Animals Books

you cannot go wrong w/ david carter "bug" books. i buy every one i can and my kids are getting too old for them. GREAT gifts

when are you going to mail this book ? or email me a phone # so i can talk to some one abouit this book.

I was happy to find the Bugs pop-up book, because my own children loved them, and now I am buying them for grandchildren. The books are fun and a delight for children, but probably too fragile for children under 3. The pop-ups are creative and clever, and there is a bit of a story line to the books, too.

My 16 month old son has only recently begun to sit still for books, but this was the first one that he paid rapt attention to, beginning to end. He brings it over for me to read it to him frequently. He has learned which way to pull the different flaps and tabs (they are different on different pages). Perhaps it's not the sturdiest of books, but for amount of pulling and yanking it has had, it has lasted far better than several other pop-up type books we have. We read it all the time, and he still hasn't tired of it. I will be getting him some others in the "bugs" series (he loves Chanukah Bugs, too), since they hold his attention so well! The bugs are cute, also.

I bought this book for my two 1/2 yr old. She loved all popup style books. But this book you have to be careful with. Each page had a different style of pull out, pop up. But the paper is very thin and tears easily. Not for a child to look through them selfs. Even as an adult I have to be very gentle with it.

As an eighth-grade English teacher, I read young adult novels in hopes of finding a piece of writing that I can offer to my students -- one that they will enjoy, learn from, find easily, and connect to whatever else I am teaching at the time. I will admit that I don't read as many books as I should, but I do a lot of research on the prospective books in advance by reading reviews from others (thanks, Amazon!), so I can use my limited reading time wisely.

HURT GO HAPPY came to me as one of Florida's 2008-2009 Sunshine State recommended texts for students in grades 6 through 8. Researching these fifteen titles to find the couple of diamonds among them requires the use of feedback from Amazon reviewers, and this book came with glowing recommendations.

I was worried by the description that this book would be one of those formulaic, teen adventures, in this case with a deaf girl trying to save a chimpanzee -- NOT what I would call a genre I was giving much hope to. Luckily, these other reviews dispelled that dread, giving me hope that there was something more to this interestingly titled piece.

As an English and Drama teacher, I have to admit that my favorite part of what I teach is the subject of Theme (not as in "essay," or "recurring motif," but "the lessons, morals and wisdom a story has to offer"). I embrace books that come to their themes honestly, creatively and passionately. The greatest works offer themes that sink so deep into our minds, hearts and souls that we cannot remove these lessons from ourselves, no matter how hard we try. You don't have to read TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD more than once to feel that the power of its lessons will NEVER leave you; you only have to think about this type of book years afterward, and you can still feel the impression it has left on you without even trying. These are books we love and consider our favorites.

I didn't think that this book would be anywhere nearly as successful as it turns out to be. Its multiple themes (primary and secondary) are all, oxymoronically, both bold and subtle. However, it is the major theme of HURT GO HAPPY that stays and drives the entire work: We must live up to our responsibilities -- to each other, to our world, to ourselves. This theme shows up in HURT GO HAPPY in each of the key relationships in the story, as well as in some of the minor ones. Some characters have lived up to their responsibilities and others have not. A strong writer will show you both sides of the coin, as it were. Author Ginny Rorby has wisely allowed us to see how our actions (and inactions) affect us and others, sometimes in an intensely painful way (both emotionally and physically). Great authors tend to not shy away from the ugly side of life, and Rorby has written a book that has a tremendous number of layers to it (both beautiful and ugly).

Deeply, deeply felt, HURT GO HAPPY is powerful, and surprised me greatly. The relationship with Joey and her mother seems very one-dimensional at first, but drives the theme in a devastatingly real way as it proves to be very much three-dimensional. Joey's mother Ruth spends her life avoiding her past and, apparently, the future, as well. Her denial for Joey to live in the world in which Joey actually exists (deaf, friendless, and wanting) is painful for us, and when Joey tries to break out of this awful reality, Ruth insists that that cannot be. We begin to see Ruth as selfish, and she is, but as Ginny Rorby develops this magnificent tale of a young girl finding that her responsibilities are to be the driving force of her life, we get to see Ruth as a hurt, wounded creature who has failed in her own life. A small, but beautifully poignant moment in the middle of the book started me on the path to getting excited about HURT GO HAPPY. The rest of the book only heightened that initial excitement.

