Ode to a Pug: That Cat! Blog Tour: Review and Prize Pack Giveaway

Cat and dogs don't get along. Is this a truth or a myth? Judge for yourself by reading Ode to a Pug: That Cat!, sequel to the award-winning picture book Ode to a Pug by Jill Rosen. Enter to win a signed hardcover copy, along with an exclusive pug plush and sticker!

My Review:

With delightful rhymes and playful pictures, Ode to a Pug: That Cat! crafts an entertaining and heart-melting story about friendship, acceptance of differences and adaptation to change.

Soon after a cat is brought home by her human, Phoebe the pug starts to notice how different this newcomer is, from where she answers the call of nature to what she likes to play. It's hard to tell if the cat is more of a companion or a competition, but obviously she is no less mischievous than a pug. Phoebe finally gets her peace and space back when the cat is taken away. But why is she missing those meows so much?

Narrated by Phoebe and addressed to the cat, this book in fact features an ode to a cat by a pug. Through the pug's observation, readers get to learn about how the dog and the cat differ in their behavior and personalities, and how they interact with each other in funny but adorable ways. The growing bonds between the two strongly suggest the possibility of true friendship between individuals with substantial differences. Being different can be fun and exciting.

While the earnest tone of the pug adds to the humor of the narrative, the lively, cartoonish drawings that accompany the poem make the characters all the more lovely, charming and amusing. Their vivid facial expressions and body language can keep the readers laughing from beginning to end.

Lyrically written and expressively illustrated, Ode to a Pug: That Cat! makes a fabulous addition to the series and a magnetic read for pet lovers of all ages.

About the Book:

Ages: 3-6 | 22 Pages
Publisher: Pug House Books (2025) | ISBN: 978-1-0692261-1-2

From the author of the award-winning Ode to a Pug comes Ode to a Pug: THAT CAT! – the first in a series of amusing, adorably illustrated stories starring the gassy little pug that started it all.

Hilarious pug Phoebe is back, but she is not alone. See what happens when an unexpected new member enters the household.

Follow the silly antics as our number one velcro dog wrestles with sharing the spotlight. Of course, with its classic curly tail and squishy face, only a pug can pull off being both naughty and irresistible.

Double the chaos. Double the fun. Another laugh-out-loud, read-aloud story perfect for children ages 2-8 and dog (and cat!) lovers of all ages.

Purchase link: Amazon

Foster's Leash Blog Tour: Review and $100 Target Gift Card Giveaway

Have you ever considered fostering an animal? Award-winning author Sarah Sommer's Foster's Leash will get you informed about the process. Learn about this newly released picture book and enter to win a $100 Target gift card!

About the Book:

Book Title: Foster's Leash by Sarah Sommer
Category: Children's Fiction (Ages 3-7), 38 pages
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Publisher: Mascot Kids
Release date: April 2025
Tour dates: April 1 to April 21
Content Rating: G-Picture book intended for children. No mature language or themes.

Fostering animals isn't easy. Suddenly, you're living with a strange dog that needs your help. And once you’ve finally bonded, it’s time to say goodbye. But hard things are worth doing, especially when they change lives.

Follow along to see rescue dog Pepper and her foster family navigate the foster process, the feelings that come with it, and how one leash makes all the difference.

My Review:

Well-written and expressively illustrated, Foster's Leash is an engaging and heartwarming read for young animal lovers, educating them about fostering, handling complex emotions and making a difference.

Told from a first-person perspective, the story follows a young girl's fostering journey, with a focus on the mixed feelings she experiences. The girl enjoys taking care of her first foster dog Pepper and helping match her with the right forever family. When adoption day finally comes, she feels happy for Pepper but at the same time feels sad for having to say goodbye. She chooses to become a foster instead of an adopter because she wants to help more dogs in need. It means she'll have to go through this process over and over again. Is she ready to welcome the next foster dog in line?

Using a kind girl's authentic voice, this touching narrative inspires young animal lovers to help make a difference by taking an active part in fostering. It lays out what to expect in the process, and details how fostering actually works in real life in the back matter. To me, the foster's leash symbolizes the precious bond between the rescue dog and its foster, as well as the responsibilities associated with one's decision to foster.

