Today I welcome Angela Dominguez 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?

Santiago Stays. September 3^rd, 2013. Fiction. Abrams/Appleseed. Ages 2-5.

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

The key character is a French bulldog by the name of Santiago. He is a stubborn little dog who will not budge or move despite any temptation.

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

*Santiago is a typical French bulldog who will not budge despite being offered a variety of temptations by his owner, a little boy. The boy’s frustration eventually boils over which wakes up the boy’s little sister. Suddenly, the reader realizes that Santiago was in reality acting noble and guarding the baby. The story concludes with the boy and his dog playing together with the baby in a final joyous scene.

Links to reviews or blurbs you wish to share:

Review

Booklist Review:

Santiago is a French bulldog with fur so thick around his chin that it looks like he has a beard. He also is pretty stubborn. When his boy tells him to come, Santiago holds his ground; temptations in the form of treats and toys don’t work either. But when the new baby cries, well, then Santiago goes into protective mode and gets off the green rug to make sure she is all right. This is simple in every way—and simply delightful. Dominguez uses wide swaths of white space as a background often for just two items: Santiago and whatever bribe the boy is offering. The pencil, marker, ink, tissue paper, and digital color pictures have an effortless feel, but there’s emotion in them as well, as the boy gets more frustrated with Santiago’s truculence. The satisfying ending is marked by a cute dog-hugs-boy piece of spot art on the endpapers. The book’s brevity and simple word usage make this a good choice for kids learning to read.

— Ilene Cooper

AOB: What inspired you to write this story?

* I had created a French bulldog character for my portfolio. When I met with Appleseed, the publisher encouraged me to write a story about the character and we came up with a rough plot line in their office.

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

* It’s a very simple story. I had the premise and character quickly, but arriving at a gratifying conclusion took a few months of rewrites.

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 Let’s Go, Hugo! Which is the story of bird who lives in Paris who is afraid to fly. In addition, I also wrote Maria Had A Little Llama, which is an adaptation of Mary Had A Little Lamb with Peruvian Twist.

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

* I have a story about a mother and daughter called Yarn coming out in January 2015 (Dial). That book will feature a little Chihuahua based on my childhood pet.

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

* I based the characters on me and my brother.

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

* There are a few but one of the ones that really stand out is True Story of the Three Little Pigs. I adored the humor and it was the first book that I felt understood me.

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

Web page

Facebook

Twitter

BLOG

Thank you Angela Dominguez for joining us at Best Dog Books! We will be sure to invite you back to talk about Yarn in January 2015.

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’d like to welcome Barbara O’Connor today at Best Dog Books, a blog that features interviews with authors who have written a dog book for kids.

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

How to Steal a Dog; Farrar, Straus, Giroux/Frances Foster; 2007; Ages 8-12; realistic fiction

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

The dog is a Jack Russell terrior named Willy. When I first wrote the manuscript, the dog was just a shaggy little black mutt. But the publisher found a photo of a Jack Russell that they wanted to use for the cover, so I changed the description of the dog in the manuscript.

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

AOB: Reviews or blurbs you wish to share:

*ALA Book Links Lasting Connections 2007
Bank Street College Best Books of the Year 2007
Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choices 2008
International Reading Assoc Notable Books for a Global Society 2008
NCSS-CBC Notable Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies 2008
Parents Choice Recommendation 2007 
School Library Journal Best Books of the Year 2007

Winner of Indiana, Kansas and South Carolina Children’s Book Awards

AOB: What inspired you to write this story?

*All my books start with the title and the first line, very often without knowledge of the story. That was the case with this book. The first line is: The day I decided to steal a dog was the same day my best friend, Luanne Godfrey, found out I lived in a car.

I have no idea why the main character of Georgina presented herself to me as being homeless, but I took that on as a challenge and, of course, it served as the foundation for the storyline.

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

*The biggest challenge was definitely portraying homelessness in a realistic, yet sensitive way. Part of dealing with that was simply being a human being – that is, imagining myself as a little girl living in a car. Where would I keep my stuff? How would I do my homework? How would I bathe and wash my hair? How would it affect my friendships and activities?

But I also needed for the situation to be believable. After I finished the first draft, I researched rural homelessness. I was surprised to learn that the majority of the homeless in rural areas are single, working women with children. And it was eye-opening to see the statistics on the number of homeless, school-aged children in rural areas. I also learned that many of those homeless do not seek help from outsiders, family members or social services. I had, then, portrayed Georgina’s mother in a realistic fashion: a single mother working two jobs but still unable to provide shelter for her children.

