Today I welcome Summer Brenner to Best Dog Books, a blog that features interviews with authors who’ve written a canine story for kids or young adults.

AOB: What is the title of your book? Pub date and publisher? Genre? Targeted age group? Illustrator?

IVY, HOMELESS IN SAN FRANCISCO

2010

PM Press/Reach And Teach

Targeted age: 9-12

Illustrator, Brian Bowes

AOB: Who is your key dog character(s) and what kind of dog is he/she? Feel free to list as many different breeds or mixes as necessary. Tell us a little more about him/her.

DICE is the name of a friendly, curious, exceedingly clever dog whose coat is checkered with black and white patches, thus his name. He’s a mix of Beagle and Rat Terrier.

AOB: In 70 words or less, provide a succinct plot description of your story.

Ivy and her dad Poppy are homeless. They spend most nights in a San Francisco park where they meet Dice. He lives in rambling house nearby with elderly Eugenia Orr and her brother Oscar. Adventures include scenes at a homeless shelter, a night in a friend’s car, a visit to Ivy’s school, an arrest by police, a reunion with the Orrs, and an art show for Poppy.

AWARDS:

Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards

Children’s Literary Classics

 Links to reviews or blurbs you wish to share:

“Ivy, Homeless in San Francisco, is a compelling and riveting novel that reflects the alarming increase in the number of children who are homeless and living in poverty in America. Ivy is one of those children. Summer Brenner has masterfully crafted a book that is realistic, heartbreaking and funny.” — Patricia Tilton, Children’s Books Heal

“Often witty, occasionally heart-wrenching, this book offers insight into the lives of those who must endure living in shelters and on the streets.” — Children’s Literary Classics

“Ivy is an engaging, educational experience, with emotional range, density of characters, a cinematic visual imagination, and a heroine wild at heart. We have a lot to learn about homelessness, and Summer Brenner’s saga of fractured family and redeeming friendship takes us deep inside the experience, while agitating our broader concern with social justice. All this in a lucid, poetic prose. She not only will get young people to read but make them want to write as well.” — John Broughton, associate professor of psychology & education, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York

“Ivy is a story of homelessness. It is full of risk and tenderness, pain and insight all mixed with fear and hope. Author Summer Brenner engages readers by setting a course for a young girl and her father that requires connection and kindness in an uneasy world. Genuine characters tell the tale that is at once prickly and gentle. Readers will gain a picture of what over 1.5 million children in the US experienced this year. Ivy is a lovely book on a tough condition.” — Lyn Palme, library specialist, Contra Costa County, California

“Summer Brenner’s Ivy, Homeless in San Francisco, wraps itself around enough realism to give young readers hope that there are good people in our world and that good things do happen, often when least expected. My sixth grade San Francisco Bay Area English students always enjoy the magic that envelops Ivy. Summer’s poetic language captures the essence of San Francisco.” — Janet Volkmann, teacher, Oakland Unified School District, Oakland

Reviews by Children:

“The title made me feel this story would be an exiting and thrilling adventure. The book did not disappoint me. I know what a busy city San Francisco is, and being homeless there would not be the best. Although I would not want to be homeless, Ivy’s story showed me how to be loyal, independent and the importance of being resourceful. Ivy also taught me how much I am distracted by all kinds of electronics because she was a deep thinker. I think schools should teach from this book because of the great lessons.” — SunIm “Sunny” Chang, age 11, Oakland

“Ivy was sad but exciting at the same time. I was wondering what would happen every night. It stinks when you have to be homeless. If I knew someone who was homeless at my school I would want to help them. I think it would be really hard for homeless people to live out there when there is no shelter. As Eugenia Orr says, “The weather simply could not be helped.“ To me this means people who have a home have the choice to go in when it’s cold or hot, but homeless people have to live in the weather.” — Roan Linvill, age 8, Berkeley

“Ivy is a great book. I especially like the way the storyline curves up and down with exciting and quiet moments. When I was reading it, I kept on saying to myself, ‘No, just one more chapter, just one more chapter!’ In other words, I could not put it down.” — Arianna Delsman, age 9, Berkeley

“Homelessness is an issue that affects many different people in many societies. Ivy is an 11-year old homeless girl. She is just a year older than me and I count my blessings. In the book I learned about what some homeless families go through and how brave a young girl like Ivy can be in this type of situation.” — Eliza Leal, age 10, Weehawken, NJ

“Ivy was great, and I mean it! I hope that Ivy, Lost in New York will also be published.” — Isabel L., age 10, Oakland,

AOB: What inspired you to write this story?

