Submitted by Tess from Lexington Park!
Meet Gracie Rose, the heroine of The Great Gracie Chase: Stop That Dog! by Cynthia Rylant and Mark Teague. Gracie is very much like my dog, in that she likes her house to be nice and quiet. Unfortunately for her, painters have come to paint the kitchen, and generally disturb the peace she works so hard to maintain. Gracie barks and them to go outside, but something astounding happens–they put HER outside. Being upset, she decides to take herself for a walk, unwittingly starting The Great Grace Chase! Suddenly everyone is running after her yelling “Stop that dog!” She doesn’t want to get caught! She runs uphill, and through water fountains, until finally everyone is too tired to chase her. Noticing that it’s finally peaceful and quiet again, she returns home all on her own (much to the chagrin of the mob of people and animals that had been on her tail). I love the illustrations in this book, especially Gracie’s facial expressions. If your child is a dog lover they are sure to enjoy this adventure! See this book listed in our catalog
Dogs
Wag!
Submitted by Melissa from Lexington Park!
Yet another adorable book by comic strip artist Patrick McDonnell, his latest title Wag! features his classic characters, in all their lovable glory! Mooch, the know-it-all cat, tries to answer the infamous question that all dog lovers ask: Why does Earl, the happy dog, wag his tail? There are many things to which Earl wags – fwip-fwip-fwip – his friends, his ball, flowers… Can Mooch determine what it is that they all have in common? Follow along with Mooch, determined to figure out the answer, and discover the reason why all dogs wag their tails. Equipped with sound effects and personality, this “tail” will surely delight, with every “fwip” of the page! See this book listed in our catalog
Tarra & Bella
Submitted by Tess from Lexington Park!
I am a sucker for true stories about animals overcoming odds, and because of this Tarra & Bella the Elephant and Dog Who Became Best Friends really pulled at my heartstrings. Tarra the elephant used be a star of stage and screen, but has since retired to an elephant sanctuary in Tennessee. There are several other elephants there, all of which have a best friend. But Tarra did not have a best friend. Until Bella showed up. Bella was a stray dog that surprisingly was not intimidated by Tarra’s huge size. They started spending all their time together! They ate together, played together, and slept together. But one day something awful happened. Bella was hurt! She had to be taken away to a veterinarian, who said she would probably never walk again. Tarra waited at the spot she last saw Bella for days, then finally went in search of her friend. She amazingly walked right to the barn where Bella was recuperating! Bella howled for her friend, and finally the zookeepers carried her downstairs. The friends were reunited, and you know what? Bella got better! To this day Tarra and Bella are still best friends! See this book listed in our catalog
The Longest Christmas List Ever
Submitted by Tess from Lexington Park!
If there’s one thing our library never seems to run out of, it’s books about the Christmas holiday! Ask your librarians to suggest some titles if you’re feeling overwhelmed. One of my favorites is The Longest Christmas List Ever by Gregg and Evan Spiridellis. Meet Trevor–a precocious young boy who couldn’t be more excited to open presents Christmas morning! Santa Claus got him everything he asked for! But, oh no! He forgot one important thing! A fluffy brown puppy! So Trevor decides to start his letter to Santa early. He writes it all year long. Every time he thinks of another thing he needs, he jots it down. Soon the list is 500 feet long, and to mail it will cost 6 trillion dollars! Trevor decides to downsize, but it’s too late! He’s missed Santa’s deadline! “What was I thinking? Where was my head? I asked for too much–I’ll get nothing instead!” he laments. But when he wakes up in the morning, there’s a puppy there waiting for him! Mom and Dad must have gotten a letter off to Santa in the meantime, and Trevor learns “It takes love–not toys–to bring Christmas cheer.” See this book listed in our catalog
Dog Wants to Play
Submitted by Melissa from Lexington Park!
Dog Wants to Play by Christine McDonnell is a delightful tale with adorable illustrations. Throughout the book, the optimistic little pup approaches his farm mates with a request to play. His excitement diminishes with each rejection, but finally he meets a companion who is willing to play all day! This book is written in rhyme and has a few repeating verses, making the book both pleasant to listen to, and engaging for a young listener. The clear pictures, simple story, and familiar objects in the illustrations allow readers to ask open ended questions about the images and words. Such books lend themselves to imaginative story telling and will encourage young readers and listeners to go beyond the words on the page and tell their own story! See this book listed in our catalog
Just What Mama Needs
Submitted by Carol from Charlotte Hall!
Just What Mama Needs by Sharlee Glenn and illustrated by Amiko Hirao. The story is about a dog named Abby. Abby loves to play dress-up. She has a great imagination. Abby imagines she is lots of things. Abby may be a pirate one day, happily busy swabbing the deck, or a detective in search of a mysterious clue! Abby could even be a witch mixing up a delicious brew, but no matter who Abby pretends to be she is always just what Mama needs. This is a cute story about a mother and her love for her child.