Conflicts, Castles and Dogs...
Our books take place long, long ago, before dogs came to planet Earth, a time when there was often turmoil and danger.
Invaders and ruthless rulers often overwhelmed towns, villages and farmland. This was a time of walls, earthworks and fortresses. This was also the time of castles, a means of protecting people and lands that endured for a thousand years or more.
We visited a reminder of those times and were inspired...
The stone ruins of Raasepori Castle, stand on land close to the the Southwestern coast of Finland. When built on an island of rock in the 14 century, the castle was surrounded by water.
It was built by the King of Sweden to stop invaders and protect the nearby trading area of Tuna.
Raasepori Castle was attacked many times and suffered severe damage in 1523. It was abandoned later in the century.
Standing in front of the restored ruins is Stella Mustanoja-McCarty, illustrator for all the books in the Planet Of The Dogs Series.
Walking inside Raasepori, with its very thick stone walls, one has a sense of weight and heaviness. One has the feeling that these walls, if attacked could never be penetrated. Conversely, if one was a prisoner, there could be no escape.
Raasepori, like other castles in Finland, influenced our thinking in writing and illustrating Castle In The Mist.
In this book, war is imminent. After a year of peace, the children of Bik, leader of the Stone City warriors learns that his children have been kidnapped and are being held as prisoners in the Castle In The Mist.
Winter comes, bringing snow to the mountain passes. The Stone City Warriors must wait until Spring to attack. If the dogs can't free the children before the winter snows have melted, there will be war in the land of the Forest People.
And so begins the saga of the dogs, using the great forest to thwart and frustrate Prince Ukko and his Black Hack soldiers. The dogs, using their extraordinary sense of smell, can see in the mist and in the dark. Their howling taunts the soldiers and the Prince. And, hearing the howling, the kidnapped children keep their hopes alive.
Finally, in the cold winter snows, the dogs, because of their loving hearts, find a non-violent way to save the children and prevent war.
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We support...
Reading to dogs and kids reading dog books to dogs, and so it is that we support therapy reading dog programs in IN, NY, NJ, CT, RI, PA, NH, FL, WI, and TX.
Susan Purser and her Therapy Reading Dog, Rose, participate in a wide variety of therapy dog programs in Sarasota, Florida. I asked Susan to tell me about their work and she replied by writing from Rose's point of view. Rose is an Australian Cattle Dog and that's her in the photo on the left. Here is an abridged and edited version of Rose's adventures as a therapy dog. More will be posted in the future:
"I began my pet therapy career
when I was just a puppy at a nursing facility, The Pines. I just loved
bouncing down the halls and seeing everyone. Lots of people let me sit in
their laps, but that was when I was little…Soon it was time to begin my serious
obedience training and all sorts of tests: Canine Good Citizen, Therapy Dog,
Inc., Bright and Beautiful, and the R.E.A.D program.
That’s Reading Education Assistance Dog. I love the reading programs...For The Humane Society of Sarasota County...I visit people in nursing homes, private homes,
libraries and schools. At school I become a listening dog, as the
children read to me. I like pictures and my mom asks the children to show
me the pictures…that makes them laugh and its more fun for me. children who stutter read to me and you know what, they don’t stutter when they
read to me..."
If you have a therapy reading dog, or you are a teacher or librarian using a therapy dog reading program, let us know and we will send you one or more complimentary books from our Planet Of The Dogs series...email us at [email protected] and let the kids read dog stories to the dogs...
This is Glacier Bear, a newfie/husky mix, belonging to Terri Elkins in Fort Worth, Tx. Glacier Bear is a Dalta Society Dog working in the local children's hospital through the Delta Hearts of Gold program. Terri and Glacier Bear began working as a therapy reading dog in a school program just this January. We'll soon be posting an update on Glacier and Terri and their experiences.
For sample chapters of all our books visit www.planetofthedogs.net
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Guaranteed Amazing Dogs on Videos...