For a year, I volunteered at a drop-in center for homeless women and children. Their stories shattered all assumptions and preconceptions about who was homeless and why.

AOB: What was the biggest challenge you had writing your story? How did you overcome it?

The challenges were to create an enjoyable and meaningful story about a very sobering subject; break through the stereotype of the homeless as male addicts, mentally unbalanced, and persons of color; and engage young readers’ empathy for a girl not so different than themselves but faced with responsibilities in a situation she didn’t choose.

AOB: What other YA/MG books have you written? Do any of them feature a key dog character? If so, which ones? 

What are these stories about?

Other YA/MG books:

Richmond Tales, Lost Secrets of the Iron Triangle

Oakland Tales, Lost Secrets of The Town

Like Ivy, these two books feature a city. However, they focus on kids (African American and Latino) from low-income communities who time travel back into their city’s past and forward into their city’s future when they’ve grown up and helped to transform it into a safe, beautiful place for all. Alas, there is no dog.

Richmond Tales won a 2010 Historic Preservation award from the City of Richmond and was proclaimed the first all-city, all-read selection by the mayor. Since 2010, it has inspired an annual “Richmond Tales Literacy and Health Festival” at the Richmond Civic Center. In 2013, a play based on the book was co-produced by the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts and the Richmond Rotary.

Oakland Tales has been adopted for the eighth grade common core curriculum by the Oakland Unified School District for spring 2014.

AOB: What kind of story can we expect next from you? Is it about a dog? If so, what is it about?

Currently, I’m working on a YA/MG science fiction book about the future. I’m going to invite a dog to join us!

AOB: What else would you like us to know about you or your story?

I write books for adults, including noir crime novels.

AOB: Can you remember the first book that made an impact on you? And why?

Winnie the Pooh had everything I continue to love about storytelling. It is a combination of comedy and tragedy that mirrors the human condition. 

AOB: What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

There’s only one thing to do to become a writer: write. As for those who have already written and aspire to be published, the traditional routes are difficult but the internet has provided interesting alternatives.

AOB: Where can readers go to find out more information about you and/or your books?

A list of books, reviews, and my biography are available at my website at www.summerbrenner.com

IVY, Homeless in San Francisco is available at Reach And Teach, an online catalog and store (in San Mateo) that feature books, toys, and educational tools focused on peace and social justice. Reach And Teach has also developed a teaching guide. www.reachandteach.com 

Richmond Tales and Oakland Tales may be ordered from www.communityworkswest.org

info@communityworkswest.org

AMAZON carries most of my books.

Web page: www.summerbrenner.com

Thank you Summer Brenner for joining us at Best Dog Books! 

For other great books about dogs, check out 101 Best Dog Books for Kids.

For published authors and unpublished authors, check out our writing contests.

Today I welcome Fran Manushkin to Best Dog Books, a blog that features interviews with authors who’ve written a canine story for kids or young adults.

AOB: What is the title of your book?

GOODBYE TO GOLDIE

April, 2010, Picture Window/Capstone. It’s also in Spanish as ADIOS A GOLDIE, August, 2012, Picture Window/Capstone. It’s a very Early Chapter Book, First and Second Grade, illustrated by Tammie Lyon.

Goldie is the dog who belongs to Katie Woo. I don’t know what her breed is—let’s say she’s the breed called “Adorable!” She’s incredibly talented: she can dust furniture with her tail,catch a snowball in her mouth, play soccer, and comfort you during thunderstorms.

