Early Reader Extravaganza #2

As mentioned in a previous post, Early Reader Extravaganza, when we first learn to read our perceptions about our world change.  We gobble up words to quench a hunger.  It is a hunger to know, to understand, to explore, to travel to places real and imagined, to have sensory experiences, to laugh, to cry, to have our hearts warmed, broken and healed and to meet people like us and completely different from us.  We feed this hunger as early readers by bonding with what we find within the pages of books; whether it is information satisfying our curiosity or characters and their situations that actively engage us.

For lovers of canines, two new early reader series supply loads of laughter and the antics of dogs living their best lives.  Doggo And Pupper (Feiwel and Friends, March 23, 2021) and Doggo and Pupper Save The World (Feiwel and Friends, March 22, 2022) written by Katherine Applegate with illustrations by Charlie Alder take us into the home of an older dog living with a cat.  Their humans decide to introduce another dog, a younger dog, into the family.  The results are comedic to say the least.

Chapter One

Same Old, Same Old

Every night Cat asked,

How was your day,

Doggo?"

Every night Doggo said,

"Same old, same old."

Then he would wink at the 

smiling moon and say, "Could have

been worse."

In support of his same old, same old assessment, Doggo in rhyming two word phrases, seven couplets, describes his day.  He is quick to point out the value of quenching thirst and dispelling tiredness.  To up the funny factor, we discover what Doggo does when his humans are absent.

The subsequent six chapters reveal how Doggo's humans decide to add pep and purpose to his days.  Cat reminds and warns Doggo of the dire consequences of human intervention.  The presence of Pupper changes everything.  Doggo's days are wild because Pupper is wild.  Pupper needs to go to charm school.  He is not happy about this apparent requirement.

Upon his return, his humans are pleased with his behavior.  Doggo is pleased, too.  Cat is the first to point out that Pupper may have lost his wild ways, but he is hardly happy.  That night Doggo is the one with an idea.

His sleepy humans allow Doggo to take the car keys.  Road trip!  Pupper and Doggo play and play and play. Would you believe they went to a drive-in movie?  The duo silently sneak back inside their home.  Cat has a few things to say the next day.  Doggo replies with a familiar refrain.

Chapter One

Wonderful

In a sweet spot of sun,

Doggo dozed.

In a fine patch of dirt,

Pupper dug.

Life was good.

When Pupper spots a bird and her fledglings, he declares his desire to fly like Wonder Dog.  He also expresses his fear of giant squirrels.  Pupper believes he cannot be a hero because he worries.  Doggo says Pupper does not need to fly to be a hero.

When their humans leave, Doggo, Pupper, and Cat watch a hero show on television.  Pupper needs someone to save.  Doggo picks the next show reminding him of his days in a rock band.  Pupper decides being a hero might be less work than learning to be a drummer, but . . .

Pupper drums and drums and drums for more than a week.  Cat is not happy.  When Doggo announces a band is playing in the park the next day, Pupper can hardly wait to go.  He is also distracted by the baby birds learning to fly.

The next morning on their way to the park, Pupper hears a chirping in some nearby bushes.  Is it giant squirrels?  It is one of the baby birds.  It is all alone.  Pupper knows the baby bird needs saving.  The band is starting to play, but Pupper and Doggo wait until their work is done.  As the dog duo savor the remaining hours of the day, they understand several things about music and heroes.  We do, too.

Using a blend of short narrative phrases and sentences and lively canine/feline conversations, Katherine Applegate entertains readers from beginning to end.  The interactions between Doggo and Pupper (and Cat) convey bits of wisdom, each character informing the other through their personalities.  And in these short narrative phrases and sentences, conversations, and interactions, there is laugh-out-loud hilarity.  Katherine Applegate also uses rhyming and alliteration when it is appropriate.  This technique invites readers into the stories.  Here are two passages, one from each title.

"Watch out, Doggo," said Cat one day.  "I

think the humans have an idea."

She licked a paw.  "Remember the last time

they had an idea?

Doggo remembered.

It was not pretty.

They turned a corner.

The breeze was soft.

It smelled like ice cream.

It held happy voices.

Illustrator Charlie Alder using

a combination of collage and digital techniques

fashioned the full-color illustrations on the book case and throughout the book.  Doggo and Pupper are showcased in the center on the front of both books.  On the back of the book case, amid text you would normally find on the front and back end flaps of a dust jacket, Doggo, Pupper, and Cat are doing what they do best, enjoying each other and life.  The characters and title text on the front of both books are varnished.

The opening and closing endpapers in the first title are a darker shade of sky blue.  In the second title, the endpapers are the same darker orange we see on the front of the book case.  After the title and verso pages, a contents page is supplied in both books.  Small images are on these pages; a reflection of the characters and their activities in the chapters.

Opposite each chapter page is a full-page picture alluding to the chapter revelations.  Throughout the books, the illustrations vary in size to complement the pacing of the narrative.  There are two-page images, single-page pictures, edge to edge or surrounded by white space, groups of smaller images on one or two pages, framed and unframed, and there are vertical panels and horizontal panels.  We are usually close to the characters which makes us feel a part of the story.

The expressions on the faces of the characters depict their every emotion.  Some of the details, like Cat drinking through a long, striped curly straw, will have you giggling at the very least.  All we see of the humans are portions of their bodies.  We never see their faces.

One of my many favorite illustrations from Doggo And Pupper is a series of four images for the above-noted text.  In the first image, Doggo is dressed like a ghost for Halloween.  Cat, on top of a pumpkin, is howling with laughter.  Doggo is wearing a yellow and white polka-dotted raincoat and booties in the second scene.  In the third picture, Doggo's fur, ears, and tail are tied in a series of colorful bows.  Doggo has been trimmed to the max in the final visual.  Portions of Doggo's body are dyed pink to make it appear as if Doggo is a ballerina.  

One of my many favorite illustrations from Doggo And Pupper Save The World is a double-page picture.  It is a close-up of them finding the tiny bird, the fledgling, under the bushes.  Pupper is peeking through the bushes on the left near the bird.  Doggo has his head through the bushes on the right.  We feel as though we are a part of this moment with them.