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

*I adore dogs so I almost always put one or two of them in my books. None of my other books features a dog as prominently as How to Steal a Dog, but they all have them. My most recent novel, On the Road to Mr. Mineo’s, is a multiple viewpoint story. One of the viewpoints is “the little brown dog.”

The dog, Boo, plays a small role in The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis, as do the dogs in The Fantastic Secret of Owen Jester.

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

*No dogs in my next project. It’s still in the very early stages, so I can’t say too much about it (because I don’t know too much about it). But I can say that I’m trying a slightly different format by incorporating short stories into the body of the manuscript.

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

*Since How to Steal a Dog was published in 2007, I’ve heard from many teachers who have told me about homeless students in their classrooms and/or how much the story generated important discussions about homelessness. The book was even featured on the Nightly News with Brian Williams as a book that resonated with students in the same tough situation as Georgina. When I wrote her story, I never could have imagined that the economy would take such a downturn and that so many young readers would find themselves relating to her situation so much. I hope the book helps children understand the plight of homelessness and how much it affects all of us, maybe even the student sitting next to you in school.

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

*I give Missing May by Cynthia Rylant credit for changing the course of my writing career. I was floundering a bit, trying to find my unique voice. When I read Missing May, I realized how much I connected to her voice and how much her voice was tied to setting. It was obvious that Rylant knew and loved those mountains of West Virginia. That’s when I knew that I wanted to set my stories in the South, where I grew up, and where my heart’s home still is.

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

*www.barbaraoconnor.com

Thank you for joining us today at Best Dog Books, Barbara O’Connor.

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.

When I was a kid, I was on a constant hunt to find a good dog book to read. I wasn’t always successful. That’s why I created this blog, Best Dog Books. I hope this site will become a go-to resource for kids, parents, teachers, and librarians on a quest for a good dog book.

By no means is this list an exhaustive list of dog books that have earned a starred review from Kirkus. If you know of other dog books that should be on this list, please feel to reach out to me with titles and I’ll be happy to include them on Dog Reads. As I include new titles, I’ll update this list. So feel free to check back as often as you’d like.

For a quick and easy reference, the list is in alphabetical order by title.

Click on the title and it will bring you to the Kirkus Review. Click on the author’s name and it will direct you to the Best Dog Res interview.

Kirkus Starred Review List of DOG BOOKS:

A Dog Called Homeless by Sarah Lean

Lara’s Gift by Annemarie O’Brien

Little Dog, Lost by Marion Dane Bauer

Mountain Dog by Margarita Engle

Summer of the Wolves by Polly Carlson-Voiles

The Dogs of Winter by Bobbie Pyron

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’d like to welcome Jennifer Ziegler today at Best Dog Books, a blog that features interviews with authors who have written a dog book for kids.

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

Alpha Dog, Random House/Delacorte Press, 2006

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

* Seamus is a dog of mixed pedigree that was rescued from a shelter by Katie, the teen protagonist in Alpha Dog. Seamus is curious, lively, not at all trained.

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

* Seventeen-year-old Katie looks forward to her summer college-prep program, where she can get away from her domineering mother and jerk ex-boyfriend. While there, Katie adopts an adorable mutt, Seamus, thinking she has found a loyal friend. Unfortunately, Seamus barks, chews up her roommate’s belongings, and chases the landlady’s cat. As Katie gradually gains control of her pet, she discovers she can be the “alpha dog” with other people in her life.

Reviews or blurbs you wish to share:

* “A breezy first novel about learning to lead the pack…. Dog lovers will likely chuckle over the canine misadventures, including puppy chewing and barking…. Fans of teen romance will probably enjoy this romp with a likable heroine.”

—Publishers Weekly

*“A charmingly humorous romp. Dog lovers will like it, but other readers will speak for it, too.”

—Booklist

*“[Alpha Dog is] a rare and wonderful kind of first novel – one that is both sweet and powerful.”

–ParentWise Magazine

*A 2007 Teddy Children’s Book Award finalist.

AOB: What inspired you to write this story?

* Alpha Dog was inspired by my late, great doggie, Cutter — a stray I adopted when I was living on my own for the first time and could barely take care of myself.  My editor, the wonderful Stephanie Lane Elliott, shaped the story a lot.

The story deals with a life lesson that I took a little too long to figure out: that standing up for yourself does not make you selfish. Sometimes when you take the lead, both you and your relationships are the better for it.

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

* Cutter, who inspired the story and the character of Seamus, died while I was writing the book. He was 17, so it was not unexpected, but it still came as a shock. I had to take time to grieve. After a few weeks when I couldn’t bear to look at the story, I sat one day and was re-inspired. In fact, it became a source of comfort.

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?

