how Fred prefers people food over dog food but does not like peas, even spitting out the pea from a chicken pot pie while an in-home nurse visits the elderly Gertie. With so much set up, I was surprised that the book quickly resolved when Fred one day decided he liked fresh peas from the garden.  Though the book indicates that his sudden affection for peas relates both to his bravery and to his physical similarity to a cow, I didn’t really understand the impetus for the change, nor is it particularly helpful for families working through aversions to particular foods.  Still, the resolution — “He ate the pea…and now Fred loves PEAS!” – may encourage some kids to try their peas.

The illustrations are a little stark but sweet and you can feel that this book was a labor of love.  The book concludes with a photo of the real Fred and a loving note from the author in her mother’s memory. There is also a recipe for pasta with a peanut butter sauce and peas but it was not anything we could test due to food allergies.

Some vegans will smile at the description of the vegan family who takes care of Fred — “‘Vegan’ meant that they do not eat or use anything made from animals. They love animals so much that they regularly go to the country to visit cows, chickens, pigs, lambs, and other animals. There were six frogs, four cats, one dog and a girl named Lauren in the family, along with her parents of course.” Still, the unresolved questions raised by illness, an in-home nurse, and the disappearance of Gertie can be confusing and upsetting for children. The story would be more suited for a chapter book for older kids, so that the themes could be fleshed out for discussion. I know my daughter was most worried about where Gertie went and why Fred had to leave her. I do realize this is meant as a true to life tale, and thus creative storytelling can be slightly limited, but there are too many themes at play for it to be ready for the inquisitive picture book crowd.

Review By ROBYN MOORE

Christmas Kitten is a sweet book for kids to enjoy during the holidays. It has the typical Christmas cast of characters including Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, elves, and reindeer, but it also has a kitten, which adds to the cute factor.  

While making deliveries Santa Claus finds a homeless kitten. He wants to keep her, but to his dismay Mrs. Claus points out that he is allergic to cats. So Mrs. Claus goes through some of the old letters from kids to see if she can find a little boy or girl who might have asked for a kitten, but Santa Claus reminds her that they must have the parent’s permission. Caring for and loving a pet is a big responsibility, so it was nice to see that addressed. After some mischief, the kitten leads the Clauses to the study where she is pawing at an envelope underneath the dresser. Inside they discover an unopened letter from parents who are requesting a kitten for their little girl, Angela. Perfect! So Mr. and Mrs. Claus deliver the kitten to Angela, and she wakes up in the morning with a kitten nestled in her bed.

Overall, I liked this book. The story was sweet and the pictures felt warm, cozy and festive. It featured a homeless kitten who was rescued, which is always a good topic for a book! It opens the door to a discussion about the animal overpopulation issue. Even young kids can understand the importance of always adopting animals rather than buying animals from pet stores or breeders—it’s a simple concept.

Ages 3-8.

Review By CAROLYN M. MULLIN

Who doesn’t love a John Muir story? Every year that I visit the always impressive and stupefying Yosemite, I make it a point to attend one of the monologues put on by Lee Stetson. I don’t want to call him an impersonator per se; he’s far too talented for that, but I suppose actor might be appropriate. He’s a dead ringer for Muir and talks in this quaint, pioneer-like tone, something that harkens images of Muir’s treks in the rugged wilderness cloaked in his solitude. I highly recommend getting a ticket yourself for his show, if you’re ever out this way. If not, you’ll enjoy the tale of Stickeen, one that was certainly new to me, but apparently was Muir’s favorite to tell.