These two titles, Doggo And Pupper and Doggo And Pupper Save The World written by Katherine Applegate with artwork by Charlie Alder, are stellar early reader books.  At the close of the first book is a list titled Doggo's Guide to Puppies.  These ten items speak simple truths about puppies.  At the end of the second book is another list of ten thoughts to guide readers.  They are titled Pupper's Guide to Being a Hero.  I highly recommend this series for your professional and personal collections.  You might want more than one copy of each.

To learn more about Katherine Applegate and Charlie Alder and their other work, please follow the link attached to their names to access their websites.  Katherine Applegate has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  Charlie Alder has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  At the publisher's website, you can view interior images for Doggo And Pupper and Doggo And Pupper Save The World.

This second series of books highlights a character older readers already know.  His name is Fenway, a Jack Russell terrier.  He made a name for himself in the upper elementary/middle grade novels, Fenway and Hattie, Fenway and Hattie and the Evil Bunny Gang, Fenway and Hattie Up to New Tricks, and Fenway and Hattie In the Wild.  With each title, readers are able to see the progress as Fenway and his human grow better together.  In Fenway And The Bone Thieves (G. P. Putnam's Sons, May 3, 2022) and Fenway And The Frisbee Trick (G. P. Putnam's Sons, May 3, 2022) written by Victoria J. Coe with illustrations by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff, Fenway is still offering his spot-on insights in his own voice about his next-door neighbor dog friends, his humans, sneaky squirrels, and the elusive Frisbee.

1

THE TREAT PLACE

Everyone knows that dogs are

better than squirrels.  Dogs make

humans happy.  Dogs live

in houses.  Dogs

ride in cars.

Squirrels do

none of these

things.

In this first of ten chapters, Fenway and his humans, Hattie, Food Lady, and Fetch Man are visiting the large store filled with special things for dogs.  All Fenway can think about is treats.  His humans steer clear of the treat section, adding yucky shampoo to the cart.  It is only through sheer perseverance on Fenway's part, that a bone is added to the cart.  Unfortunately, it ends up in the trunk of the car instead of his mouth.

Finally at home, with the bone in his mouth, Fenway shows his treasure to his neighbors, Patches and Goldie, two dogs enjoying their Dog Park next to Fenway's Dog Park.  Then, Fenway hears a horrible and irritating sound.  It is the chattering of not one but two squirrels.  They are plotting to take away his bone.  After successfully chasing them away, Fenway decides the only way to enjoy his bone is to hide it from the squirrels.

After lunch, the rain begins.  Fenway is inside without his bone.  Now he is thinking his big idea is not such a good idea.  Nothing, not a single toy or game, can take away Fenway's desire for that bone, buried in the garden, outside in the rain.

The next morning when the rain has stopped, Fenway can hardly wait to get outside and dig up his bone.  There are two huge problems.  He can't remember where he buried it and the pesky squirrels are back.  Many holes later, Hattie and her friend Angel, Patches' and Goldie's short human, discover the damage done by Fenway.  As they chase him, he initially thinks it's a game, but it is most definitely not a game.  

After a flowery shampoo, a nap complete with a squirrel nightmare, and another encounter with the sneaky squirrels in his Dog Park, Fenway makes a startling discovery.  His perspective on the several days of the events are destined to have readers laughing and laughing.  As he is finally chewing on his bone on the back porch, he gets a whiff of hot dogs.  Yum!

1

THE BIG PARK

Romping in the Dog Park behind

our house is pretty awesome.  But

riding in the car with Hattie and 

Fetch Man is even better, because

we're going to the Big Park.

Fenway is having a rousing romp with Hattie and Fetch man in the Big Park.  He loves chasing after the stick and returning it, sometimes reluctant to give it to Fetch Man.  But that is all part of the game.  Just when Fenway thinks the day can't get any better, he spots a Rottweiler leaping into the air to catch a Frisbee.

Fenway wishes with all his doggy heart he could do the same trick as Carmen.  She is amazing at jumping in the air at the right moment.  He tries to do her moves with a stick.  It does not work.  He needs a Frisbee.

No one seems to understand this need, not Hattie or Patches and Goldie.  What's a dog to do?  Several days later the Big Brown Truck arrives.  After Fenway barks it away, Food Lady, Hattie and Fenway gather around a box.  What do you think is inside?  

Fenway and Hattie rush outside so Fenway can catch that new Frisbee in the air.  He is so ready to perform a trick and receive the same praise as Carmen.  All of a sudden there are the sounds of 

CHIPPER-CHATTER-SQUAWK!

Later, a frustrated Fenway, who has not caught the Frisbee yet because of the sneaky squirrels, goes on a walk with his canine pals and their humans.  Back home, Fenway convinces Hattie to throw the Frisbee in the house where there are no squirrel distractions.  As you might imagine, it ends in disaster.  That evening is very somber, but Fenway fails to understand.  The next day at the Big Park, unintentionally, Fenway creates his own special trick.  Try to read this without laughing.  It is impossible.  Oh, Fenway.

I've said it before, but I'll say it again.  Author Victoria J. Coe knows dogs, especially this dog, Fenway.  Each of the ten chapters in each book flows flawlessly with the same energy as if the words were written by a Jack Russell terrier.  The chapters end with a sentence inviting us to proceed with anticipation to the next chapter.  The upbeat narrative, Fenway's thoughts and conversations and those of the humans are thoughtful, exuberant, and funny.  Here are passages from both titles.

CHIPPER-CHATTER-SQUAWK! sounds

behind me.

Uh-oh! The first squirrel is

headed this way!  I should have 

known the two of them were in this 

together.

I run faster.  "That bone is

mine!" I bark.

The big squirrel waits until I'm 

about to lunge.  Then he suddenly

hops up and scampers across the

Dog Park.

The chase is on!  "You don't

belong here!" I bark.  I follow

that squirrel 

to the wooden

fence behind

the giant tree.

I thrust my snout into the box.

Whoopee! It smells like a Frisbee

that no other dogs have played

with.  It must be my reward for

scaring away that truck.

Hattie reaches into the box and

pulls it out.  "Ready, Fenway?" she

says.

