Bonnie Worth

Barry was a well-known rescue dog and the inspiration for today's Saint Bernard breed. Believed to have rescued over 40 people, his life is a legend among dogs (heh heh).

This book weaves the legends and sparse facts about Barry into an engaging narrative from the dog's point of view. Barry starts out by explaining where his breed came from and why they were in the Alps. His own story begins with his puppyhood in the basement of the Great Saint Bernard Hospice in 1800. He tells the reader show more about how he was raised and the Hospice, including encounters with Napoleon and various travelers. After many years of rescue work, Barry is injured by a confused traveler and loses his beloved friend. After that, he is taken to live with a kindly friend and eventually his body was stuffed and put on display in a museum.

The appendix explains more about the history of Saint Bernards and the changes in the breed. There are several online sources for more information on Barry's history and the breed and some general information about owning a Saint Bernard.

This is the third book in the Dog Diaries series. I haven't seen the first two, but from their description it appears that each book is about a different breed, not necessarily a specific, historical dog. The first book, Ginger, is about a fictional golden retriever named Ginger and puppy mills, the second book is about Buddy, the first seeing eye dog.

Verdict: The blend of fiction and nonfiction is exactly what a lot of kids love. Join that with dogs, cute black and white pictures, historical drama, and a nice easy length and readability and this series will be a sure winner with your younger middle grade readers and beginning chapter readers ready to transition to a harder series. Recommended.

ISBN: 9780449812808; Published 2013 by Random House; Review copy provided by the publisher; First two books in the series added to the library's tentative order list show less

Planet of the …? …Centaurs?

Centaurs, I thought. Great! The last book I read using horse mythologies was Robin McKinley’s Pegasus. But I must say that with Daughter of the Centaurs (Centauriad #1)by Kate Klimo, I felt like I’d stumbled into the centaur equivalent of planet of the Apes. (I noticed after later that other reviewers referenced this as well)
Many, many times I wondered if Malora’s sympathy for centaurs is misplaced. I definitely don’t like them very much. Why, I kept show more thinking have you given up your horses, your independence for this lot?
I see in the Centaurs' attitudes, overtones of the nobility prior to the French Revolution. Yet it's Malora's very aloneness (is she the last human alive?) that forces her to seek companionship and approval even with those outside her ken, yet somehow close enough to draw strength from, although she is treated as some sort of exotic exhibit. The ability to communicate opens possibilities and lessens the solitude. At times this is an interesting read with promise, even if annoying.
I didn’t hate it but it just squeaks into ok by a mere thread. I hope the series develops its potential with an enlivened thrust and crosses that squeaky line, hanging by more than a mere thread, if I may mix my metaphors.

A Netgalley ARC show less

In rhyme, the Cat in the Hat discusses a few different species of dinosaur and how to pronounce their names correctly, followed by the fictional Cat-in-the-Hat-saurus.

I find the non-Seuss Cat in the Hat series books to be pretty eyeroll-worthy, but I did appreciate the rhymes here being used to teach pronunciation of dinosaur names. Definitely helps me with pronouncing them when I read other dinosaur books out loud.

A day in the life of Pooh as he wakes up, battles bees as he hunts for honey, shares with friends, and heads back to bed. It's board book told in sentences of one to three words and has the most adorable pictures that just made me squee on nearly every page, especially when the cutest little Pooh ever gets angry. Ooooh, Pooh Bear, you are ever so cross, yes you are, you livid little lambiekins!

(My Pooh Project: I love Winnie the Pooh, and so does my wife. Having a daughter gave us a chance show more to indoctrinate her into the cult by buying and reading her every Pooh book we came across. How many is that? I’m going to count them this year by reading and reviewing one every day and seeing which month I finally run out. Track my progress here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/23954351-rod-brown?ref=nav_mybooks&she... ) show less