Donnell Rubey serves as an interpreter of sorts in presenting Muir’s languid, verbose and antiquated recounting of the tale to children, but she stays true to Muir’s style and knack for storytelling. The plot is a simple, but highly dramatic one. Stickeen was a little dog (named after an Indian tribe) lent to Muir for one his travels in the glacier-filled world of Alaska. One particular journey that took the better part of a day led them over crevasses, deep canyon-like cavities in the glaciers (let’s just say you don’t want to fall down into one of the bottomless-looking pits). While most were passable there was one that proved quite treacherous, one that even stopped eager beaver Stickeen from attempting to cross. It was too late to turn back, but Muir and Stickeen were uncertain if they would even be able to cross safely.  How did they do? You’ll have to read to find out.

This book is an absolute gem. Christopher Canyon’s illustrations are simply lifelike. I could just see myself reach through the book to touch Muir’s coarse, wiry, frigid beard or feel the snowflakes hitting my face (I sure am glad to live in Southern California !) as I watch the mountains giants in the background. Equally effective in this book is the presentation of a unique, temporary friendship between a man and a dog, a friendship that dramatically changed in the face of adversity. The short-lived nature of their friendship will have children questioning what is in the best interest of our companion animals, a question they should always entertain.

Ages 6+.

Review By ROBYN MOORE

I love Pele’s Forever Home, and the fact that it’s a true story about an important issue makes me love it even more. The story focuses on Pele, a greyhound who was born into the cruel world of dog racing, where animals are forced to run around tracks for the sake of human “entertainment.”

Each night before bedtime, Pele and the other dogs dream of a better life— a life with a mom and dad and a place where they could “run and play and roam.” The other dogs get adopted one by one, leaving sad Pele behind. But his day finally comes when a nice couple adopts him! After many happy years, the couple decides to adopt another greyhound named Lucy, and together they both live peaceful and free in their loving home.

I’m always thrilled when I see a book on the market that not only portrays animals in a good light, but one that also shines a spotlight on an animal-abusing industry. This book does just that; it tackles the dog racing industry in a kid-appropriate way. The book is a tool that can serve as a starting point, and it is up to the parents to continue the conversation.

Dog Racing is a dirty profit-driven business in which the animals pay the price. When not on the racetrack, dogs spend virtually all of their time confined in small cages barely large enough for them to stand up or turn around. They’re trucked across the country on grueling road trips, forced to race in extreme weather conditions, suffer serious injuries and thousands are killed each year when they usefulness wears out and they are no longer profitable. It’s no wonder Pele was dreaming of a forever home!

The back of the book includes Pele’s bio, along with a beautiful full-page color photo of him. There is also information about Grey2K USA — a non-profit organization dedicated to ending the cruelty of dog racing. A percentage of the proceeds from this book will go to Grey2K USA, which is another great reason to go out and buy this book!

I highly recommend this book. Kids will love it because it’s about a sweet dog who finds happiness, and parents will love it because it’s a heartwarming story that addresses an important issue. It’s the definition of a happy ending! It’s one of those books on the shelf that you won’t mind reading over and over again to your kids.

Ages 4-9.

Review By JENNIFER GANNETT

As soon as a review copy of Maggie’s Second Chance: A Gentle Dog’s Rescue arrived, I looked through it and knew that Gryphon Press had another wonderful title with the release of this fantastic book. However, the true test is that of the intended audience, and in this case, the book was well received by children– as in the “let’s read this again!” for many nights in a row kind of well received.

Black lab(-ish) Maggie is abandoned when her family moves. Pregnant and left without food or heat, she is discovered by a real estate agent and ends up in custody of animal control. Maggie gives birth while at the shelter and her puppies are adopted out in short order while Maggie remains behind, “just another big black dog blending into the shadows.” (Black dogs do often have a more difficult time being adopted out.)

Though featured in the local paper, Maggie continues to languish in the shelter. One day a boy catches sight of her photo in the paper while he is taking out his family’s recycling. When he finds out she is in danger of being euthanized, he and his classmates are galvanized into action. They craft a plan for an animal shelter and present it to their town council, which, implausibly, gives permission for a no-kill shelter to be built.