As an integral part of the book, the artwork accurately captures Pepper's cuteness and the emotional challenges her foster has to manage. It does a wonderful job of drawing readers into the story and endearing the characters.

Inspiring and informative, Foster's Leash is a book that no dog lovers would want to miss.

Buy the Book: Mascot Books | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Bookshop.org | Books-A-Million
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All the Small Wonderful Things Blog Tour: Review and Prize Pack Giveaway

How do you determine if someone counts as a friend or not? Do you care more about the quantity or the quality of your friends? That's what Alex tries to figure out in All the Small Wonderful Things written by Kate Foster. Learn about this unique book and enter to win a signed copy, along with a $100 donation to a rescue dog charity of your choice!

My Review:

Written with love and insights, All the Small Wonderful Things is an engaging and heartwarming middle grade novel exploring the essence of friendship while exhibiting the remarkable power of kindness. It revolves around an autistic boy named Alex, who believes that winning a trophy at the dog show is his only shot at befriending the most popular kids at school. But there's only five days left and so many things could go wrong, from training his beloved furry friend Kevin to registering for the desired categories in the contest. Will everything turn out just fine despite all the unexpected changes that keep popping up to mess up Alex's plan? Will a trophy really bring in more friends as he hopes?

Adopting a first person point of view, the book leads us inside the mind of an autistic child, letting us see, hear and feel things from his angle. This approach allows the readers to get a better knowledge of the concerns and challenges the protagonist has to deal with on a daily basis, and thus a better understanding of his actions and reactions. His intolerance of loud sounds is caused by his acute sense of hearing. He avoids making eye contact because he thinks it's rude to stare at people. He makes constant, conscious efforts to regulate his emotions and to perfect his self-soothing strategies, although he hasn't always been successful. I enjoyed reading the story from cover to cover. My eyes welled up with tears when I reached the ending.

His kind heart, artistic talent, and tenacity make Alex a lovable character. He is lucky to be surrounded by nice people like Angel, Derek, and the adult figures, who set great examples for how we could offer help to those struggling with communication or social interaction. I feel his joy and excitement when Alex comes to the realization that he has more friends than he thinks. Friendship may take different forms. Alex's story urges young readers to be more considerate and caring to autistic kids, and to accept them as who they are.

What stands out from the book is the incredible friendship between Alex and Kevin, who loves him unconditionally, provides comfort and calms him down whenever necessary. The emotional support from such a loyal friend is powerful and priceless.

Easy to follow and fun to read, this is a delightful book for all dog lovers and anyone who cares to discover and cherish all the small wonderful things in life.

About the Book:

Ages 8+ | 240 Pages
Publisher: Candlewick | ISBN-13: 9781536225808

In an endearing story about an autistic boy and his steadfast furry pal, Alex is convinced that winning a trophy at the dog show will help him make a real friend at last.

Eleven-year-old Alex knows that starting middle school will be a big change, and for an autistic person, change can be terrifying. He is sure that having a friend by his side will help. But how can he make one? Alex devises a plan to impress the kids at school by winning a trophy at the PAWS Dog Show with his trusty sidekick, Kevin the Cockapoo. This should be a walk in the park, right? If only. It turns out that finding a friend is harder than Alex thought—unless, maybe, friendship is about something more than popularity.

This charming story, told through Alex’s clear and honest voice, navigates relationships of all stripes between classmates, new neighbors, family, and, of course, a kid and his dog. After all, friendship isn’t one-size-fits-all—maybe it’s found in the small things where you least expect it.

Purchase links: Amazon | Bookshop | Barnes and Noble

Dog Park Blog Tour: Review and Prize Pack Giveaway

We know an ambassador as someone who represents a country, an organization or a brand. But what does a dog park ambassador do? What does it take to become one? Let's learn all about this honorable position in Kathryn Kazoleas' middle grade chapter book Dog Park. Enter to win a prize pack including signed copies of both Dog Park and its sequel Dog Daycare!

My Review:

Written from a dog's point of view, Dog Park is an amusing short story that centers around a labradoodle named Gibson. Gibson is eager to become a dog park ambassador, who is expected to keep the community in order and make everyone (humans included) feel welcomed. On her first training day however, Gibson's excitement soon gets replaced by embarrassment, for she finds it impossible to please the puppies or to suppress her instinct to catch a ball. Just as she is almost convinced that she's not quite ambassador material, she plunges herself into an emergency rescue mission, followed by an overnight adventure in the woods inhabited by aggressive bobcats.

