Camera-raderie and Grimm Tales: Detectives are Special and You are Too!

Hi!

     We haven't blogged for a few days because Allison did a very silly thing and stepped on a bumblebee. I hadn't known that those cheeky, buzzing things were called bumblebees; I only knew that every time I got close to snapping one up, my humans would start howling, "NO SAM! NO NO NO! DON'T EAT IT OR IT WILL STING YOUR MOUTH!" Sting? How was I to know what a sting is? Mostly I kept growling and pouncing at the buzzing things anyway, and Allison kept scolding me in that panicky voice. Until two days ago, when my beloved human forgot to hop over a bee herself while watching me. I guess these bee-things have pointy spikes on their bums...and they really hurt if you step on one.

     I don't think I've ever heard Allison make such a strange noise. Yowling in pain, she limped - with me in tow - back into the yard to find Rachel. My poor Allison has been hopping around with an expression of OUCH ever since. She even took a kind of medicine called Benadryl to help her stop scratching. But all it did was make her verrrry sleeeepy. 

    Of course, in between naps Allison has made sure that we keep reading! The following two mystery stories (which are both part of their own series) kept us busy while Allison's foot got less itchy-scratchy-ouchy. The first features a little human girl-pup who finds a lost puppy, and in the second a pair of scrappy sisters solve a fairy tale mystery: 

Click me for more about the series and its author.

       In Cam Jansen and the Barking Treasure Mystery by David Adler, illustrated by Susanna Natti, human-pup Cam, her mama, and some friends take a boat tour and end up in the middle of a mystery! A woman sneaks her puppy onboard in her purse even though dogs aren't allowed on the boat - and soon Little Treasure (the pup's name, which I think is SO silly!) is GONE. Aroooooooooo! Dognapped! 

The minute Allison read the part about Little Treasure being dognapped, I started to get nervous. Where did Little Treasure go? Who would take a pup? What if I ever get dognapped?! 

Calmly, Allison rubbed my tummy and reassured me that even if I were ever dognapped, my humans would find a way to get me back. 

"Besides," she said, "That woman brought her dog where she wasn't supposed to, and then she didn't pay attention - or put her pup on a leash! We wouldn't do that!" She smiled. "And you just watch. Cam Jansen is very special; she'll find the pup, don't worry." 

I settled down, comforted. Panting a little, I sat back on my haunches to listen to the rest of the story.  

Once Little Treasure vanishes, Cam leaps into action as fast as a bloodhound. This human-pup has a very special talent: she has a photographic memory. Allison says this means she can remember things in pictures - just like a camera! So Cam and her friend use what Cam remembers to find Little Treasure (and a certain shiny diamond collar). 

The dog's out of the bag then...   

     I liked this story, mostly. Cam's mom's friend is very funny (comic relief), and Cam Jansen herself is a loveable, smart character who truly enjoys helping people. The black-and-white line illustrations in the book add to a suspense-filled story. The ending (during which the mystery is solved partly through the thief's own slip-ups) proves satisfying if a bit predictable. The good guys win and get treats. The bad guy gets scolded and punished. But even better, the heroine solves the mystery by being herself and using her special talent. Everyone has a special gift or talent! It's a good idea to use your special talent to help someone else - by solving a mystery or otherwise!

I give this book two paws up. Especially the part at the end that asks human-pups to test their own memory/detective skills! Allison also highly recommends the Cam Jansen series; it was one of her favorite series when she was a young human-pup.

Best for human-pups grades 2-4.   

Click me for more about the Sisters Grimm and the author.

Click me to see the author and Al Roker discuss the books.

The Sisters Grimm by Michael Buckley is the first book in a series about two sisters. When Sabrina and Daphne's parents disappear, they find themselves adopted by a strange human grown-up who calls herself their "Grandma Relda." Only, their parents never mentioned they had a living grandmama! Suspicious but desperately wanting to have a family again, the girls have trouble getting used to living in Ferryport. It seems that the Grimm family have a tradition: all members becomes fairy tale detectives. This means they make sure fairy tale characters and humans get along. In this story, fairy tale characters are real - and all living in Sabrina and Daphne's new hometown!

In a ruff whirl of kidnapped grandmas, mean giants, and fantastic magic, the girls must depend on each other as well as new friends like Puck the pixie prince, the Big Bad Wolf, and a sassy Magic Mirror. Only the sisters Grimm can solve the mystery and save their grandma! Lots of laughs in this one. Even grown-up humans will appreciate the fairy tale character references transferred to real life, Allison says. Also a lot of real feelings from little human-pups; family means a lot to all creatures! The illustrations are a bit strange, but fun just the same. I give this first in the series two paws up and a tail wag, and I've been told by Mama Suz that the next few books in the series are pretty good as well (the rest, she claims, get TOO weird). This one is for human-pups grades 4-6. And any grown-ups who love a good fairy tale of course! Woooof! 

*Note from my human Allison: The edition we read had comprehension and critical thinking questions at the back - great for family discussions or teachers' lesson plans.

And now? Now I'm off to finish watching a movie called Clue with my humans. Lots of shrieking and talk of "murder." Mysteries all around! But at least the movie's yells will help me ignore the silly BOOMS outside. Allison says people are setting off something called "fireworks." I say my poor little pup ears are near to busting with all the horrible noise! Awoooooo! Going to sleep in Allison's room tonight, I think. Even detectives get scared sometimes...

We'll be reading more mysteries at some point, but I think I need a break from hunting down the bad guys. I've still got a lot to learn! Woof!

Once again mysteriously yours (but with my human safe by my side),

Sam I Am

The Bull and the Lion: Keeping It Real

Hi!