Despite a seemingly lengthy hold time at the municipal shelter, Maggie’s time is up. With no potential adopter in sight, she is prepared by an apologetic shelter worker as she is to be led to her death. However, in a dramatic last minute rescue, she is saved– tapped to go the new no-kill shelter founded by the students.

Adults will need to hold on to their heart as they read this particular book, which does not shy away from the very difficult subject matter of shelter issues. However, through the author’s sensitivity there is an impressive dignity that accrues throughout the telling of Maggie’s story. The appealing illustrations lend themselves well to the story and depict Maggie as a gentle, patient, loyal girl. This fictional story is based on elements of a couple of true ones that have been woven together, but of course, not all animals (especially big black dogs) are lucky enough to find homes.

Ages 5 and up.

Review By JENNIFER KALI

I watched this movie with my daughter (2 years old) and her friend (3 years old).  We were doing overnight babysitting and thought a movie night would be fun.   I loved the Care Bears as a kid but knew nothing about this movie or the current incarnation of our 80’s cartoon friends.  I took a chance on this movie through instant streaming on Netflix.  Actually, we started watching this after my first choice bombed.  Turns out my daughter is scared of the Peculiar Purple Pie Man from Strawberry Shortcake, so my first 80’s cartoon revival failed.

It’s a stretch to call this a movie. It’s more like three episodes pieced together with the framework of an awards ceremony.  The Care Bears of Care-A-Lot are getting awards for the best rescues and after each award is given, we watch a clip of the rescue.  This type of framework seems to make it easier for younger viewers to follow as they don’t have to keep track of a long storyline.

The movie was cute enough.  The three year old really enjoyed it.  He was laughing at all of the right spots.  It seems my two year old was still a bit young to follow the story, but enjoyed it anyway.  Care Bears in general are a caring bunch and this movie was all about rescuing, so it’s a good theme for children.  The bears were in trouble and needed help but not so much that it scared my easily scare-able two year old.

I really like the theme of the second mini-episode.  One of the bears, Share Bear I believe, encounters a baby bug that seems lonely.  She decides that he needs a home and keeps him as a pet.  She calls him Nibbly because he really likes to eat.  Well, it turns out that Nibbly really, really likes to eat.  Nibbly starts to eat everything in sight.  Care-A-Lot is being turned into his feeding grounds and he is eating buildings, parks, statues, and more.  The other bears are not too pleased and inform Share Bear that she needs to do something.  She talks a lot about pet responsibility and how you can’t just get rid of a pet because you don’t like it, which is a great message.  But then her friends inform her that Nibbly isn’t really made to be a pet.  Nibbly is a wild animal that should live outdoors, which is also a great message.  Nibbly isn’t fit for an urban environment, so the Bears grow a garden on a nearby cloud that is large enough to sustain Nibbly for a long time and they set him free.  Other bugs hear about the garden and fly from far away to live with him and Nibbly is no longer lonely. Share Bear is sad to lose her friend and pet but happy to know that he is in a better place and will be much happier from now on.  Of course Share Bear wins the award.

Rated G.

Review By JENNIFER GANNETT

Uncle Andy’s Cats is the imaginative story of artist Andy Warhol’s life with many, many cats. Young cat lovers will giggle at the silliness of 25 cats all named Sam running rampant through Andy Warhol’s home, but animal advocates will wince at the unapologetic, unexplained depiction of overbreeding. Eventually, author James Warhola’s (yes, he is one of Andy Warhol’s nephews) Uncle Andy realizes that he must reduce the size of his cat population, but even the superstar artist is hard-pressed to figure out how to do so. Uncle Andy’s solution is to collaborate with his mother on a series of books about cats and popularize the idea of having a Warhol cat. The idea is successful, everyone wants a cat and by the end of the story, only the original two cats remain at the Warhol residence.

If only finding homes for cats were so straightforward! It isn’t. Seven out of ten cats in shelters are euthanized.