Joey is a magnificent protagonist, one of my favorites of the past few years, who has to fight to be heard (yeah, I guess that pun is intended). Her observations and reactions to life are pieces of gold for teachers like me. Metaphorically speaking, this is a treasure trove as well -- a trove of metaphors, that is. Rorby has developed wonderfully subtle metaphors as well as bold metaphors that should shake a student's understanding of what finely crafted writing is -- so much so that any student should be able to truly understand and appreciate that the best writing requires great thought, constant planning and driving passion.

Perhaps I fell in love with this book when the meaning of the odd title revealed itself late in the text. It made wonderful, heartfelt sense on a very basic level, but it really sank into that part deep within my heart, soul and mind when I understood that it was the PERFECT title because, metaphorically, it dealt not only with Sukari the chimpanzee, but far more importantly, it spoke of Joey and Ruth and of their failures of the past. At that point, this became the book I was looking for. I can't imagine that any other book I read in the next year will be able to compare.

You MUST read this book.

(And as a side-note, I will be using this book as a companion piece to THE MIRACLE WORKER -- not only because of the subject of deafness, but because I teach THE MIRACLE WORKER to explore metaphor and deeper meanings. I can't wait!)

I am an elementary school librarian and have been reading this exceptional book to two fifth-grade classes over the course of about 6 weeks.

Every week they came into the library, eager to continue the story again. First, we'd review what happened the week before, then I would read for about 30 minutes. When we came upon any new ASL words, we would look them up and learn them together. When I finally had to stop reading after the 30 minutes was up, I'd get "Don't stop" groans and then applause!!!

This is such a great read-aloud book! We had some really insightful discussions and we learned SO much! We laughed and we cried (Oh, boy, it's hard to read when you're crying!). None of us will ever forget Sukari and Joey. There are now 60 young people (and three "old" ones!) that will never look at a chimp or any other primate the same again.

Ms. Rorby, THANK YOU for this book! Can't wait to get "Dolphin Sky!"

Thirteen year old Joanne "Joey" Willis has been deaf since the age of six. Her mother Ruth wants her to function in the hearing world by reading lips and adapting to school life with special sound monitors, but despite Ruth's efforts, Joey struggles to fit in and feels isolated from her classmates as well as her family.

Things change when Joey meets Dr. Charles Mansell (Charlie) and his baby chimpanzee Sukari who both speak American Sign Language. Charlie begins to teach Joey ASL, opening up a whole new world of communication for her - against her mother's wishes. Sukari and Joey form a unique bond but when Charlie's situation changes, it is up to Joey to speak up for Sukari and protect the life of her new found friend.

Hurt Go Happy is a captivating and believable novel, with details based on true events. The characters are richly drawn and ready to pull readers in from the very first chapter. Ginny Rorby expertly describes problems involving the culture clash between deaf and hearing people and also weaves several other serious issues into her story, including: animal rights, teen friendships, fitting in at school, family conflicts, homelessness, and abuse. Highly emotional and overwhelmingly powerful, Hurt Go Happy is an amazingly well written book.

I had actually never heard of this title until I stumbled across it on the New York Public Library's "Books for the Teen Age" list for 2007. How I had missed it is a mystery, one that I can only chalk up to a lack of promotional advertising. Which is a horrible shame, because this book is one of the best I've read in years. If you haven't read it, you should. If you've never heard of it, don't worry, because you'll never forget it once you've read it.

I didn't have a lot of preconceived ideas going into the story. From the book jacket, I knew that HURT GO HAPPY was about a girl named Joey who was deaf, and who lived with a mother who forbid her to learn ASL, or American Sign Language. I knew that she met a chimpanzee named Sukari, who had been raised almost like a child by a man named Charlie, who had taught her ASL. What I didn't know was that this is the most emotional story I've ever read. It may have been a mistake to read this book at work (Don't worry, I'm allowed!), because I broke down in tears more times than I can count while reading it.

It's true that Joey is deaf. She wasn't born that way, but suffered from a childhood incident that isn't revealed until close to the end of the book. The reader knows that it must have been something bad, and it probably has something to do with why her mother, Ruth, doesn't want her learning to sign. That abhorrent, inane hatred of sign language is an attribute of Ruth's that had me disliking her from the first, and even though, over time, her stance ultimately changes, I never came to fully enjoy her as a character. That being said, though, she is one of the strongest characters of the story, and even though I fault her for many mistakes she made throughout HURT GO HAPPY, you can always understand, on some level, how she came to make them.