The story begins with Goldie, Katie’s old dog, becoming sick and dying. Katie and her parents are very sad, and they help her to mourn (and be comforted) by making a scrapbook of drawings and stories about their many happy memories of Goldie.

AOB: What inspired you to write this story?

Capstone asked me to write stories about important experiences that children have. I remember how much I loved my dog Snowball and how sad I would have been if he died when I was young. Luckily, he lived a long, long time, but I wanted to help comfort children whose pets have died.

What was the biggest challenge you had writing your story? How did you overcome it?

I was worried about making it too sad. But I think I met the challenge by devoting most of the story to Katie sharing her happy memories of Goldie with her best friends.

What other YA/MG books have you written? Do any of them feature a key dog character? If so, which ones?

What are these stories about?

I haven’t written any middle-grade or young adult books. GOODBYE TO GOLDIE is one of 27 books in my easy-reader series about Katie Woo and her adventures. I’ve also written six books that work for the Common Core Curriculum: the series is called KATIE WOO: STAR WRITER, and it teaches first and second graders how to write a poem, a journal, a letter, a research paper, an opinion piece, and a narrative.

What kind of story can we expect next from you? Is it about a dog? If so, what is it about?

My next stories are two more Katie Woo easy readers. One is about Katie first ride on an airplane and the other is about Katie riding on a horse for the first time. It’s called COWGIRL KATIE.

AOB: What else would you like us to know about you or your story?

I’d like you to know how much I love dogs. I wish I had one right now!

AOB: Can you remember the first book that made an impact on you? And why?

I loved Mary Poppins! I wanted to have a nanny like her so much!

AOB: What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

I would tell aspiring writers to read—A LOT! In order to write, you need to read many books—they will help you see the immense variety of books that it’s possible to write, and they will inspire you!

AOB: Where can readers go to find out more information about you and/or your books?

Web page: www.franmanushkin.com 

Facebook: Fran Manushkin and also the Katie Woo page, and the Katie Woo Bookclub page.

Thank you Fran Manushkin for joining us at Best Dog Books!

For other great books about dogs, check out 101 Best Dog Books for Kids.

For published authors and unpublished authors, check out our writing contests.

Today I welcome Stephanie Calmenson to Best Dog Books, a blog that features interviews with authors who’ve written a canine story for kids or young adults.

AOB: What is the title of your book? Pub date and publisher? Genre? Targeted age group? Illustrator?

* MAY I PET YOUR DOG? The How-to Guide for KIDS Meeting DOGS (and DOGS Meeting KIDS)  2007  Clarion Books/HMH   Nonfiction picture book Ages 3 and up.  Illustrated by Jan Ormerod   ISBN  978-0-618-51034-4   Video:  ISBN 1-933938-74-9.

AOB: Who is your key dog character(s) and what kind of dog is he/she? Feel free to list as many different breeds or mixes as necessary. Tell us a little more about him/her.

* Harry is a long-haired, chocolated-dappled dachshund. That’s a long description for a short dog!  He’s beautiful and sweet, so it was hard to figure out why, at five months, he was a dog without a home. When my husband and I met him, he was so scared and sad.  But he’s grown up to be a very happy dog.

AOB: In 70 words or less, provide a succinct plot description of your story.

* Harry loves children and they love him.  But some children’s enthusiasm can be overwhelming — especially when they run at a dog reaching to grab or screeching with glee.  There’s never before been a book teaching children how to meet a dog safely, and I knew that Harry would be the perfect guide. So, in his own voice, Harry talks to kids about the best way to meet him and his friends.

Links to reviews or blurbs:

* Horn Book Starred Review and Fanfare selection

* Video Librarian starred review
 and ALSC Notable Children’s Video Award

“Harry is a cheerful and friendly long-haired dachshund who serves as the first-person narrator for this thoughtful look at the best way for a child to meet dogs… Children who are afraid of dogs, as well as those who love them, will find this volume useful and encouraging.” – Kirkus Reviews.

“Required reading for every dog lover!” – Lisa Von Drasek, Children’s Librarian, Bank Street College

AOB: What inspired you to write this story?