     Today my humans took me to something called an arts festival. There were lots of people for me to meet and lick and impress with my panting, tail-wagging charm. Even a few human-pups - including one in this wheeled thing called a "stroller" - stopped to give me a quick pet or a belly rub. I can't count the number of times I got called "adorable" and "cute." All for just being me!

     Be yourself. "Let it all hang out," as some humans say...

     Anyway, two storybook characters Allison and I read about yesterday try to understand the same idea: what it means to be yourself. One of them calmly shows others that he will not change to fit in; the other learns the hard way that being himself is best.

Click me for Disney's film short based on the story.

In The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf, illustrated by Robert Lawson, a bull named Ferdinand (but you guessed that, didn't you? Arf!) is different from the other bulls.

*You know, I didn't know what a bull was at first.* 

"Arooo," I woofed to Allison, pawing at the cover. 

Okay, so your name is Ferdinand, and you're a bull - but what is a bull?!

"A bull is a boy cow," Allison answered.

"Arooo?"

I stuck my tongue out and panted for a second while I thought about this. What was a cow?

"It's got four legs," Allison continued patiently. "It eats grass, it's black and white or brown, and it goes mooooooo!"

Then she told me that cows give us milk and ice cream. After that I decided I didn't care much what a cow actually is; if it lets Allison eat ice cream and occasionally drop a bit that I get to lick up, then cows and bulls are terrific!

So Ferdinand is different from the other bulls because he doesn't like to fight. Instead, he sits and smells the flowers (personally, I'll take a good bit of sniffing over a tussle any day). This goes okay for awhile, until some silly humans get confused. They think that Ferdinand is a ruff and tough bull - just because he runs around and snorts and yelps at a bee sting.

The humans bring Ferdinand to a big round ring to fight in front of an audience. Scary stuff those humans in Spain thought of...Allison says that Spain is a far-away place with different "traditions." That means they do things their own way. But Ferdinand refuses to fight - he knows he should still be himself and do things his own way! So this bull gets a happy ending when he shows the humans that he doesn't need to be what they want him to be.

Overall, I give this book two paws up. A good story with a lovable hero (though of course a canine hero would have been more lovable!). Allison and I agree that the illustrations (black and white drawings) show just enough detail and give the reader a wonderful sense of Ferdinand's world. Good for human-pups ages 4-8. 

Keep on sniffing, Ferdinand!

I didn't like the second story as much as Ferdinand, but I think human-pups will laugh at the silly lion in Don Freeman's Dandelion:

Click me for more on the author

This fluffy feline featured on the cover is invited to a party at his friend's house. Even though the invitation says to "Come as you are," Dandelion runs out to get a complete makeover. Curly mane, new sweater, a cane, everything! This part made me a little mad; why would he do all that? Just to impress the guests at the party? To keep up with "What Well-dressed Lions are Wearing This Year"? That's not what's important!

   

I might have tried to take my frustration out on the book..grrrr!

In any case, Dandelion learns his lesson when his friends don't recognize him, and he gets caught in a storm. ("I'll always be just plain me," he finally tells his friends.) Fancy clothes and haircuts don't mean anything. It's being you that counts! Woof! One paw up for this tale. I found the story's hero almost too silly (Allison says that Dandelion's so vain he probably thinks this song is about him...whatever that means.). The illustrations - pencil-drawing style with shading - are loosely done but interesting. The details in Lou's shop and the cap and cane shop are fun though! Good for human-pups ages 4-8. Laugh at the foolish cat!   

Good night! I'm just about to fall asleep on my pillow next to Allison's bed. Off to dream of kibble, art festival adventures, bulls, and cats.

                  The One and Only,

      Sam I Am



Sam I Am: A Dog's Dog, or Being True to YOU

Hi!

     Busy couple of days! Rachel, Allison, and Suz planted a vegetable garden today - Allison says it will be my job to chase squirrels away. Arf! I've got a real job now, paid in cookies and belly rubs...can't wait to get started! A lot of times my humans smile and ask, "Why do you do that, Sam?" Whether it's tearing apart a terrific clump of dried grass (Fun!), tunneling under the bed in my crate (Gotta dig!), or barking at a potted plant (I swear it was about to attack!), my humans are always laughing and trying to figure me out. Truth is, I'm a dog -  and I wouldn't want to be anything else. Even for all the Milkbones in the world. 

     I told Allison that sometimes I get nervous when I meet new pups or new humans. Last week I made a friend down the street, a Malkie (Maltese and Yorkie) named Chance. He likes to bounce and dive under bushes, yipping like he's hot on the trail of a chipmunk. Me? I don't like to bark so much. I could've tried to be like Chance and his half-brother Teddy and barked and dived and bounced. Just to impress them, you know? (Allison calls it "fitting in.") But I didn't do that. I showed Chance the way I race around and then flop over in front of the humans for an "awwww" or a belly rub. I was myself! And it felt good! Don't be scared to be true to who you are, human or pup or anything else.

It's good to be me...

      After I thought about this for awhile, Allison found a few books for me to read. So this entry and the next one will be for talking about those. The first is called Edward the Emu by Sheena Knowles, illustrated by Rod Clement:

     That sad-looking chicken on the cover is actually an emu like the ones I met in the park. Only this one has a name: Edward. This silly bird starts out very confused at the beginning of the story; he thinks being an emu is boring and so tries to act like some of the other animals at the zoo. Written in funny rhymes, the book shows what happens when you try to be something other than yourself. Human pups will love the emu's laughable expressions and the ending as well! Edward the Emu gets two paws up from this pup - and for the story of another emu, try Edwina the Emu (the adventure continues!). 

See Emus in Action

     Now I'm off to bed, to snuggle up with my squeaky duck and rawhide. Two more tales of learning to love being you to come soon! Woof!

                                                       A dog who loves being himself,

                                                                                     Sam I Am