A Thanksgiving Tail

Hi!

     A couple of days ago my humans started getting ready for something called "Thanksgiving." Now, that's a long word for a little pup like me, so I turned to Allison for some answers. Padding into her room, I hopped up and put my paws on her bed. Then I tilted my head in my best "I've-got-a-question-aren't-I-adorable" look. What was this Thanksgiving anyway?

     Allison smiled when she saw me; she's a pretty smart human. She always knows when I want to learn more about the big wide world. Lifting me up to sit on her lap, Allison rubbed those special spots behind my ears and told me all about the humans who had the first Thanksgiving. The way I understand it is that two groups of humans - the pilgrims and the native Americans - made friends and had a humongous party to celebrate. They had lots and lots of food, and everybody remembered how thankful they were to have friends and food and families. Now American humans celebrate Thanksgiving every year to pay attention to how lucky they are - and to EAT!

I have to say, Allison had me at "turkey." This Thanksgiving party? I could dig it...

     So THAT'S why my humans had been running around making new foods I'd never smelled before. That's why Suz and Allison came home from the store with a gigantic turkey. That's why Rachel found me a special holiday bow tie to wear - just so I could be fancy for my first Thanksgiving ever!

Here I am in my Thanksgiving finery. Dressed to impress. Awoooo!

Note my snout-licking excitement as I pose with a stuffed turkey (who was not, I'm sorry to say, as tasty to chomp on as the real thing).

     To celebrate my first Thanksgiving, Allison read me one of my humans' favorite Thanksgiving books: Cranberry Thanksgiving.

 

In this old-fashioned New England tale by Wende and Henry Devlin, a human-pup named Maggie invites her friend Mr. Whiskers to Thanksgiving dinner with her grandmama. But uh-oh, her grandma thinks Mr. Whiskers is a bad man who wants to steal her secret cranberry bread recipe! It turns out, though, scruffy Mr. Whiskers saves the day (when a certain other guest tries to steal the recipe!).

I liked this book for its characters and the expressions in the illustrations. Mr. Whiskers is my favorite. Not only does he have a bushy beard (perhaps like an oh-so-handsome puppy you know?), he knows pirate songs and is not afraid to ask for more food at the dinner table. And he stops the nasty man from running away with Grandmother's recipe! A bit old-fashioned for very young human-pups, I recommend it as a family read for little ones from grades 1-3.  Can't judge a book by its cover, according to Allison; Mr. Whiskers doesn't look like a hero to Grandmother, but that's what he becomes! Woof! Two paws up for Mr. Whiskers and his cranberry friends!

  

     I know I'm just a puppy, but I have A LOT to be thankful for: my wonderful humans, my squeaky ball, my nice long walks, the bacon treats and bones Suz gets me, my friends (Sadie, Finnegan, and my dog park romping pals), and all the adventures I get to have.

 And the turkey. I am most definitely thankful for all the turkey I ate today. Ruff! Yummmm!

     Off to dream of the turkey leftovers to come (and maybe puzzle over those crazy big balloons Allison showed me on TV today...how did Snoopy get so big?). Happy Thanksgiving, everybody! Awoooooooo!

                                                                                               Thankfully yours,

                                                                                               Sam I Am 

Fancy Fall Fun: Sam I Am is Back and Ready to Enjoy Autumn

Hi!

      So I did a very silly thing awhile ago. A week before that thing called Halloween, I ate a tasty-looking rock, and a few days later I got sick. Allison, Rachel, and Suz had to bring me to a funny doctor who took a picture of inside my tummy. You know what? That mean little stone had gotten stuck in my tummy - and I had to stay overnight at the doctor's office so they could take it out. The nurse was nice, and I felt kind of better (except for the sore cut on my belly). But I was SO EXCITED to see my humans when they came to get me!  

      Anyway, that's one of the reasons Allison and I couldn't write. We didn't have time because I had to rest and feel better. Now of course, I'm back to my old ruff-and-tuff self again. Time to hide in the countless piles of crunchy leaves, track the acorn-hunting squirrels, and go on lots of adventures in the chilly fall air! 

Who wouldn't like romping around, paws crushing leaves and tongue out to lap up the autumn breezes?

Here's a few suggestions for fun fall reads:



Cynthia Rylant's Henry and Mudge Under the Yellow Moon:
A great book of stories about a pup named Mudge and his human Henry! Whether standing by his human-pup during scary stories or playing in the leaves, Mudge is a wonderful, comical friend  for Henry. This one's the second in the Henry and Mudge series, and a favorite of Allison's and mine! Two paws up and a tail wag! Human-pups around 1st and 2nd grade will love it as read aloud especially! Ruff!!!

Henry and Mudge look at the moon together. They should practice their howling! Awoooooooo!

Maurice Pledger's Hiding in the Woods:
This one's a touch and feel book about the animals that live in the woods, from mouse to deer and fluttery butterflies. Best for preschool human-pups who love to explore through touch and hunting in pictures for the animals! One paw up!  

Alexandra Day's Follow Carl! :
This is a beautiful wordless picture book about a Rottweiler named Carl who leads a bunch of human-pups on merry game of follow-the-leader. Talk to your human-pup about what happens in all the pictures! Best for ages 3-7, and two paws up!

Off to snooze a bit and maybe work on one of those new bones Suz bought me. Liver-pork-chicken flavor! Yum!

                                                                                Yours in Autumn Adventuring,
                                                                                Sam I Am