* I wrote it for the safety — and joy — of both kids and dogs.

AOB: What was the biggest challenge you had writing your story? How did you overcome it?

* I needed to keep the tone light and the tips simple and clear.  Harry turned out to be the perfect spokes-dog.

AOB: What other YA/MG books have you written? Do any of them feature a key dog character? If so, which ones?

What are these stories about?

* I’ve written other dog books including:

Rosie, A Visiting Dog’s Story, a photo-essay book about the raising and training of a visiting dog featuring my own tibetan terrier, Rosie.  Readers get to join Rosie on visits to hospitals, nursing homes, and special schools as she cheers up people who are sad, sick, or lonely.

No Dogs Allowed! is Book 1 in the Ready, Set, Dogs! series written with my friend Joanna Cole (Magic School Bus author).  Growing up, we each wanted a dog more than anything, but couldn’t  have one.  In our series, best friends Kate and Lucie desperately want, but can’t have dogs. One day they find two necklaces with sparkly pink dog bones at their local thrift shop that turn out to be magic.  With a pop and a whoosh, the girls turn into dogs!

AOB: What kind of story can we expect next from you? Is it about a dog? If so, what is it about?

*    Joanna and I are having a great time writing the Ready, Set, Dogs! series.  Book 2 is called Teacher’s Pets, so get ready to see Kate and Lucie as dogs at school!

I’m also working on a new book about Harry and his poodle pal, Jeeter.

AOB: What else would you like us to know about you or your story?

* It’s very gratifying that Harry, who was an unwanted puppy, has turned out to be a much-loved dog and the inspiration for the book that brings kids and dogs together safely.

AOB: Can you remember the first book that made an impact on you? And why?

* Heidi by Johanna Spyri.  Her grandfather’s love, the Swiss Alps setting, and how Heidi helped Clara to walk touched my heart. And if I couldn’t have a dog when I was growing up, I wished I could have a goat — or two! — like Schwänli and Bärli.

AOB: What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

* Write about what you love.

AOB: Where can readers go to find out more information about you and/or your books?

 Web page

Facebook

May I Pet Your Dog?

Rosie, A Visiting Dog’s Story 

Twitter

Linkedin

Children’s Literature Network

Thank you, Stephanie Calmenson, for joining us at Best Dog Books!

For other great books about dogs, check out 101 Best Dog Books for Kids.

For published authors and unpublished authors, check out our writing contests.

Today I welcome Linda Joy Singleton to Best Dog Books, a blog that features interviews with authors who’ve written a canine story for kids or young adults.

AOB: What is the title of your book? Pub date and publisher? Genre? Targeted age group? Illustrator?

SNOW DOG, SAND DOG – March 2014 Albert Whitman

Picture book ages 4-7 Illustrated by Jess Golden

AOB: Who is your key dog character and what kind of dog is he/she? Tell us a little more about him/her.

There are four dog characters in SNOW DOG, SAND DOG. Each dog represents a season: SNOW DOG, FLOWER DOG, SAND DOG and LEAF DOG.

AOB: In 70 words or less, provide a succinct plot description of your story.

* A little girl, Ally, desperately wants a dog of her own, but her allergies make it impossible—until one snowy day while other kids are building snowmen she builds a snow dog. And when it’s time to come in from the snow, Snow Dog follows her home – beginning a creative, heartwarming seasonal cycle of dogs.

Links to reviews or blurbs you wish to share:

B/Noble’s link. Too soon for review yet but by the time this blog goes live, there should be some. So check back with me.

AOB: What inspired you to write this story?

SNOW DOG, SAND DOG

In 2009 I attended a school talk with Verla Kay, who has been my writer BFF for a long time. In her presentation, she showed a photo of herself when she was very young.

Immediately, the photo inspired me. And the next day words swirled in my head. I had to write them down and could only find a napkin. It took years of rewriting to achieve the final version which sold to Albert Whitman in June 2013.

Verla is the youngest girl.