I back up.  "I'm ready!" I bark.

"I'm so ready!"

Hattie's elbow bends.  She's going

to fling the Frisbee!

I leap onto the couch, racing

back and forth.  Hooray!  Hooray!

I'm going to catch that Frisbee in

midair!

You cannot look at the front, right side, of the matching and open dust jacket and book case for either book without smiling.  Who can resist the happy-go-lucky look on Fenway's face?  In both of these scenes, it is as if the illustrator has frozen a moment from the narrative.  The back, left side, of both books features short descriptions of the books beneath the series title, Make Way For Fenway.  Hanging from those banners is a bone-shaped dog tag with the words:

A little dog with a

GIANT personality!

The opening and closing endpapers for both books are creamy white, the same as the interior pages.  Illustrator Joanne Lew-Vriethoff has filled this book with images of varying sizes done in black, gray, and white.  With the exception of only two, Fenway makes an appearance in all of them.

The vibrancy of Fenway's personality is reflected in the artwork.  Even when he is still, it is as if he is ready to burst into action.  Readers will pause at every illustration to appreciate the details included in the pictures.  The facial looks on Fenway, the squirrels, Carmen, Patches, Goldie, and the humans leave no doubt as to what any of them are thinking.  You can't help but smile, giggle, or laugh out loud.

In Fenway And The Bone Thieves, one of my favorite pictures is a double-page image with a phrase and two sentences placed in the upper, left-hand corner.  On the left side a big squirrel with a gleam in its eyes, protruding teeth, and a big fluffy tail is ready to pounce on Fenway's bone which extends from the left side and over the gutter to the right.  Toward the top of the right side in the Dog Park is Fenway.  Flowers border the wooden fence behind him.  He is aghast at the audacity of that squirrel.  He is ready to run.

One of my favorite visuals in Fenway And The Frisbee Trick is a smaller illustration.  It is a perfectly captured moment by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff. (I should know because it happens frequently at my own home.)  The family sofa is placed in front of an arched large window.  Fenway is on the sofa, standing on his hind legs with his front paws on the back of the sofa.  He is watching the man from the Big Brown Truck carrying a package and walking toward their house.  Fenway is barking in full security mode.

To have early readers based on a beloved dog character is, in the words of my canine companion, woof-tastic!  Fenway And The Bone Thieves and Fenway And The Frisbee Trick written by Victoria J. Coe with illustrations by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff are brimming with humor and non-stop action whether read by an individual or as a read aloud.  Readers will hardly be able to wait for another installment in the series.  You will certainly need one or more copies of both books in your personal and professional collections.

By following the link attached to the names of Victoria J. Coe and Joanne Lew-Vriethoff, you can access their websites to learn more about them and their other work.  Victoria J. Coe has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.  Joanne Lew-Vriethoff has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  At the publisher's website, you can view interior images and read an excerpt for Fenway And The Bone Thieves and Fenway And The Frisbee Trick.  The cover reveal for these titles with author and illustrator interviews was hosted by educator Michele Knott at Mrs. Knott's Book Nook.

Fenway y Hattie Cover Reveal---Habla Espanol?

Regardless of the twists and turns and ups and downs and uncertainty in the human realm, there is one unwavering truth.  From their first breath to their final breath, dogs offer us steadfast, unconditional love. Embracing the world as a total sensory experience, they urge us to do the same with their actions and expressions.  If we would be more like dogs, it would, indeed, be a world worth raising our voices in howls of happiness.

For the past four plus years, I’ve been fortunate enough to enjoy the friendship of another human, author Victoria J. Coe, who believes, as I do, in the value and power of observing the world from another individual’s perspective.  Her books about an over-the-top, energetic Jack Russell terrier have led me to comment on more than one occasion about her astute observations and research. It is no easy task to speak the language of our canine companions, but Victoria does it with such skill, I’ve come to believe she is part canine.

On July 16, 2015 it was a privilege to reveal the cover of the first book in the series, Fenway and Hattie.  We chatted about writing, this first book, dogs and the irresistible Jack Russell terrier, Fenway.  Upon reading Fenway and Hattie, I was paws-itively captivated from beginning to end.  And this initial opinion, expressed in my blog post, has not wavered with repeated readings.  For each of the three subsequent titles, Fenway and Hattie and the Evil Bunny Gang, Fenway and Hattie Up to New Tricks and Fenway and Hattie In the Wild we have been able to laugh and learn along with Fenway and his human, Hattie, as they grow to be their best selves.

Given my total admiration for this series, the selection of Fenway and Hattie as the 2017 Global Read Aloud choice and for One School, One Book, you can imagine my joy upon hearing Fenway and Hattie will soon be available in Spanish!  Fenway y Hattie, the Spanish edition, will make the story of a dog and his human and their daily lives, after moving from the city to suburbia, accesibile to an even larger audience.  I can already hear the laughter, and growing compassion, of a new group of readers, as they follow this story told entirely from Fenway’s point of view. I am happy to have Victoria here today to answer some questions before we reveal the cover of this new Spanish edition.

Victoria, congratulations! How excited are you that the Fenway and Hattie Spanish edition will soon be out in the world?

Oh my goodness, Margie, I am SO excited! Honestly, I had no idea this would happen, and when I found out I could not believe it.

I was heartily encouraged to take Spanish as a second language by my father.  After studying for nine years, in my final class in college, I could listen to lectures in Spanish, take notes in
Spanish and read Spanish, understanding it very well.  Do you speak Spanish yourself?

I do not and I’m impressed that you do! It’ll be such a funny experience when I get to flip through my own book and not understand the writing on the pages. You’ll have to read it to me. ☺

When I first read Fenway and Hattie, I remember telling you that this book was going to be huge. It was chosen for the Scholastic Book Club, then the Global Read Aloud. Now three sequels have come out, it’s a One School, One Book favorite, and soon to be coming out in Spanish! When are you going to start believing me?

You did say that, Margie, and it really is still very hard for me to get my brain around it. Two years later, I can’t believe the Global Read Aloud actually happened, and now every time I visit a One School, One Book school - which I do often - it’s overwhelming to see my little dog in the foyer, on the walls, in the classrooms, library, literally everywhere.

