Dog Breath By Dav Pilkey
Read to K-1st Graders
If you like books that make you laugh, you will enjoy reading this book. There is a dog named Hally that belongs to the Tosis family. She is the perfect dog except for one BIG problem. She has really bad breath. Even the skunks walk on the other side of the street when she walks by! The Tosis parents tell their children they must give the dog away. The children do everything they can to help remedy Hally Tosis' Halitosis so they can keep her. They take her to the top of a mountain for a breath taking view and more!
The Bravest Dog Ever, The True Story of Balto
By Donald Cook
Read to 2nd-3rd Graders
This is a true story of the famous journey on the Iditarod trail in January, 1925 when some people in Nome, Alaska became deathly ill with Diphtheria and needed medicine that was 800 miles away in Anchorage. The only way to get the medicine in time was to travel by dog sled because of the extreme weather conditions. Balto was strong, calm and wise when taking his pack and even Gunner, his master, through a terrible blizzard, over cracked ice and more. Twenty hours straight and 51 miles, he lead the team to Nome. There is a statue of Balto in Central Park in New York City to honor his heroic run that saved the lives of many people in Nome.
Togo is a book about another dog that ran the same dog sled relay to help the people of Nome as Balto. He, too, faced much adversity and led his dog sled pack 350 miles on the trail before Balto's turn came at the end.
Saving Zasha
By Randi Barrow
Read to 4-6th Graders
A German Shepherd, perhaps the last one, is found in Post World War II Russia. Dogs are a hot commodity in Russia for dog thieves, the military's superdog breeding program, dog lovers, and German haters. While riding his horse, Paku, through the fields of his family's farm, a boy from the Tarkov family finds a wounded man and helps him. He realizes the man was stabbed by dog thieves who were trying to steal his German Shepherd, Zasha. The man's wound is infected. Mikhail takes the man home so his mother can help him. The dog faithfully follows. The man dies in the night and the dog is left to the Tarkov family. The children are sad the man died, not knowing who he was, but realize they have a very beautiful and obedient dog to care for. They also realize the danger for all of them to be together. They hide Zasha because they fear she could be killed if the wrong Russians find out about her.
Learn of the Tarkov's love, forgiveness, faith and courage as they try their best to protect Zasha from all her enemies. This book mentions some of the disturbing violence that happened during World War II. It is written for older elementary school students and middle schoolers. I would not read this book to K-3rd grade because of the war content. I liked this book a lot and shared the Prologue and Chapter 1 during story time because I didn't want to give too much of the captivating story away!
Leanin Dog
By K.A. Nazum
Recommended for 3-6th grade
This book is a Beehive Nominee for 2010-11. It is about a young girl, Dessa Dean, who was with her mother when she froze to death during one of their nature walks in the snowy mountains. This little girl lives with her father in their cabin home in the mountains. Her father goes hunting all day, everyday, while Dessa Dean stays in the cabin, does her schoolwork, cooks and cleans. She is afraid to leave the cabin. She suffers nightmares and daymares of her mother's death. She needs a friend to help her cope and a dog shows up by her cabin one day. Finally her thoughts drift away from sadness and toward making the dog her friend. She has adventures with other animals as well, including a skunk and a bear!
*This is a good book that will help children who have lost a parent realize that they are not alone in experiencing this type of traumatic experience and help them learn, like Dessa Dean, that you can overcome your fears, you can move on with life and find future happiness even though you will miss your loved one who passed away. This book may help other children gain empathy for peers who have had a parent die, as well.