Faaaaabulous author and commentator Daniel Pinkwater doesn’t share my concerns about this story and wholeheartedly recommended this book to NPR host Scott Simon in 2009. Have a listen here to the two of them discussing this story and sharing in a reading of it — I do love their rapport when they get together to discuss children’s books!

Of course, this book provides a great framework for a discussion of why we spay and neuter animals. The silly story and engaging pictures keep a child’s interest, but so too do the imaginative plot twists and fun illustrations in the book It’s Raining Cats and Cats, which contains a much more valuable — and lifesaving — message of spay and neuter.

Ages 4 and up.

Review By JESSICA ALMY

I’m charmed by Carole Boston Weatherford’s picture book on how First Dog Bo became part of the First Family. Living in Washington, DC, my family and I are intimate with the president’s motorcade, helicopters, and even the National Christmas Tree on the south lawn. But the man himself? We know as much about him and his family as anyone with a cable connection. So we enjoyed this peek into the president’s life from the perspective of his daughters, and of course the heartwarming story of how Bo found his home.

The real-life details of the First Family’s search for a White House dog irked me a little when they were in the news. Remember how the  Obamas promised to rescue a dog from a shelter, but ultimately did not? Fortunately, this book does a good job of sticking to the facts without glamorizing breeders or downplaying the importance of shelters.

People concerned with animal rights will note that the book states, in small type under a portrait, that George W. Bush “owned” a terrier. And in recounting the promises of presidents over the years, the book also describes that Calvin Coolidge promised to put “a chicken in every pot and a car in every garage.” (Fortunately, the bird pictured is still alive, and the people holding the pot appear clueless that they’re supposed to eat the poor bird.)

All in all, this is a fun read about the White House for kids ages 3-7.

Review By HOMA WOODRUM

On vacation recently, I stopped into an independent bookshop that exclusively catered to children’s books and let them know I was looking for charming chapter books.  Moments later I had a number of books to choose from and was flipping through the first of four books in the Houndlsey and Catina series.  What caught my eye was the mention that Catina (a cat) was vegetarian so her friend Houndsley (a dog) made a meal for her that included grains and tofu.  A third guest at their dinner party, a bird named Burt, was surprised to learn that the “worms” he had been eating were really vegetarian.  I just had to buy the book!  Plus, I loved James Howe’s Bunnicula as a kid.

After I read the book with my three-year-old, I returned the next day to get the rest of the series, the artwork is beautiful and the stories are truly charming.  In this first book, Catina writes her memoirs because she wishes to be famous but she is not a very good writer.  Houndsley is tactful and supportive.  In the second chapter, Houndsley is encouraged by his friends to enter a cooking competition but he gets so nervous he even forgets the beans in his three bean (vegetarian) chili.  In the third chapter, the friends resolve their experiences in the first two chapters and watch fireflies together.  My mother in law said she wished Catina didn’t admit to disliking writing but I thought it was good that she could be honest with her friend.

The other books are equally fantastic. I think they are wonderful read-aloud books but would be a good for beginning readers as the print is large and the chapters are short. Veg families will really appreciate the themes of compassion and friendship.

Review By JENNIFER GANNETT

Black Cat is the rhythmic, melodious story of a black cat who moves through the urban environment of New York City — and not the opulent neighborhood that redtailed hawk Pale Male chose as his home.  Christopher Myers’s graphic collage illustrations captivate us as he takes us through some of the aspects of urban life that are less frequently chronicled in children’s literature.  The collages serve to illustrate the answer to the narrator’s question to the black street cat: where is your home?  As the feline passes through busy urban streets, decaying housing projects, graffiti covered walls, no-netted basketball hoops and across bodega signs, he corroborates the reader’s suspicion that his home is anywhere he roams.

Kids who love cats will likely want to talk about life on the streets from the cat’s perspective.  This artful book opens the door to important conversations about homeless animals– even those who believe their home is wherever they may roam.

Ages 4 and up.