I’ll tell you, teachers are SO energetic and creative. I’m continually blown away by the activities and projects they do while reading the book. And of course, I can’t get enough of the kids. I’m just really thankful that this series has given me so many opportunities to connect with them. Any day I’m at an elementary school is a very good day!

What went into the decision for Penguin Young Readers to publish Fenway y Hattie, and how did that come about? Did you have any input into the translation?

I’m not 100% sure how the decision got made, but I do know there have been a lot of requests, especially from teachers, for a Spanish edition of Fenway and Hattie. There are so many areas in the country where children speak Spanish, so many bilingual classes and schools, and of course so many parents whose first language is Spanish, that teachers are always on the lookout for books in Spanish; especially books that appeal to children of all ages and families, and would make a great read-aloud.

As for how it happened, since I don’t speak Spanish, I wasn’t very involved at all. My editor, Susan Kochan, worked with a professional translator as well as a copyeditor in Spain. I do remember she asked me to clarify something in the last chapter, because as you know, Fenway’s observations can be taken more than one way. It was important to get the context right.

Since the publication of Fenway and Hattie my beloved Xena passed away and you lost Kipper, the inspiration for the first book.  I now have Mulan, an almost three-year-old chocolate labrador retriever. While she exhibits all the canine qualities we love in dogs, she has her own quirks. Would you tell us how you went about introducing the personalities of the other dogs Fenway meets after moving from the city to suburbia?  Did this entail additional research about different dog breeds? Are these dogs based upon dogs you know?

Well, I come up with personalities for the dogs in different ways. First and foremost is my deep belief that every dog is an individual, just as humans are. So while breed is a factor, it’s not the only factor. Mostly I try to remember that readers want to connect with the characters, so I want each dog to be relatable and unique.

Sometimes I like to give a dog a personality that’s totally opposite from how we think of the breed, like Goldie. She’s a golden retriever, but she’s a grump!

I know how much you miss Kipper, but do you have any dog news you would like to share with readers?

Margie, I know you asked this just so we can talk about the new cutie in our family! ☺ And yes, two months ago our son and his girlfriend brought home an adorable and very lively little pup named Teddy Graham. She stole everyone’s hearts immediately.







I’m being nudged by a persistent cold wet nose attached to a head and body constantly being wiggled by a tail.  I think someone, namely my canine companion Mulan, besides me is excited to see this new cover. Here we go!

Fenway y Hattie by Victoria J. Coe releases in paperback on December 31, 2019 from Puffin Books and is available for preorder now.

To learn more about Victoria J. Coe and the other Fenway and Hattie books, please follow the link attached to her name to access her website. Victoria has accounts on Twitter and Instagram. If you are interested in the One School, One Book program access their website by following a link attached to their name. 

Victoria J. Coe grew up a fan of books, dogs, and the Boston Red Sox. Today she combines these passions as the author of the middle grade series, Fenway and Hattie, told from the perspective of a rambunctious Jack Russell terrier named Fenway. With fellow author Elly Swartz, she also co-hosts the Youtube series BooksintheKitchen. Victoria lives with her family on the outskirts of Boston.

An Excellent Excursion And The Art Of Empathy

There are characters in stories who make a mark on your heart permanently.  Frequently when seeing or hearing other individuals in real life, the first thing you think is of one of these fictional beings. You do so because the attributes of the characters are superbly mirrored in these individuals.

If one of these heartprint personalities plays a part in multiple stories, you have the privilege of watching them become the very best they can be.  If one of these characters happens to be a dog, you have the opportunity of learning to be the best you can be.  On February 9, 2016 readers met an exuberant, ambitious and dedicated professional in Fenway and Hattie (G. P. Putnam's Sons, an imprint of Penguin Random House).  In each subsequent year this Jack Russell terrier and his human girl returned in Fenway and Hattie and the Evil Bunny Gang, Fenway and Hattie Up To New Tricks and on May 7, 2019 the fourth entry in this series written by Victoria J. Coe, Fenway and Hattie In the Wild, is set to be released.

Before we're even out the door, I know
something has changed.  

This is no normal walk for Fenway and his human, Hattie.  Her father, Fetch Man, is coming with them.  They travel to a part of the neighborhood new to Fenway.  A house owned by a man with a delectable smell, glazed doughnut, welcomes them.  They soon leave carrying objects stinking of pine trees, burnt marshmallows and wild animals with musky odors.  The next day when Food Lady, Fetch Man and Hattie pack the car to the brim and travel a long, long distance, Fenway is sure this is an enormous change.  He's right.

Fenway and his family, and to his surprise Hattie's next-door neighbor and best friend, Angel, her parents, Tool Man and Muffin Lady and their two dogs, Patches and Goldie, have arrived at the same place.  It's a campground complete with wild woods.  Immediately Fenway is alert to all possible dangers which might befall his beloved Hattie and her family.

Our beloved canine quickly learns that the dynamics between the short humans and the canines accompanying them supply their own kind of challenge.  As the newcomers to this annual before-school-starts-three-day outing, Fenway and Hattie have to navigate becoming members of already established groups.  For Hattie, although the beginning is a tad rocky, she seems to be accepted.  Fenway, on the other paw, is not so fortunate.  It seems the dog, Coco, canine companion to Marcus, is as much of a trouble-maker and bully as he is.

Each group activity, meals, field day races, hiking, canoeing and daily play at the dog park presents opportunities and obstacles in Fenway's attempts to first protect and comfort his human and second to be joined in his quest for fun and food.  Added to this is the presence of a nasty intruder who enjoys stealing from the campsites.  Fenway's every attempt to solve this mystery is met with human and canine hurdles he finds hard to jump.

Tension mounts as Fenway's heart seems to steer his intentions in the wrong direction.  Hattie knows what she needs to do, but will she do it?  A hair-raising conclusion in the dark of night confirms what readers have come to know about this courageous canine and his human.