From National Geographic and You Tube...the ultimate human-canine bond... dogs trained to take care of wheelchair disbled people..dogs opening doors, picking up things, pushing 911 alarm rescue device... 3.35 minutes … www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpNGd1hXw
And...I don't care how many circus or TV acts you've seen, Kate and Gin will absolutely amaze you...www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkKnNyJvRAY
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Frankie, the Walk'n Roll Dog Visits Libby's House is a lovingly told True Dog Book for kids that deals with aging and dying...Barb Techel's previous book in the series, Frankie the Walk'n Roll Dog, won the Merial-Human Bond
Award from the Dog Writer’s Association of America.
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A New Planet Has Been Discovered...
Planet Of The Dogs is now on YouTube...reported by the author...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZkbDoDsis4
Barking Planet is on Twitter
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Here's a brand new yeloggie from Cayr Wulff , author of the very special human-canine bonding book Born Without aTail....see more at www.yelodoggie.com
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Librarians...See the Planet Of The Dogs Series
Visit the IBPA (Independent Booksellers Association of America) Exhibit at the Public Public Library Association March meeting in Portland.
We hope you saw our books at the ALA midwinter meeting in Boston.
We hope you are interested in finding undiscovered gems for your library.
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This is Library Lover's Month...a time to actively appreciate your librarian and your library...We salute and thank librarians everywhere!
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In her thoughtful article...
Looking for Undiscovered Gems in a Bestseller World, author-editor, Sheila Ruth, describes a growing dilemma in today's book world.
"According to the 2008
Scholastic Kids & Reading Report, "Trouble finding books they like
is a key reason kids say they do not read more frequently." This, in spite
of the fact that approximately 30
thousand new children's books are being released each year. With so many
books, why are children having trouble finding something to read? Maybe it's
because they keep hearing about the same fifty books over and over again, and
they don't know how to find other good books that will interest them in the
vast quantities of books out there...
According to the
same Scholastic reading report, the top five ways that kids get ideas about
what books to read for fun are, in order: Mom, friends, teachers, library or
librarians, and Dad...Given the importance of the people in their lives in helping
them find books, and given that many kids who don't read for fun say it's
because they can't find books that interest them, doesn't it behoove everyone
who works with children to learn about as many different books as possible?"
Sheila Ruth is editor of Wands and Worlds, a community for anyone who loves reading juvenile and young adult fantasy and science fiction. www.wandsandworlds.com
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Celebrate Children's Book Week...the 90th annual observance will be May 11-17...Children's Book Week helps to introduce new ideas and authors in schools, libraries, homes, and bookstores...the children in the photo are taking part in the Pages for Preston Program, created by their teacher, Julie Hauck, at the Longfellow School in Sheboygan, WI.
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For sample chapters of all our books visit www.planetofthedogs.net
In India, our books are available via www.flipkart.com
In the USA, at your local bookstore or B&N, Amazon and others.
Planet Of The Dogs hats, t-shirts, cups etc are in our Cafe Press Shop
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A Smile for Booklovers...
'Shopping for Books Is Like Shopping for Clothes, or a Husband'
"Contrary to popular belief--or at least to those dullards who swear by Amazon--shopping for books is like shopping for clothes, or a husband: sometimes you don't know what you want until you see it, and this is where a good store comes in. When I woke up last Friday morning I had not even heard of a book called Women Who Read Are Dangerous but later that same day I made a trip to a new shop, Lutyens & Rubinstein in west London, and there it was, sitting in the window, calling out to me at the top of its voice."--Rachel Cooke in the Guardian We first read this in Shelf Awaremess: Daily Enlightenment for the Book Trade: www.shelf-awaremess.com
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"Dogs never stand around at parties wondering what to say, or why they came or how pitiful they might seem to more elegant or amusing or more important guests" -- Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, author, Dogs Never Lie About Love (1997)
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