Tag Archives: pet owners

Zoe Home for the Holidays: A Merry Christmas Tale (Zoe the Pull-Leash Dog) by J. E. Brewer (Book Review)

Dashing Through the Snow in a One-Pup Crazy Way.

This is the second zany outing for Zoe the Pull-Leash Dog. Zoe is a whirlwind of a pup who helps people around town in unexpected ways during her daily walks with Edna. In Zoe Home for the Holidays, the duo turns winter into a wonderland and puts a whole new spin on dog walking. Edna lets Zoe take her for a wild ride to lend a helping paw to snow shovelers, skiers, skaters, ice sculptors, tree decorators, and even Santa himself, as only Zoe can. This is Book 2 of the Zoe the Pull-Leash Dog series.

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I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

 

I first met Zoe in the hilarious and unforgettable story Zoe the Pull-Leash Dog. The adorable canine was zooming across the pages and dragging their owner behind them, most of the time with their human counterpart (Edna) in mid-air. In Zoe Home for the Holidays, we witness another exhilarating walk where Edna’s feet barely touch the ground. 

Zoe’s case of the zoomies led Edna on a wild ride, but she was used to the 0 to 60 outdoor fun. Even the whole town knows what to expect when Zoe takes off. You’d think a fast-moving pooch would spell disaster, but their speed and quick movements prove quite helpful for the townspeople this holiday season. Zoe and Edna helped clear off the snowy sidewalks, assisted the children to the top of the ski hill, coordinated ice skaters, and created a stunning ice sculpture. As they flew past the enormous tree in the village’s center, they did a holiday job many people dread: untangle a mountain of blinking lights. If that wasn’t impressive enough, Zoe also had time and energy to help jolly St. Nick and his reindeer! 

Readers will find themselves giggling over the high-flying owner. The illustrations show her as a human toboggan, resting on the backend of a dog-shaped ice sculpture, passing over treetops, riding on the back of Santa’s sled, and much more. Edna’s final line, “Santa says Hi,” was a perfect ender. It demonstrated how she loved and accepted the craziness the walks bring. Every day was an adventure with her furry friend! 

Zoe Home for the Holidays is a wonderful book to share with your family this and every holiday season. Kids will love it, and so will their parents too! Based on the previous book in the series, the recommended reading age is 3-7 years. 

 

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤

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Meet the Author

I grew up in a hardworking lobstering town on the coast of southern Maine. As a Physics major at the University of Maine, I won the state creative fiction competition. Today I live on Boston’s north shore with my wife, a pre-school teacher. We have two sons and a little white dog.

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HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

 

 

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Maya and Waggers: I Have to Scoop What? by W. T. Kosmos (Book Review)

 Have to Scoop What? is the book series launch of Maya and Waggers!

For generations on Island Nation, the Puddin’ Heads have despised the Sweeties and lived without dogs. But after a shipload of dogs and puppies arrives, the Puddin’ Heads race to buy these creatures despite having no clue how to care for them. When the Union family can’t take their new puppy, Waggers, on a trip, Maya, her best friend Lily, and Waggers stay with Uncle Puddin’ Head. But Lily is a Sweetie, Maya refuses to scoop poop, and her uncle really, really cares about his new lawn. When Maya attempts to lead creative solutions in the strange neighbors’ yards, problems start piling up. For ages 8 and up.

Categories: Children’s Fiction Humor / Pets / Adventure

Themes: dogs, animals, pet care and responsibility, humor, courage, friendship, community and inclusion, critical thinking, growing up, social and environmental awareness

Great for readers who:

– love humorous adventure

– love dogs / pets / animals / nature

– are thinking about getting a dog

– wish their neighbors were more neighborly

– wish more owners would clean up their dog’s poop

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I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

 

The Sweeties and the Puddin’ Heads have been rivals for a very long time, all because some “numbskull” tricked them into despising one another. The same troublemaker even tricked the Sweeties into wearing blue and Puddin’ Heads red. If you considered yourself “true red Puddin’ Heads,” you didn’t just wear all red; you also only drove red vehicles like Maya’s Uncle Kal. As in present-day society, there will always be individuals who stand up against outdated rules. In this fictional children’s book, the “rebel” would be Maya.

Maya lived on Puddin’ Island, where she was expected to wear red and blue was 100% forbidden. Maya didn’t let anyone tell her what to wear. If she wanted to wear a rainbow-colored outfit, she would and made no apologies for it. She also didn’t judge others by where they lived. In fact, Maya’s best friend, Lily, was from Sweetie Island. 

As the chapter book plays out, Maya and Lily learn the hard way puppies are cute, but boy, do they poop a lot! I laughed out loud when Lily appeared genuinely floored that not only do dogs poop, but many other creatures do as well. Or when Lily questioned if Waggers would turn into something else, like a caterpillar. In her defense, Lily has never seen a dog before. Maya, either, until a shipload of them came to the island. 