As I was reading large portions of this book for the third time, I stand in awe of the writing of author Victoria J. Coe.  Her initial and continuing vision of telling these stories from Fenway's point of view not only raises the entertainment level for readers but allows us to learn along with the characters.  We have seen Hattie grow in her relationships with her peers; she is learning to stand by her beliefs and extend compassion to others.  Fenway's enthusiasm for life in general and his desire to be on the job protecting his human pushes us to be more canine.  We need to notice the details life gives us.  We need to experience our world in a more sensory capacity.

Being aware of what Fenway is thinking (and dreaming) broadens our perspectives.  The conversations between the dogs, Patches and Goldie, and the newly introduced campsite comrades, Lucky, the Chocolate Labrador and Coco, the Pomeranian, paint perfect pictures of their personalities.  These insights allow us to make comparisons with humans. The names assigned humans by Fenway, the human dialogue, and the descriptions of time and place all contribute to a story full of energy; the same kind of energy which fills Fenway's soul.  Here are a few of my many marked passages.

Things are changing so fast these days, my guard is totally up.  Fetch Man and Food Lady keep saying a word I used to hear when we lived in the city---"skool."  I can't remember what it means.  Every time they say this, Hattie's breathing speeds up and she smells worried.  It's almost as if another change is coming and we're both afraid to find out what it is.

There's hardly any light, except for small bright spots on the ground.  It's noisy, too, with chirps and trills and buzzes I've never heard before.  And scents of wood and leaves and pests like squirrels and chipmunks.  Plus strange animals that smell even worse than bunnies.  My paw just misses stepping on a tail that slithers away through the brush.  At least I think it was a tail? 

Right when I'm beginning to wonder if the cat stole their tongues, the Boston cocks her head.  "You're not that dog Fenway, are you?"
I stand a little taller, my tail high and waving.  "I sure am!" I say.  "Have you girls heard of me?"
The Boston looks at the Border Collie, who's already slinking away.  "Um, sort of," she mutters.  Next thing I know, she's skulking off too.
My tail sinking, I turn to the ladies.  "Nobody likes me.  Do I smell flowery or something?"
Before they can respond, I notice Coco and her gang sauntering past, and suddenly, everything is crystal clear.


This fourth title, Fenway and Hattie In the Wild written by Victoria J. Coe with spot interior illustrations by Kristine A. Lombardi, is totally woof-tastic!  It's got all the ingredients for a delicious treat; action, intrigue, building relationships of all kinds and the wonderful, beating heart of a fearless, positive and hilarious dog.  The best part is it can be consumed repeatedly.  I highly recommend this title, this entire series, for your professional and personal collections.

To learn more about Victoria J. Coe and her other work, please visit her website by following the link attached to her name.  Victoria has many extras at her site for all types of readers.  Here is the page devoted to this title.  Victoria has accounts on Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter.  At the publisher's website you can read an excerpt.

Domestic Dog Park Dilemma

Those rascally rodents named chipmunks have set up a kingdom on my property.  A series of doorways are evidence of their residence.  They have a roadway from one corner of my home along the back to the other corner.  Based upon masterful sniffing by my canine companion their travel routes have been expanded to include the edge of the newly installed fence around the perimeter of my back yard.

If either of us should happen to walk or run and leap off the deck when one of these striped marauders is present, we will be scolded with a telltale, high-pitched chirping.  Given the speed of my furry friend (she nearly got a squirrel by the tail recently); they might want to consider a move. Fenway and Hattie: Up to New Tricks (G. P. Putnam's Sons, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, January 2, 2018) written by Victoria J. Coe with spot interior illustrations by Kristine A. Lombardi is the third in a series featuring heartwarming days in the life of an ever-vigilant Jack Russell terrier and his human.

I scramble through Hattie's blankets,
searching for the used-to-be bear.  His legs are long
gone.  But he's still got an arm and a head with two 
button eyes.  And most important of all, he's always here
when I need him---just like Hattie.  They're both always
up for a loving snuggle or a thrilling game of keep-away.

Which I am about to win. 

With energy levels in the high position more than low, Fenway scampers from Hattie's bedroom to the Eating Place with Fetch Man and Food Lady and after lunch, back again to follow his short human to her bedroom closet.  With the mention of the familiar word, Nana, Fenway can feel his own excitement heighten but he's puzzled by Hattie's smell.  It's worry.  When she pulls a box out from the back of her closet, filled with items he's seen before, he's more curious than ever.  Yikes!  That was close.  Why was he put inside the box?

The next day after giving chase to a criminal intruder, a chipmunk, Fenway discovers there's something worse than the vet according to his two neighborhood friends, Goldie and Patches.  Shivering at the thought he might suffer their recent fate, he heads inside following Hattie.  There is most definitely something up in his household.  The Gate is up again in the empty room which is no longer empty, Fetch Man and Food Lady are working on a project there and Hattie takes the Nana-box from her bedroom to the back porch.

As Hattie shows her best friend, Angel, the contents of the box Angel is clearly intrigued and offers Hattie encouragement.  At the same time Goldie, Patches and Fenway are racing around the yard when the pesky chipmunk appears.  In pursuit Fenway can't figure out how it keeps disappearing.  Pawing at the dirt and not heeding a distinct buzzing, ends in extreme pain for the little dog. What just happened?!

A race to the vet, Spicy Breath, results in a weird woozy dream.  When Fenway wakes up he discovers the Cone of Doom is around his neck.  How is he going to be a professional?  More importantly, how is he going to eat?

An itchy paw needing many licks, yucky yucky drops, the abracadabra stick, the Nana-box, sour goo, a kiddie pool, a mysterious big truck, and another race to the vet means Fenway's life is full of too many surprises.  Needing a break from this series of changes, one chipmunk-induced catastrophe after another makes everything worse.  It's only when a loving, shared tune is howled that balance is restored.  Look out world, Fenway's back on the job!


This series of books about Fenway and his short human, Hattie, although fiction tell readers more about how dogs think and why they act the way they do than most nonfiction books.  When Victoria J. Coe pens these stories in the voice of Fenway we become Fenway.  We sense the world as he does; developing a strong emotional attachment to every facet of his doggy life.