When Joey meets Charlie, an older doctor who lives close to their home in California, she is immediately taken with him. Not only does he know sign language, but he truly knows her -- and for a girl like Joey, cut off from so many people at home and at school by her inability to communicate easily, this is a treasure. When she meets Sukari, the chimp who is more like a child, she's smitten.

Over the course of months, Joey, Charlie, and Sukari bond as if they were their own tightly knit family, and in a way they are. There are obstacles to overcome, as always, that involve Joey's family, Charlie's health, and Sukari's relationship with them all. HURT GO HAPPY spans the course of years, and during that time we see a myriad of changes, from Joey learning to sign and attending a school for the deaf, from Charlie suffering from his bad heart, and from Sukari being taken from the only home she's ever known to ultimately end up in a research lab.

This isn't an easy story to read, but it's so heartfelt and true that you won't want to stop reading it. Although it's hard to say whether or not HURT GO HAPPY has a happy ending, it has one that is so true to life that you'll understand it's the only way it could have ended. The author makes it clear that this is a story based on true events, and that fact alone will have you thinking of the world in new ways. This book isn't just about being deaf, nor is it strictly about using animals for testing. It's about the choices we make, the burdens we carry, and the love that gets us through it all.

There is so much more I could tell you about this book. I could tell you that I ordered a copy of the AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE CONCISE DICTIONARY so that my daughter and I could learn more signs. I could tell you that I ordered books about other chimps who have lived their lives using ASL. I could mention that, although I had previously never thought much about testing on animals, I now can't stop thinking about it. I could also tell you that, genetically, chimpanzees share over 98% of the same DNA as humans. In the end, though, I'll just say that HURT GO HAPPY is, simply stated, amazing. Read it. You'll be glad you did. I promise.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Wardrip, aka "The Genius"

"I'm not going to let anyone take her from the only home she knows."

Joey is a young girl who is legally deaf, but doesn't know sign language because of her mother's objections. Then, she meets Charlie and Sukari, an older man and a sign language speaking chimpanzee who change her life. She begins to learn sign language behind her mother's back. Then, something tragic happens and immediate responsibility of Sukari is put on Joey.
Personally I loved the enchanting story of Hurt Go Happy. It brought tears, laughs, and smiles that only an amazing book can bring. I think it contains a strong message about how anything you do, or anyone you meet can come with a life changing experience. I believe that this book best relates to teenage girls, or young adults with disabilities. Also, anyone that loves a "not so classic'' book about human and animal relationships.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that is interested in reading. Hurt Go Happy will take you on an adventure of ups, downs, and even some corkscrews. I personally have read many books this past year and Hurt Go Happy has to be one of the best. Read it and weep, smile, and laugh....

-Rachel Sukenik

Both enlightening and practical. This book is clearly written and makes points in way that Mark Rashid himself (I love his books) is not always able to. I think this comes from this author's more "traditional" horse training background, which so many of us share. (BTW: If you are into jumping then this book is definitely for you!)

I found this a wonderful complement to Mark's own books. It stands well on its own, too. I would recommend this as a first exposure to Mark Rashid's philosophies for anyone who wants to "get to the point" a little quicker than reading through all of Mark's books. But if you've already read all of Mark's books, you won't be disappointed either!

It is often good to see the insights and opinions of those whom have been affected by someone elses knowledge and abilities. In the Company of Horses: A Year on the Road With Horseman Mark Rashid puts you on the road and in the clinics with the eyes, ears and emotions of many of his students.

Of sharing true openness and self observation. Kathleen shows how being open minded to learning from not only Mark, horses and her students but also learning from herself and what she is really doing when she is working with a horse. Which shows that if you are not honest with yourself and what you are really doing, or not capable of doing while working with a horse, the horse will reveal it for you.
This book is hard to put down once you start reading it.

In the Company of Horses is such an inspiring story about not only finding your role as a horse trainer but also how to identify and work within your own psyche. There were so many ways that I could relate to what Kathleen had written about her own experiences, doubts, and insecurities. The inspiration comes when she helps the reader to realize their own potential for success- in life as well as with the horse.