Luckily, these challenges turn into opportunities for Gibson to practice her ambassador skills, including taking care of a naughty, restless, inquisitive puppy. As she finds her way back to the dog park, her confidence finds its way back to her.

Through Gibson's thoughts, actions and observations, the story brings to life a bunch of endearing canine characters, each with a set of distinct traits. Gibson is a bit uptight at times, but she is also kind, brave, smart, prudent and has a strong sense of responsibility. Gibson's best friend Stretch is funny, supportive, optimistic, and dependable. Who wouldn't want a friend like that?

Their story exemplifies the incredible power of friendship and teamwork. It inspires us to be a hero, a leader, and a problem-solver. The book also teaches about fun facts regarding different dog breeds. Did you know that bulldogs can't swim? Animal lovers, especially dog lovers, wouldn't want to miss this fast and entertaining read.

About the Book:

Ages 6+ | 116 Pages
Publisher: Kathryn Kazoleas | ISBN-13: 9781777426118

Gibson the Labradoodle is about to begin her first day of training to become a dog park ambassador, something she has been dreaming about her entire life. Dog park ambassadors hold a very high honor within the dog park community and have many important roles to make sure the dog park is a fun and safe place to be. She has so many great ideas and cannot wait to get started.

While Gibson is training alongside lead ambassador and trainer, Meistro the bulldog, things don’t go as planned. Gibson meets challenge after challenge and isn’t allowed to introduce any of her new ideas. Being a dog park ambassador isn’t what she thought it would be, so she starts to question whether the role is really for her. At the end of her very first training shift, and just as she’s about to give up and tell Meistro she isn’t cut out to be a dog park ambassador after all, there’s an emergency at the river. One of the dog park’s new puppies, Clover, has swum too far out and cannot get back to shore.

Gibson’s best friend and greatest supporter, Stretch the dachshund, convinces her she must help. Gibson springs into action, with Stretch at her side and encouraging her the entire time. Gibson saves the day…almost! Having been swept downstream and far away from the dog park, Gibson is forced to lead the trio back to safety. There’s only one way back through a dark forest with strange sounds and smells. The sun is starting to go down and everybody is tired and scared. But Gibson knows she has to get her friends back home, despite what or who gets in her way.

Purchase links: Amazon

The Benefits of Getting Children Involved in Adopting Pets

Getting a four-legged friend for your home is an important decision that calls for the input of everyone in the family, including the younger members. If you are considering adopting a pet, I'd strongly suggest getting your kids involved in the entire process from finding the perfect pet for adoption to taking care of the new pet at home. This is especially necessary if your child is the one who asked for a new pet in the first place. And there are quite a few benefits for doing so.

1. Recognize the significance of saving lives.
Adopting a pet usually means saving it from being homeless or being euthanized due to lack of space in a shelter. By providing a lovely animal with a loving home, you'll not only enrich your own life, but may also save the life of another animal in need of shelter space. That's why 'saving lives' is often cited as one of the top reasons for adopting pets. You can take this opportunity to teach your child about how the adoption could make a positive impact on the lives of those animals and how it would make our own lives more meaningful.

2. Learn about the basics of decision-making.
Choosing the right pet to adopt for your family is the perfect exercise for developing decision-making skills. You may discuss with your child which breed you prefer. For instance, Chihuahuas make a highly sensible choice in San Diego because the warm, agreeable weather suits them really well. Besides, Chihuahuas are super cute and great with children. You and your child can search online for Chihuahuas available for adoption in your vicinity, attend a meetup or visit a shelter, until you find the one that is meant to become a part of your family. In the process, your kid will learn how to prioritize, how to weigh pros and cons, how to justify a decision, and things along those lines.

3. Learn to take responsibilities.
A new pet to your home will bring along a lot of responsibilities and commitments. Let your child take a share or even take the lead in fulfilling those responsibilities, such as walking the dog, grooming, feeding, potty training, visiting the vet, etc. Kids will not only learn many essential life skills along the way, they will also likely learn to appreciate all the things that their parents have done for them. They may even strengthen their bonds with their parents because of better understanding and because of sharing the care-giving responsibilities for their beloved pet.