Through his thoughts, actions, conversations with canine pals, Goldie and Patches, and human dialogue he understands, we are not only keenly aware of his viewpoint but the viewpoint of the other individuals in his life.  The pace of the story matches the pace of a Jack Russell terrier, quick with pep, perception and humor.  Fenway's goal in life is foremost in everything he does; he believes in being a protector for his people.  He thrives on their love for him.  Here are a few of my marked passages.

Her fingers brush my leg, but I'm already on the move.  I shoot out onto the rug.  I'm headed for the door when---
Whoa!  Everything goes black.  And there's a towel over my head.
Really, Hattie?  Is this the best you've got?
One wiggle, two shakes, and the drape-y towel falls to the floor.  Whoopee! I'm free again!
For the moment.  I spin around, ready to take off, but find myself nose-to-nose with Hattie.  And pinned between her legs.
Her eyes widen in victory.  I gaze up at my short human's dirt-smudged face, so happy, so full of love.  She's won.  I've lost.  Game over.
The used-to-be bear falls to the floor.  There only one thing left to do.
I leap into Hattie's outstretched arms.  If the game's got to end, it might as well be on my terms.  I sigh happily into her wonderful scent of mint and vanilla.  And dirt.

Normally, riding in the car is very exciting---sticking my head out the window, the rush of air hitting my face, my nostrils pulsing with thrilling scents.  Normally, I'd go nuts wondering where we're going.  Maybe someplace interesting.  Or delicious.
But none of those things is happening.  This is no normal ride in the car.  All I want to do is curl up on Hattie's lap and lick, lick, lick that awful fire away.
Slurp, slurp, slurp . . .
We zoom.  We cruise.  We turn.  We stop.
Hattie flings her door open, and we race up to a building that looks like a store.
But it doesn't have big windows like a store.  And it doesn't smell like a store, either.
It smells like dogs . . .and cats . . .and . ..FEAR.

I look for my chance all afternoon.  But
Hattie is on me like fur.  If I didn't know better, I'd swear she'd suddenly turned into a guard dog.


The voice of this dog rings so true and so clear as you are reading Fenway and Hattie: Up to New Tricks written by Victoria J. Coe with spot interior illustrations by Kristine A. Lombardi that you'll find it hard to believe Fenway did not type this story on the family computer.  This book like Fenway is clever, energetic, and full of love.  It is about a dog but it is also about the growing friendship between Hattie and Angel and the family dynamics between Hattie and her parents and her grandmother.  Everyone is maturing.  Everyone is learning.  You will want to add this title to the two previous titles Fenway and Hattie and Fenway and Hattie and the Evil Bunny Gang in your professional and personal collections.

To learn more about Victoria J. Coe and her journey publishing these three titles, all the extra items for these books and her wondrous time when Fenway and Hattie was selected for the 2017 Global Read Aloud, please visit her website by following the link attached to her name.  At the publisher's website you can get a peek inside the book plus read the first eleven pages.  The cover reveal for this title is found at the Nerdy Book Club.  Victoria has created a Padlet board of Fenway and Hattie resources.  Victoria maintains an account on Instagram and on Twitter.

UPDATE:  The book trailer for this new book is found at Scholastic's Ambassador of School Libraries, John Schumacher's blog, Watch. Connect. Read., on January 2, 2018.)

Roguish Rabbits On The Rampage

When you and your four-month-old canine companion are the first two beings to walk the park after a snowfall you are both taking in the messages left by the wild inhabitants.  You can see the tracks of many deer, rabbits, birds and paw prints looking suspiciously like those of a fox.  Nose to the ground your furry friend is zig-zagging all over the path inhaling the scents left behind by those very animals.  Over and over her nose sticks into a deer track like its ambrosia, then she'll lift her head to perhaps get a whiff of the same smell on the breeze.

On February 9, 2016 readers met a happy-go-lucky Jack Russell terrier and his short human girl.  Fenway and Hattie (G. P. Putnam's Sons, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC) written by Victoria J. Coe with spot interior illustrations by Kristine A. Lombardi gives readers insights into the mind of this dog through the story told from his perspective.  Both Fenway and Hattie are challenged by their move from the noisy city to the quiet suburbs in this first book.  In a companion title, Fenway and Hattie and the Evil Bunny Gang (G. P. Putnam's Sons, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, January 24, 2017), Fenway's vigilance and professionalism are tested constantly as he tries to protect Hattie and her family from new nasty intruders.

I'm out in the Dog Park behind our new
house, enjoying a refreshing roll-around in the grass
when I pick up the despicable smell of rodent.  It can
only be one thing---a squirrel.

First chasing a pesky squirrel from their Dog Park, Fenway is now happily engaged in play with Patches and Goldie, the dogs of Muffin Lady, Tool Man and Angel, their next door neighbors.  While Hattie and Angel are chatting about Angel's new jacket and tickets to Fenway Park (which momentarily intrigues Fenway), he decides to take a short cut through the vegetable garden to get an edge on Goldie and Patches but stops dead in his tracks.  What is that terrible stench?

Not only is the smell hideous but something has been digging in the dirt and has ruined all the new little plants.  There's only one dog for the job of discovering these villains and it's Fenway.  As he sets out to track down the culprits, the damage is discovered by Food Lady.  She is not happy at all.  Fenway gets blamed for the mess and Hattie is scolded for not watching her dog.  Hattie lifts him up just as he locates some tiny pellets.

Relegated to the front yard, Hattie and Fenway notice their neighbors, Whisker Face and Round Lady, coming home across the street.  Hattie bounds over to them and seems excited by the result of their conversation.  Fenway, on the other paw, smells that particular foul odor all over the couple.  It would appear there is a gang of these evil creatures throughout the neighborhood.

Fenway keeps pursuing the smell in the garden and discovers more damage, a hole under their fence. He's even more determined to protect his family and the yard even though Goldie and Patches tell him the critters are called bunnies and supposedly harmless.  It hardly seems like they are harmless when Fenway keeps getting blamed for their destruction.

Just when Fenway thinks it can't get any worse it does.  The object of the happy conversation with Whisker Face and Round Lady ends up in their home.  Fenway does not believe what Goldie and Patches tell him.  It just can't be true.  On top of all this Hattie seems more distressed than she should when she looks out her bedroom window and into Angel's back yard.  What is going on in Fenway's humans' home?