After reading the first five pages of this book, I put my pen down as I knew I'd underline about 80 percent of what I was reading.

Chapter titles include 'Point of View', 'Softness', 'Mean Well' and within the chapters are well thought, priceless vignettes of self-discovery ranging from learning with Mark and horses, the life style of an on-the road clinicians, working with students and how this thoughtful style of consistent horsemanship changes self and permeates life.

This time through, I'm devouring it - skimming words, slowing down here and there, nodding in agreement, delighting in the aha-moments. As soon as I compete the book, I'll start my second reading - going slowly, savouring the Lindley's words and experiences along this horsemanship road that beckons and calls us just over the next hill.

This book was amazing. I read it with my seven year old daughter. We both couldn't wait to read some more the next night. My daughter learned a ton about whales and the writing was fabulous. Wonderful, imaginative, creative book. I hope she writes some more.

I only recently discovered this book, and, I have to say I almost could not put it down! Not only is the fantasy part lovely in its imagery, but, the technical facts about the sea creatures are informative and amazing. Any author would be proud to call this tome her own, and, Ms. Velmans should be congratulated. I only hope that one day this is made into a movie of the Disney/Pixar type. It would be an instant classic, not like those forgettable straight-to-dvds they seem to be churning out the past ten years.

I think this book is excellent !!! This book made me stay up late to keep on reading it until my mom told me to turn out the light.I think it is the best whale book I've ever read. Isabel of the whales makes me think I'm actually with her learning to ping and ring and sing. I would definitely recommend this book. I think it would be very hard to have two families like Isabel.

This book is just wonderful. Packed with romance, adventure and tragedy, you won't want to put this book down. The story gets more exciting with every sentence you read. A surprise is packed inside every page. This is honestly one of the best books I've ever read. You should DEFINETLY get your copy today!

It's quite sad, interesting, and part non-fiction information. It makes me want to read it all over again. But Isabel will soon regret her first words about the ocean. She will surely miss the ocean and her whale family much.

The book I ordered was shipped very promptly and arrived in brand new condition. I will deffinately order from them again.

it's a v good book for children. Letters are big and characters are interesting.

Very cute book! My 2-year old son is a Kipper fan and he loves this book! Hopefully it will help us with learning the ABC's!

My 2 1/2 year old LOVES this book. She's a big Kipper fan, and this is such a great book - much requested at bed time. We love all of Mike Inkpen's work...

My son loves the Kipper videos. I think he might even like the the books more. He takes them everywhere.

When I gave this as a gift to cat-loving friends I knew I was doing the right thing. It has been received with great appreciation, not only for the subject matter, but for the beautiful way it was written and illustrated. Judy Chicago is a master at what she does.

This book is exquisite: well-researched, superbly-written, and the art is incredible! I love cats and love art - she has done a masterful job capturing the feline essence, and the relationships she and Donald have with their cats.

I've been sharing my life with cats for twenty years, and thought I knew feline behavior and physiology pretty well. She taught me things I never knew before.

I plan to give this as a gift to many of my friends. I am proud to have it as a part of my personal library. It is a true treasure that I will always cherish. Every time I open it, I find something new to marvel at. Her feline companions are very lucky to have found her; her love of, and understanding of, those she has made a part of her family, shine through on every page.

Bravo, Judy!

As an artist and an animal person, I treasure this exquisite book. Not only is it beautifully painted (in the challenging medium of water color no less!) but it has a rich feel of the Medieval with its purples, golds and parchment divider pages. Hence the sub-title, "A Feline Book of Hours." I share my home with several cats as I have my whole life. This book honors cats by not just showing one's daily routine with them, but also shows the dignity, courage and humor cats possess. It also shows, from the artist's perspective, the joys of daily life in the companionship of cats and the tragedy of inevitable loss.
It is a joy to see cats represented as the unique creatures that they are by one of the most gifted and brilliant artists of our time.

Kitty City: A Feline Book of Hours caught my attention because of the author's name, Judy Chicago. I have always admired her work in the world of fine arts. This book is a wonderful surprise. It is beautifully illustrated and truly influenced by the illuminated Book of Hours treasured during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The pleasing illustrations are enhanced by the use of gold and vellum.

To my delight, the reader is allowed a very intimate look at the life of the artist with her husband and their feline family. The day-to-day joys as well as life's harsh reality in the loss of a loved one.