AOB: What was the biggest challenge you had writing your story? How did you overcome it?

The biggest challenge was losing confidence in the story after professionals in publishing turned it down. I loved the story but doubted my ability to write a saleable picture book. Fortunately it did go on to sell and I’m very grateful to everyone who made it happen. I can’t wait to hold my first picture book in my hands!

AOB: What other YA/MG books have you written? Do any of them feature a key dog character? If so, which ones? AOB: What are these stories about?

I’ve had over 35 YA/MG books published, mostly series.

Here are some dogs from my books:

* OPPOSITES ATTRACT (Sweet Dreams YA romance/Bantam)

My 2^nd published book ever! A teen romance with a plot about 4-H projects and raising guide dogs.

* MY SISTER, THE GHOST series #4 BABYSITTER BEWARE

Miranda helps babysit a Harlequin Great Dane named Harley. Dog World reviewed this book in 1996.

* REGENERATION series #2: THE SEARCH

Opens with one of my most thrilling scenes, where Eric, who has recently discovered he’s a clone and has unusual eye-sight, is a mile away while he watching his beloved dog Renegade stand in the path of a speeding car yet he’s unable to warn his dog… (No worries, Renegade survives to appear in other REGENERATION books.

* THE SEER series/Flux – Psychic Sabine Rose dates a guy who owns a very large dog named Horse.  

* THE SEER short story—DOMINIC’S VOLCANO.

  A free short story that shows how Dominic (hero of THE SEER series) escaped a violent uncle and how his attempt to rescue an abused dog helped him to save himself. The dog is named Volcano. This THE SEER short story can be found in the back of #1 THE SEER: DON’T DIE DRAGONFLY or at www.LindaJoySingleton.com .

* BURIED – This 2012 Flux (SEER spinoff) YA mystery opens with an unusual dog-related sentence:

“A seven-year-old girl was forced to marry a dog to ward off an evil curse,”

AOB: What kind of story can we expect next from you? Is it about a dog? If so, what is it about?

For older readers, I’m working on another THE SEER book which will gives Dominic, a guy who can communicate with animals, a big storyline. No dogs it in (yet!).

For midgrade readers, I wrote a Cinderella themed book with a stepdog instead of stepsister and the heroine works at a dog kennel. It’s called TEXT FROM A PRINCE and the ending has a fun scene of puppies being born. I’m still looking for a publisher for this one.

For picture book readers, I’m working on a picture book about twelve cats. I also have a story featuring dog breeds which I hope to sell.

AOB: What else would you like us to know about you or your story?

Selling SNOW DOG, SAND DOG to Whitman is a dream come true. I’ve watched writer friends ohh and ahh when they see the art in their picture books and always wondered what it would feel like to have a talented artist draw pictures from my words. When I saw the art from Jess Golden for SNOW DOG, SAND DOG, I was sooooo thrilled! It’s cute and fun and perfect for young readers. And the story teaches seasons, celebrates creativity and highlights the problems of kids with allergies – all with fun dog drawings.

AOB: Can you remember the first book that made an impact on you? And why?

First dog book would be THE POKEY LITTLE PUPPY. I studied dog books when I was a kid, memorizing breeds and writing my own manual on dog training when I was around 11. I can’t imagine life without dogs (and cats!) I’ve had my dog Lacey for 14 years and love her so much. Recently I added two kittens to our family – orange brothers who purr and cuddle and race through my house like they own it (which they do!).

My Lacey

AOB: Where can readers go to find out more information about you and/or your books?

Web page

Facebook

Twitter

Blog

Thank you Linda Joy Singleton for joining us at Best Dog Books!

For other great books about dogs, check out 101 Best Dog Books for Kids.

For published authors and unpublished authors, check out our writing contests.

I first started thinking about “dog books” when I was working on my MFA for Vermont College of Fine Arts. I was working on two different fictional pieces in which a dog was central to the story. I was asked, more than once, if the dog was going to die. It was a reasonable question; after all, haven’t we all had our hearts broken over the death of a beloved dog character? As Wallace Wallace points out in Gordon Korman’s novel, NO MORE DEAD DOGS, “the dog always dies. Go to the library and pick out a book with an award sticker and a dog on the cover. Trust me, that dog is going down.” I started thinking about the fictional deaths of trusty dogs—and also, about the stories where the pet dog doesn’t die.