Several disasters set events in motion which only Fenway (and Hattie) can fix.  Fenway knows he must do that which goes against his most basic desires.  But...he will do anything for the happiness of his human.


When Victoria J. Coe writes about dogs for dogs, readers are inside the dog's skin, living their lives and thinking their thoughts.  She seems to have an almost supernatural connection with them sensing the world as they do.  Each situation is viewed, smelled, tasted, touched, and heard as only a dog can.  She ties us so closely to the character of Fenway we find ourselves wondering how his humans could fail to understand what he has to do.

In this particular story Fenway shines brighter than ever but Coe deftly weaves other elements into his narrative.  She addresses human responsibility for completing tasks, jealousy between pets and humans, the give and take in relationships and the value of differing personalities.  Both Fenway and Hattie are growing as individuals.  Here are some sample passages.

Panting wildly I chase him through the grass.  My sides are heaving, but I will not give up!  I'm gaining on him!  I'm about to grab his flouncy little tail---
But that nasty squirrel hurls himself onto the side fence.  He scurries to the top and dives into the Dog Park next door.
"And don't come back!" I bark, thrusting out my chest in victory.  Ridding the Dog Park of squirrels is a tough job.  But luckily, I'm a professional.
I rush back to Hattie, who's headed toward the porch.  I jump on her legs.  "Great news!" I bark.  "The nasty squirrel is gone."
She scoops me into her arms, showering me with kisses.  She must be awfully grateful I saved her from the dangerous threat.  Again.

"Hattie!" Food Lady sounds upset.  She
sprints across the porch, nearly tripping over Hattie's
tangled jump rope.
"FEN-way!" Hattie cries, her voice high with alarm.  She charges at me right toward the danger!
I free my hind leg and dart around the ripped zucchini leaves.  That nasty creature could still be at large.  Anything could happen!  "Nobody panic.  I'll find the troublemaker!"  I get back to sniffing like crazy.
Food Lady speeds through the grass.  "FEN-way!" she snaps.  Her arms wave.  Her eyes bulge.  She's clearly even more upset by the danger than Hattie is.

How can I play at a time like this?  That Evil Bunny Gang might be plotting their invasion.  They could be tunneling into the Dog Park at any moment.  I have way too much work to do.


The action is nonstop.  The humor will have you laughing out loud.  The love will have you looking for the nearest dog to hug.  Fenway and Hattie and the Evil Bunny Gang written by Victoria J. Coe with spot interior illustrations by Kristine A. Lombardi will have you flipping pages as fast as you can wondering how this bundle of energy is going to prove to his humans how professional he truly is.  You will be talking about this book as often as you can to readers.  I would plan on multiple copies.

To discover more about Victoria J. Coe please visit her website by following the link attached to her name.  If you follow the link to my blog post about the first title you can view many more additional resources.  On July 21, 2016 Victoria J. Coe was interviewed at It's All About the Journey.  Both the cover reveal for this title and the premiere for the book trailer were unveiled at Scholastic's Ambassador of School Libraries John Schumacher's blog, Watch. Connect. Read.  You'll enjoy the conversations and glimpses into this book.  Teacher librarian Jennifer Reed writes on her blog, Reederama, about an activity she did after sharing portions of this book with her students.  Educator Michele Knott shares her thoughts about this book on her blog, Mrs. Knott's Book Nook.

For Love Of A Dog #15

The call of the West has been sounding in my ears for decades.  It was not until a year and a half ago; life opened the door of opportunity.   My one huge hesitation to go forward was my sweet Xena.  Her fourteenth birthday was only three months away.

After repeated conversations with her vet, I decided to make a trip to Montana in June to see how we would like it.  You could have not asked for a better travel companion than this chocolate Labrador retriever. She thoroughly enjoyed hiking in the local parks, taking in all the new sights and smells.  Unfortunately, our home in Michigan did not sell.

In the spring of 2015 we re-listed with a new agent.  Our walks in the neighborhood were shorter, maybe a half mile or a few blocks at a time.  Sometimes we only took a couple of spins around the yard.  Weather permitting we spent entire days outside, Xena sitting or sleeping in the yard as I gardened, read and wrote on my laptop.  In the middle of August we finally got a solid offer on the house.  This year she was days away from her fifteenth birthday.  Again I had conversations with her vet.

Within the span of thirty days we made three journeys back and forth between Michigan and Montana by car.  On each of those trips, comfort and a place for Xena to walk were foremost in my mind.  With every rest stop, hotel stay and hours spent on the road, my love for her grew.  Her strength in the face of this enormous change was a marvel to see.   (To read about our western travels, Xena and I wrote these blog posts, Westward Ho!, Blowing in the Wind-Changes, and Blowing in the Wind-Changes Part II.)

For two months after we arrived in Montana she enjoyed hours sitting or sleeping outside unless it was too cold.  We finally had a fenced-in back yard with easy access to keep her safe.  She carefully watched deer move cautiously on the other side of the fences and squirrels leap from tree branch to tree branch.  Like the matriarch she was, she took note of the dogs living next door to us on either side but only gave them a nod.  Her nose would lift in the air over and over again.  She was inhaling all life had to offer.

Shortly after the final trip to Montana a long anticipated ARC, Fenway and Hattie (G. P. Putnam's Sons, an imprint of Penguin Random House, February 9, 2016) written by Victoria J. Coe, made its way into my possession.  It was previously my honor to host Fenway and Hattie Cover Reveal, Canine Capers in Suburbia on July 15, 2015.  With marvelous insight and humor Victoria J. Coe introduces us to two new characters, a Jack Russell terrier and his girl.

As soon as we get off the elevator, I know something is wrong.  Our apartment has no mat in front.  The muddy boots and fake flowers are gone.  The doorway looks empty.  Abandoned.  Like nobody lives here.

Fetch Man, Food Lady and Hattie, Fenway's human family, are finishing their packing for moving day.  The city with its familiar sights, sounds, sidewalks and a large dog park is being left for a quieter world in the suburbs.  All Fenway knows is some Evil Humans smelling of sweat and coffee have stolen everything while Fetch Man, Food Lady and Hattie watch.  He ferociously tries to warn them of the danger but is placed instead behind The Gate.

