Dog Diaries 1 Ginger

Running away and joining a pack of wild dogs after enduring numerous harrowing experiences, Ginger the golden retriever evaluates the course of her life and wonders if she will ever find a loving permanent home, in a story complemented by information

For anyone who has ever wanted a puppy, the DOG DIARIES series tells a dog's story in a new way--from a dog's point of view! Focusing on a different breed for each book, these stories are based on true dog stories or on true-to-life situations. With realistic black-and-white illustrations by renowned illustrator Tim Jessel and a factual appendix, dog-loving early chapter book readers will beg for more! Born in a puppy mill, Ginger the golden retriever looks back on her life and the various people who have "owned" her. Abruptly separated from her mother, littermates, and the wire cage that was her whole world, Ginger is shuttled from one harrowing situation to another until she finally escapes, living as an outlaw with a pack of wild dogs. But freedom doesn't feel so good once she becomes hungry and cold and sick. Will Ginger ever find a furever family to call her own? Appendix features information about puppy mills, breed rescue groups, animal shelters, choosing a pet, and the history of golden retrievers.

Born in a puppy mill, Ginger the golden retriever looks back on her life and the various people who have "owned" her. Abruptly separated from her mother, littermates, and the wire cage that was her whole world, Ginger is shuttled from one harrowing situation to another until she finally escapes, living as an outlaw with a pack of wild dogs. But freedom doesn't feel so good once she becomes hungry and cold and sick. Will Ginger ever find a furever family to call her own? With realistic black-and-white illustrations by renowned illustrator Tim Jessel, and an appendix featuring information about puppy mills, breed rescue groups, animal shelters, choosing a pet, and the history of golden retrievers, dog-crazy early middle-grade readers will beg for more!

A dachshund loses a leg and finds his life's calling—as a therapy dog! Scrappy dachshund Rolf von Noodle may be missing a hind leg, but he's got attitude and can-do spirit to spare! If anything, his tripod status gives him something special: real empathy for people overcoming physical challenges. And as his owner Mindy discovers, it makes him an ideal choice to become a therapy dog. With realistic black-and-white illustrations and an appendix that includes photographs and information about the American Kennel Club's Canine Good Citizen program, therapy dog training, tripod dogs, and more, this is the kind of fact-based fiction reluctant middle grade readers sit up and beg for!

Fans of dog stories and the RMS Titanic, take note! This new entry in the Dog Diaries series—based on a true story—is narrated by a pampered Peke that survived the fateful voyage! Sun Yat-Sen—aka Sunny—enjoys the finer things in life. Noble canine companion to globe-trotters Henry and Myra Harper, Sunny doesn't even like to walk, preferring instead to be carried! Sunny and the Harpers are traveling on the maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic—the biggest, finest ship in the world. So imagine Sunny's horror when he learns he must stay in the Titanic's kennel with eleven other dogs, not in the Harpers' luxurious stateroom! It's . . . unthinkable! But only four days into the voyage, Sunny learns the true meaning of tragedy when, hidden inside Myra's fur coat, he escapes the sinking ship in a lifeboat. Based on a true story, with realistic black-and-white illustrations throughout and a fact-filled appendix that includes information about the RMS Titanic, Pekingese dogs, and more, this is historical fiction for middle graders who don't realize they like historical fiction!

Barry der Menschenretter—a.k.a. Barry—the most famous St. Bernard dog in history, tells the story of his life for the first time. Eight-thousand feet above sea level, in the treacherous pass in the Alps between Italy and Switzerland, the monks of the hospice of St. Bernard have, since the 11th century, kept dogs to help them rescue travelers lost in the snow. In time, these dogs became a breed unto themselves, named for the hospice. They are responsible for helping over 2,000 travelers who might otherwise have frozen to death. With great modesty, Barry tells not just about his own heroic exploits (saving over 40 lives, including that of a 12-year-old boy frozen in a cave), but about his daily life in the hospice, his close relationship with the brothers who train him, and about the other hospice hounds with whom he teams up to guide lost travelers and save lives. With realistic black-and-white illustrations by Tim Jessell—plus an appendix with information about St. Bernards, the Great St. Bernard Hospice, and much, more—Barry's tale is perfect for dog-crazy middle-grade readers!

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Scottie dog Fala helps run a nation! As President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s nearly constant companion, Fala the Scottish terrier was in the unique position to witness the workings of the U.S. presidency. And now for the first time, the sassy Scottie shares his story with readers—from his idyllic puppyhood spent chasing squirrels through his adulthood spent chasing dignitaries around the world with FDR! This entertaining tail (that is, tale) gives middle-graders a dog’s-eye view of the events leading up to the United States entering World War II, as well as a look at the private side of FDR’s life in a wheelchair. Based on primary source material, with realistic black-and-white illustrations and an appendix including information about President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, World War II, Scottish terriers, and more, this is the kind of historical fiction that begs to be read by reluctant readers. It’s a perfect choice for supporting Common Core State Standards.

A beautifully written and insightful portrait of a musical legend by one of our most acclaimed biographers. Buddy Holly is the best-known yet most elusive and enigmatic of all Rock 'n' Roll legends. Now Philip Norman, who has won international praise for his biographies of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Elton John, has written the definitive story of a short but extraordinary life. Buddy's records are played, and his memory is cherished, the world over.