Kitty City makes a great gift for anyone that has ever loved an animal or is interested in feline history and feline facts of life. Little known tidbits about cats and their place in the world add to the uniqueness of this book.

If you are familiar with Judy Chicago's work, you know that endless hours of research precedes each project, and this one continues in that tradition. The text is lively and informative, and the illustrations prove once again what a fine artist Judy Chicago is. Her sense of color is just amazing. Even if you're not a cat lover, this book is a treasure.

This is my 18-month-old son's favorite book at the moment -- despite the fact that he's never visited Seattle, owned a dog, or met anybody named Pete (yet). But you don't have to be a kid to enjoy this tome; it's also the ideal book for anybody with a passing interest in where the Mariners play, what "The Fremont Troll" looks like, and the process by which aesthetically magnificent design & lettering can be married to a punchy and always-compelling travelogue. Highly recommended.

This book is adorable. The story chronicles a young boy and pup as they explore Seattle. When Larry gets lost the readers are taken on an amazing tour to all of the best sites. The book has fresh artwork and is written in a light. humorous way. The story reads along for small children explain the highlights of the city but for older kids sitting in on story time, or adults who still love this stuff, there are a couple places of extra information that make the book so much fun. Right up there with Click, Clack, Moo!

My wife and I visited Seattle this summer and wanted to pick up a local book about the city that we could share with our son (who traveled with us, but in my wife's uterus). The story of Larry and Pete was beautifully illustrated and we enjoyed the extra details about the city imbedded in the story. After spending 4 days in the city, we saw most of the sights detailed in the story-although, unlike Pete, we had a map. The story is endearing on another level because as we welcomed our son into the world this weekend we named him Pete! We are pretty sure that Larry Gets Lost in Seattle is already his favorite book.

I just saw this book - super cute especially for tykes living in the Seattle area. Great rhymes and my daughter - 20 months - enjoyed it.

Great children's book especially if you live in Seattle. My son recognizes some of the pictures! Great fun.

Everything runs smoothly in the Carraclough household when Lassie, their wonderful Collie, is around. But when desperate times takes desperate measures... it minuses Lassie out of the family. While everything is going hay-wire in the Carraclough home, the Collie is on a thousand-mile trek to get back with her family again. Lassie will come across many unbearable situations and obstacles, but the calling to get home overrides anything she may run into.

I loved everything about this book! The dedication of the homebound dog, to the quaint villages of England and Scotland, and all the characters within... I savored every word! It is one of my all time favorite books, and I'd recommend it to any dog or book lover!

Other than the language being like in ancient times, "Thy, thee" this book was excellent and a good savory book. It is not a fast read though.

Why has it taken me so long to read this excellent book! It is not just a "children's" book. One of the best books I have read in a long time!

Still an interesting, emotion-provoking and relevant read for the 21st century's jaded youth. It's about the most basic kind of friendship and loyalty, where an animal exhibits more of both than do the humans. Some of the Depression-era references and rigid class distinctions probably aren't as relevant today, but the core of the book, the love of and for an animal, remains. Highly recommended.

This is a wonderful reproduction of the original World War II edition of the classic Eric Knight story. I find it appalling that many Americans do not know that the original Lassie of the story was British because I read the original "Lassie Come Home" short story (published in the December 1938 issue of the Saturday Evening Post) in school. This original story is a well-written, haunting tale of a poor Yorkshire family forced by economic times to sell their son's beloved collie (a tricolor dog, not a sable as portrayed in the movies and on TV) and of the dog's long torturous journey home during which she meets kind people--a couple who nurse her after she swims the river Tweed, a kindly peddler--and cruel--callous dogcatchers, bullying boys--as well as farmers protecting their livestock. A classic in every sense of the word.

By Dag Stomberg (St. Andrews, Scotland)

I write to sound the praises of this extraordinary book.

Truly, a help for all of us to see the POLAR DISTRESS and
what to do for saving endangered bears.

This book is a superb piece of work. The written commentaries and the photographs are excellent. It is a must have for every home. Steven Kazlowski's talents truly shine in this publication!

Wow! I have a few of his books, all good, but this tops them all. I love polar bears and even have a few of his nature prints on my walls. This book is enlightening and the facts are alarming. Great job, once again.