A sigh of relief and equal measure of excitement permeate his body when he discovers he is going on a car ride. A long, long time later they all arrive at a house which can only be filled with extraordinary things as the humans are brimming with anticipation. The smells inside and outside are not very interesting but inside there is a Perfect Running Surface and .......Whoa! Ouch! a Wicked Floor covers the entire Eating Place.  This can't be good.  And to make matters worse the Evil Humans have found them here.

In a heartbeat this scenario changes when Hattie opens a door.  It's a Dog Park. There are no other dogs romping or barking, a giant water dish for splashing or jumping benches but there is an expanse of grass surrounded by a fence with a large tree in the center.  Two dogs, Goldie and Patches, in an adjacent dog park attempt to set Fenway straight but it's not until he hears Hattie calling to him from the squirrel house up in the tree that Fenway is not so sure about his place.  Evil Squirrels?  Hattie going where he can't follow?

The appearance of Muffin Lady and her short human, Angel, a strange fetch game with a white ball and leather gloves, the word train-ing, and trouble with getting to his food on the Wicked Floor are everyday occurrences for Fenway.  As if things could not be any more confusing, Fetch Man, Food Lady and Hattie take him to an indoor Dog Park with a One Human present.  There are treats involved but Fenway simply can't comprehend the proper process.

Again and again Fenway tries to protect his best pal, Hattie.  He wants things to be the way they were before the Wicked Floor and the Evil Squirrels.  His attempts to set things right add up to one mistake after another.  What Goldie and Patches are telling him weighs heavily on his doggy soul but this pup is persistent.  His faith in his girl is true.  A Boom-Kaboom night brings out the finest in all.


A deep enduring affection and astute sensitivity for dogs is evident in the writing of Victoria J. Coe.  You have to wonder if they converse with her on a daily basis or come to chat with her as she dreams at night.  Writing this story completely from the viewpoint of Fenway brings us closer through genuine warmth and laughter to knowing how a dog thinks.  We are able to value his perspective while following the growth of Hattie in her relationships with her new friend and parents through his thoughts and the dialogue of the characters, canine personalities included.  Each chapter ends with a wee bit of tension carrying us eagerly to the first sentence on the next page.  Here are some sample passages.

I spring up, furiously pawing the tree, but he's just out of reach.  "You coward!" I bark.  I run in circles around the giant tree, every hackle on my back raised in alarm.
The squirrel turns and creeps down the trunk, tantalizingly close. "Chipper, chatter, squawk!" he screeches again.
I leap and leap, scraping the bark with my claws, "It's called a DOG Park for a reason!" I growl.
But instead of scampering away, he inches closer.  His beady eyes are challenging me.
Does he not know who he's dealing with? I jump higher and higher, my jaws ready to snap!
Finally, he gets the message.  He scrambles way up the trunk.
I watch until he disappears in the rustling and swaying branches.  I am about to bark "Good riddance!" when I spot his flouncy tail shooting through...a window?

The One Human keeps on talking, the humans keep on listening, and the dogs have no idea what's going on.  Do the humans expect us to just hang out and wait patiently?  It's the very definition of impossible. 


Fenway and Hattie written by Victoria J. Coe will captivate readers with the joyful interpretation of life by a dog who is

a professional

at protecting his family and loving his cherished girl.  Chapter by chapter your admiration will grow for this canine cutie and his every effort.  The next book in the series,  Fenway and Hattie and the Evil Bunny Gang, has a teaser which reads:

Fenway thinks nothing can be worse than a gang of Evil Bunnies until he comes face to face with one who is the biggest threat of all.

Victoria J. Coe has graciously offered to answer some more of my questions for this post.

Your insights into a dog’s point of view are astounding.  Did you consult with a dog trainer or dog psychologist or are all your thoughts based upon personal observations and experiences?

Thank you! I based Fenway's point of view on my personal observations and experiences. However since then, I've done a good amount of research that I include in my school visits.

What is Kipper’s favorite dog treat? (Kipper is Victoria's real life canine companion.)

Kipper never met a treat he didn't like! His favorites are anything he finds on the sidewalk or on the ground -  a bit of pizza crust, a bagel, part of a sandwich, you name it! Of course, he also loves dog treats that I buy at the store (and carry in my pockets).

What is your favorite treat?

I'm very partial to sweets. 

What is Kipper’s favorite daily activity?

Without a doubt, Kipper's favorite daily activity is our morning walk. Since we moved, we no longer have a big yard for him to play in, so I take him out for a good five mile walk every day.

What is your favorite daily activity?

You know, I'd have to say our walk is my favorite activity, too! It's a chance to get outside - no matter what the weather - and start off the day getting some perspective on the world. 

To discover more about Victoria J. Coe please visit her website by following the link attached to her name.  A page has been dedicated to using Fenway and Hattie in the classroom.  Find out more about Victoria J. Coe at The Sweet Sixteens, a site featuring 2016 Young Adult and Middle Grade Debut Authors.  Victoria J. Coe wrote a post at the Nerdy Book Club, How Ribsy Changed My Life (Or It All Depends On Your Point Of View).  You can read the first chapter of Fenway and Hattie at the publisher's website. 

There are two separate giveaways for this final post in memory of my beloved dog Xena who lived her life with me for more than fifteen years.

UPDATE:  February 18, 2016 Guess what people!  There's a new post about Fenway and Hattie describing all the wonderful and not so wonderful things in Fenway's life.  You'll want to read this. Victoria J. Coe truly speaks for dogs.  

UPDATE:  February 22, 2016 There is a classroom guide on Victoria J. Coe's website now. 

UPDATE:  February 25, 2016 There is a brand new fun interview of Victoria J. Coe at Coffee With a Canine.

UPDATE:  February 27, 2016 If you would like to see some of the interior illustrations the artist posted them here. 

UPDATE:  July 21 2016 Victoria J. Coe is a guest at educator and author Stacy Mozer's site, It's All About the Journey