* HOW NOT TO BE POPULAR (2008) – No dogs in this one. It’s the story of a teenage girl who is tired of moving around all the time. When her parents decide to settle in Austin, Texas for a few months, Maggie hatches a plan to not make any friends – on purpose. If she dresses weird and does all the “wrong” things, no one will want to hang around her. Then, when it comes time to leave, there will be no one to say goodbye to and moving will be a breeze.  Unfortunately, things don’t go as planned.

* SASS & SERENDIPITY (2011) – No key dog characters. This is the story of two sisters, Daphne and Gabby, and their different viewpoints of life, love, and each other. The book is a tribute to two people: my sister, Amanda, and Jane Austen, one of my favorite authors.

* REVENGE OF THE FLOWER GIRLS (2014) – This new book is about triplet girls who try to sabotage their older sister’s wedding so that she can reunite with her ex-boyfriend. Helping them is Quincy, their faithful golden Labrador. Hijinks ensue!

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

* ALPHA DOG is difficult to find right now – although there are plans to re-release it.  Still, I get steady fan mail about it. People seem to really relate to Katie and her plight. And there seem to be a lot of dogs like Seamus out there!  The theme that keeps coming up in these letters is that people learn just as much – if not more – from their dogs as they teach to them.

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

*I really can’t. It seems I was always reading, always devouring stories. I do remember my first favorite dog book, though.  It was HARRY THE DIRTY DOG by Gene Zion.  My kids love it, too!

AOB: HARRY THE DIRTY DOG was a favorite of mine, too! Click here to find out more information about you and/or your books?

Thank you for joining us today at Best Dog Books, Jennifer Ziegler!

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’d like to welcome the magnificent Kate Klimo to Best Dog Books today!

What is the title of your book? Pub date and publisher?

Dog Diaries #3: Barry, September 2013, Penguin Random House Books for Young Readers

Who is your key dog character? Tell us about him/her.

Barry, the legendary mastiff of the high Alps who was said to have rescued somewhere between 40 and 100 people from snow and fog.

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

This is a memoir told by Barry, a mastiff-type dog who lived 8000 feet above sea level in the western Alps, in the Hospice of St. Bernard, which was dedicated to offering aid and comfort to travellers in what has to be one of the world’s most unhospitable spots. As a puppy, Barry is held in the arms of Napoleon, when “the little colonel” and his army trek over the Alps from France to Italy. Napoleon wants to buy Barry and rear him up to be a war dog, but the monks won’t sell him. Barry is meant to help the monks and their lay companions in their rescue missions. Barry winds up being the most heroic of all the hospice hounds, rescuing skiers trapped by avalanches, merchants lost in the fog, and even a small child he tracks down to a cave.

What inspired you to write this story?

The attributes of snow rescue dogs have always struck me as nigh on to uncanny. Here is a dog who can sense an avalanche even before it happens, who can scent people buried 10 feet below the snow and icy rubble, who can lie next to cold and wounded traveller and warm him with its body. In short: here is a marvel of skill and compassion. When Barry lived, in the early 1800s, there was no such thing as a St. Bernard dog. Thanks to Barry and other mastiffs like him, a breed was born, taking its name and from the Hospice in the high Alps.

What was the biggest challenge you had writing your story? It’s always a challenge to write about a legend. When you write about a legend you have a choice: you can make it a tall tale and play up the bigger-than-life aspects. Or you can humanize (or should I say canine-ize?) the character and try to get at the real story; the real dog that wagged the tale, so to speak. Since a fire at the Hospice burned all records, it was difficult to get at the real story, while the legend has taken on a life of its own. But with help from the curator of the Hospice museum, I was able, I hope, to make the story both thrilling and believable.

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 have written an early grade series called the Dragon Keepers, about two ten-year-olds who wind up being the caretakers of a dragon named Emmy. In the first book, Emmy hides from a bad guy by “masking” as a sheepdog.

I have written a YA series called the Centauriad, which has lots of horses in it, and lots of other mythical creatures, but, so far, no dogs. Hmmmm…maybe I should reconsider.

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

I’ve just finished writing the fourth and fifth Dog Diaries, about Togo, the Siberian husky who was the real hero of the Alaskan Serum Run and Dash, the Springer spaniel who came over on the Mayflower.

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

If ever I have to be rescued, let it be by a St. Bernard, please.

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

I loved the The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe so passionately that my best friend and I spent much of our grade school years desperately trying to find a portal into Narnia. I also really liked a book called The Wonderful Journey to the Mushroom Planet, about some kids who find out their neighbor is an alien. The Mrs. Pigglewiggle books introduced me to the power of humor. And the Mary Poppins books taught me that you could have a main character who isn’t even all that likable.

Thank you for joining us today at Best Dog Books, Kate Klimo.

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.