I found elements of this story were comical because they were not happening to me. For instance, when Uncle Kal stepped on a poop patch and left a trail of brown footprints that ran up the sidewalk, across the porch, and into the house. Disgusting! I’m also thankful Maya was the one scooping the largest pile of dog poop known to mankind because the experience sounded gross. 

Maya and Waggers: I Have to Scoop What? uses humor to show the stinkier side of owning a dog. They are fun to play with and give pets to, but eventually, they will empty their colon somewhere. Maya and Lily had a great idea to avoid the clean-up process and to appease Maya’s Uncle Kal: have Waggers leave his piles on someone else’s lawn. Mayhem and hilarity ensue as the two girls visit each potential poop location. My favorite neighboring family was the Barkers. They were crazy!

Kids eight years and up will be giggling as they read about Maya’s poop dilemma. Many will relate if they have a canine companion at home and are required to pick up dog turds. If you’re like me, you’ll wish the author included more images, such as snow literally punching and kicking grass and a picture of MegaCorps’s newest invention: grass that fights back! 

Need a good laugh? Read this story!

 

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score:

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Meet the Author

W.T. Kosmos is a humorist author who dives into today’s social absurdities, the boundless depth of human potential, and the infinite wisdom and wonders of the evolving universe. He is the alter ego (pen name) of a life-long educator who has had the great privilege and joy of serving as a teacher and school administrator while collaborating with some of the most fabulous people in the world. W.T. Kosmos lives along the coast of Paradox, USA, Earth, Milky Way and enjoys reading, writing, walking the beach, wrestling with his dogs, and snorkeling with Regal the seahorse. However, his favorite pastime is training as a professional wrestler, which is also his backup plan for improving the world.

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Reedsy Author Link

 

 

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Zoe the Pull-Leash Dog by J. E. Brewer (Book Review)

Zoe is a little white dog with a whole lotta pull! Every time Edna takes her pup Zoe for a walk, Zoe takes Edna on a wild ride through town. In this laugh-out-loud picture book for little kids, Zoe and Edna wreak helpful havoc on townsfolk, but always with a positive result. As Zoe pulls the leash, the duo rushes past delivery men, grocery clerks, laundry ladies, jump-roping kids, and many others who can benefit from Zoe’s unique panache. It’s a hilarious story about helping people in unexpected ways. Vivid illustrations include “hidden Zoes” for youngsters to spot before each big event. As she races through town, dragging her long-suffering owner behind her, Zoe gathers a thank-you from everyone she meets. Zoe the Pull-Leash Dog is an imaginative book about an adorable, can-do canine.

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery.  I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

 

Most people have watched videos online or on tv featuring energetic dogs who are a handful once the leash snaps onto their collar. They drag their humans off porches, across lawns, and down streets, sending them flying in all directions. Zoe the Pull-Leash Dog by John Brewer features a white pooch who takes its owner on a wild ride around town. 

Zoe might be small, but don’t let their looks fool you; this doggie is no calm walker. The second Edna slipped on her glasses, Zoe was off to the races. The duo rushes past delivery men, grocery clerks, laundry ladies, jump-roping kids, and many others. Edna flew here, there, and everywhere, and the illustrations for the crazy journey were very humorous. 

Despite Edna’s run-in with power lines, clotheslines, and billboards, she emerged unscathed from the sticky predicaments. Each altercation led to a positive outcome, earning a well-deserved thank you. For example, at the grocery store, her speed helped wrangle multiple shopping carts. Edna also assisted a mailman by delivering a package. Her most impressive act was her topiary skills. She made trimming two bushes to look like a duck and goose seem easy!

Zoe the Pull-Leash Dog is an imaginative book about an adorable canine and their human who assist their community in unexpected ways. The non-stop action and pictures will make your child giggle. Amazon’s recommended reading age is 3-7, but I can see an even wider viewing audience enjoying the antics of the owner and pet. 

While the illustrations were phenomenal and full of hilarity, I wanted a final image of a sleeping Zoe next to her frazzled-looking owner. I think that image would’ve been a perfect non-verbal response to the question posed at the end of the story. Besides a small illustration request, this story was a home-run hit! 

Zoe the Pull-Leash Dog is a laugh-out-loud picture book full of action, adventure, and death-defying illustrations. 

 

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: 

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

Meet the Author

I grew up in a hardworking lobstering town on the coast of southern Maine. As a Physics major at the University of Maine, I won the state creative fiction competition. Today I live on Boston’s north shore with my wife, a pre-school teacher. We have two sons and a little white dog.

Reedsy Author Link

 

 

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