Dogs
by guest blogger, Kristine Tonks
of Rescued Insanity
I don’t take the time to read children’s books very often. When I heard about Darby’s Story: The Life of an Adopted Dog by Martha Steward, I jumped at the opportunity. Any book starring a sweet rescue dog is automatically on my reading list. I doubt anyone could look at the cover of this book without falling in love.
This isn’t a typical boy-meets-dog story. After all, neither Darby the husky mix, nor Drew the young child, are quite conventional. The book begins with the author and her son, Drew, attending an adoption event at a local pet store. Instead of rushing toward the energetic puppies, the two think carefully about the kind of dog who will best fit their lifestyle. Once they spot quiet Darby, relaxing in his crate, they take the time to get to know him first before making the big decision to bring him home. This way they ensured that not only would they be happy with Darby, but he would be equally happy with them. It’s an important message for all who are thinking of owning a dog.
The rest of the book goes on to illustrate the funny and interesting ways in which a dog added to the life of Drew and his mother. As the boy grew up, Darby was there to keep him entertained. Sometimes it seemed Darby was more of a sibling than a pet. The two even competed for prime seating in the car. Throughout the story, the small family went through many changes. They moved to a farm and adopted several other animals. Each one, especially the cat, provided a new challenge for Darby. I enjoyed Steward’s insertion of her guesses at what could be on his mind. Like many dog owners, I often do the same.
By the end of the tale, I was on the verge of tears. As we all know, the life of a dog is much too short. They could live for centuries and it wouldn’t be long enough. The author dealt with the last few years of Darby’s contented life with delicacy. Steward even included valuable notes on helping children say goodbye to a beloved friend. There was sadness, of course, but also joy for the memories they shared.
In my opinion, Darby’s Story is the perfect bed-time story book. While younger children may have a difficult time grasping some of the concepts, I think all would enjoy snuggling down to hear about Darby’s fun adventures with his multi-species family. I know the photo of the large dog sleeping with the baby goat will give me pleasant dreams for many nights to come.
Want to win a copy of Darby's Story for a special child in your life? Comments here on this post, as well on about this post on our Facebook page, will be entered in a special drawing to win a free copy of Darby's Story. The winner's name will be announced next week on March 11, 2011.
More on Darby's Story:
The website
The blog
Authorhouse (to purchase your own copy)
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© copyright Carrie Boyko, all rights reserved
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Dogs
Darby's Story: The Life of an Adopted Dog
by guest blogger, Kristine Tonks
of Rescued Insanity
This isn’t a typical boy-meets-dog story. After all, neither Darby the husky mix, nor Drew the young child, are quite conventional. The book begins with the author and her son, Drew, attending an adoption event at a local pet store. Instead of rushing toward the energetic puppies, the two think carefully about the kind of dog who will best fit their lifestyle. Once they spot quiet Darby, relaxing in his crate, they take the time to get to know him first before making the big decision to bring him home. This way they ensured that not only would they be happy with Darby, but he would be equally happy with them. It’s an important message for all who are thinking of owning a dog.
The rest of the book goes on to illustrate the funny and interesting ways in which a dog added to the life of Drew and his mother. As the boy grew up, Darby was there to keep him entertained. Sometimes it seemed Darby was more of a sibling than a pet. The two even competed for prime seating in the car. Throughout the story, the small family went through many changes. They moved to a farm and adopted several other animals. Each one, especially the cat, provided a new challenge for Darby. I enjoyed Steward’s insertion of her guesses at what could be on his mind. Like many dog owners, I often do the same.
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| © courtesy M.S. book image |
In my opinion, Darby’s Story is the perfect bed-time story book. While younger children may have a difficult time grasping some of the concepts, I think all would enjoy snuggling down to hear about Darby’s fun adventures with his multi-species family. I know the photo of the large dog sleeping with the baby goat will give me pleasant dreams for many nights to come.
Want to win a copy of Darby's Story for a special child in your life? Comments here on this post, as well on about this post on our Facebook page, will be entered in a special drawing to win a free copy of Darby's Story. The winner's name will be announced next week on March 11, 2011.
More on Darby's Story:
The website
The blog
Authorhouse (to purchase your own copy)
5 Minutes for Fido just about always has some sort of commentary on my posts. What are they up to today?
Kristine Tonks is a former history student who has recently discovered a passion for all things dog; she writes Rescued Insanity. If she hadn't adopted her dog, Shiva, from the shelter when she did, the piles of books would have taken over her house. Kristine feels that rescuing Shiva is by far the best thing she has ever done. Kristine also reviewed A Small Furry Prayer Dog Rescue and the Meaning of Life here on All Things Dog Blog.
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| © courtesy K. Tonks |
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© Carrie Boyko, all rights reservedFollow All Things Dog at Twitter Find me at Facebook
© copyright Carrie Boyko, all rights reserved
Bookmark this on Delicious
- Living With The Rescues: One Dog Lover's Dream Life
by Kristine Tonks, guest contributor © courtesy LivingwiththeRescues.comWhen I think of my dream lifestyle, I picture myself surrounded by dogs of all sizes in a large country home with plenty of space to roll around in. While for me this setting remains...
- Dog-themed Cookies Offer Organic Sweet Treats For Owners
by Carrie Boyko, CEB(c) courtesy Beautiful Sweets Want to See My Beautiful Cookies? I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one with a sweet tooth. I've been writing about cookies and candy, while giving away cookies on the blog, as well as...
- Dog Rescue And The Meaning Of Life
Guest post by Kristine Tonks "It felt like Ahab was both offering me his heart and telling me of an ancient trust between our species, a sacred covenant, an honor code I didn't yet know existed. I'm pretty sure he was also telling me not to screw...
- Canine Rescue Groups
By Suzanne Alicie As a responsible pet owner, it breaks my heart to see dogs that need to be rescued. There are foundations that put up heartbreaking ads on television, and shelter animals for adoption at local pet stores. For someone like me who recently...
- Bugging "johann" The Dog
Yesterday, I was visited by Johann,the dog. I checked out his blog and learned that he was rescued and adopted in 2004. He was named after Johann Sebastian Bach. Johann has been competing in agility training since June 2005 and he is a 2007 Cynosport...