I have been to Kaktovik before with the pilot that flew Steve for some of the aerial shots in this book. My visit to kaktovik was wonderful, we even saw Polar Bear tracks, but this book really brings the bear to life. Steve has done a marvelous job of capturing the spirit of the bear as well as the other life in Alaska's Arctic region. There are treasures within it's pages, not just the bears, but the people in the region and the other wildlife. It exemplifies much of what the Arctic is all about. I feel like I am back up there while looking through this book! A must for collectors of Alaska wildlife books! Thanks for bringing me back there, Steve, through your eyes and your talents! I love the book!

I met Steve in Deadhorse (prudhoe bay) some years ago, and we have been friends ever since. It was my privledge to pass him on to other friends as he immersed himself into the Arctic. Steve is continuing a proud tradition of naturalist explorers and photographers that extend back to John Muir. I was in the area when National Geographic blew into Kaktovik, took a few photo ops and blew out. In contrast, Steve, like Micho Hoshino did, actually lives with the animals. He staked out a polar bear den for a month waiting for the opportunity of a few photos. Thousands of hours have been logged watching and waiting, most of them in rather challanging conditions.
Even more so, the very act of living a life of meditation in the wild will transform one's spirit and vision. He has honed his eye and awareness to a sharpness that few of us will either have the time, opportunity or dedication to achieve. I am in awe of the amazing clarity that he has brought to not only the great northern bears of the arctic, but to the ramifications of the whole world about us as we continue to lose that which every ecosystem should treasure. Bravo Steve.

Yes, it was cute...but I felt like I was reading a rather bland, repetitive diary. Yes, if you love dogs, there's a lot to relate to here. A bit of salvation in the epilogue...for a woman who loved animals so much, I was a bit surprised it took her so long to reach a vegetarian way of life, but at least she got there!

Dog lovers, animal lovers, Paris lovers, travelers, and everyone who apppreciates great literary talent, will love this book. Lauren's Story is a gift from Kay Pfaltz's heart to all her readers. In this book I found the best description I've ever read of that special bond between a dog and the person she or he loves. Those who have not experienced the unconditional love and deep connection that animals can offer us will find it so beautifully explored and explained, they may well find themselves on their way to the local animal shelter to rescue one. (Please don't buy from a pet store or breeder.)
Those who have experienced that dear and unforgettable connection will be forever grateful to Kay for putting it into words and indeed validating it. So often those who have lost pets experience a grief that is often not understood by those around them. Kay makes it clear. This mysterious and wonderful love that crosses the species barrier is absolutely real and, for some, the greatest gift on earth.
There are more ways to love this book as well. If you ever wanted to go to Paris, you will feel as if you did after reading Lauren's story. I felt as though I was right there with Kay and Lauren, so great is her talent in conveying the sights and sounds as well as her own so human and honest responses to this magical city. Funny, sad, intriguing, suspenseful, I couldn't put the book down.
The best part for me, that I hope everyone will read, is Kay's 4 page "Afterword" to the latest edition, in which she explains how her love for Lauren and Lauren's love for her inspired her to question why she would eat one animal but not another. She became vegetarian and states that she values "each individual life and, especially in the case of factory farming, foie gras and other undeniably cruel practices, I no longer believe a few minutes, or even hours, of my pleasure is worth an animal's life, or suffering."

This is a wonderful life between a beagle named Lauren and her owner who spent every part of every day together. This is a love story! The love between a beagle and it's owner. Some love stories are not even this close to real love.

I felt like I was there with them with every word that I read. I longed for more when I realized I was on the last page. BRAVO for LAUREN to be loved so dearly By Kay and For Kay to be loved so dearly by Lauren.

Kay's deep love for Lauren - and all animals - includes the necessary ingredients of joy and humor. There are moments throughout the book, especially toward the end when Lauren begins to fall ill, that you, the reader, will hold your breath for too long until the crisis is resolved. And, equally, there are moments of such hilarity, that you will stop breathing simply because you are laughing so hard. Lauren's Story literally has it all: heartbreak, despair, courage, joy and always, love. You definitely want to own this book, and buy it for everyone you know.

This is a lovely story about a woman's love for her dog and the love she felt in return. The reader will also enjoy the genuiness of a single woman living -- and dining -- in Paris, a city that seems more tolerant of dogs in its cafes than it is toddlers. It is a great book for anyone who is an animal lover, especially those who are self-proclaimed dog nuts. Others need not apply.