As I began to read more stories featuring dog characters, I realized how fully dog characters can enrich our stories, regardless of their fates. They are far more than a furry prop.

Although dogs appear in stories for readers of all ages, I personally think middle grade literature is the sweet spot. These characters—and readers of these books—are often at a threshold, nearing the end of childhood and peeking around the corner at adulthood. A loyal dog can be the perfect companion to accompany a character as they venture out into the world for the first time. He can be a protector, providing a sense of security; and yet a dog also needs care and attention. He needs the child owner as much as the child needs the dog. A child-pet bond has the potential for being the first significant, mutual relationship in a person’s life.

Here are some of the ways a secondary dog character can enrich a story:

• AN ALLY FOR THE MAIN CHARACTER: Quite simply, a dog is a friend. If a main character is isolated for some reason—whether it’s for geographic or emotional reasons—the dog sidekick is someone for the main character to talk to and explore with. Because dogs are familiar, readers easily accept dog characters without a lot of extensive backstory required. Simply assign a breed, and readers will already feel as if they have some understanding of this who this dog will be. For instance, Joey Pigza’s Chihuahua, Pablo, is a very different dog than scrappy Old Yeller.

• EMOTIONAL THERMOSTAT: Often times a main character will project his/her feelings on to that of the loyal canine sidekick. As a story progresses, readers can gain a deeper understanding of exactly how the main character feels in certain situations through various interactions and conversations with the dog companion.

• SETTING: Dogs need contact with the outside world. This necessary stepping out allows the setting to be revealed and explored in an organic and relevant manner. Whether it’s the wilderness of the Ozark Mountains or Wyoming; a small town in Florida or a suburb of Pittsburgh, a dog is going to lead his child owner out and about.

• PLOT: A pet dog can serve as an authentically motivating factor for the main character, or as an impetus for plot events. Because dogs are sentient beings, a dog takes action. He often leads a human character into a new and unexpected situation. Although intelligent and capable, dogs are also prone to ridiculous exploits: rolling in messy substances, chasing other animals, and other impulsive misbehaviors. This mischievousness helps to make them intrinsically interesting and entertaining.

• THEME: Due to the intense bond forged between a child and his or her dog, this relationship can effectively force a character into making some tough decisions. Through the experiences they share, lessons may be learned. Characters may be forced to cross that threshold into adulthood. A dog is an ideal companion when a character comes of age.

Which leads me back to that initial question: Why do so many dogs die in stories for middle grade readers? Well, it seems to me, in many ways a dog can serve as a symbol for childhood. Dogs are often loyal and loving, trusting and forgiving, and blessed with a joyful, enthusiastic spontaneity that leads to a willingness to explore, make noise, and get messy…all traits that inherently childlike.

So, when a main character crosses that line, leaving childhood behind, the dog passes away. In the classic boy and his dog story, OLD YELLER by Fred Gipson, once Travis proves that he is capable of taking care of his family during his father’s long absence, then he must say goodbye to the mangy old mutt that helped him to do so. But Opal, in BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE by Kate DiCamillo, has been forced to act in a grown up manner too early due to her mother’s abandonment. What she needs most is for her father to take care of her a little longer. And so, Winn-Dixie lives on, even after his worrisome disappearance.

Loved in spite of their faults, dog characters can serve as a kind of touchstone for children. They are living, panting proof that we are lovable, even when we make mistakes.

BIO:

Sarah Tomp lives in San Diego California with her family, including Luna, a sweet black mutt. Her YA novel, MY BEST EVERYTHING will be published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers in March 2015. She is also the author of a picture book, RED, WHITE AND BLUE GOOD-BYE (Walker and Co.). She has a MFA from VCFA. Please visit her at www.sarahtomp.com