Alveridgea & the Legend of Lonely Dog

There’s a new classic book out called Alveridgea & the Legend of Lonely Dog. I hate to hear about any dog being lonely, but this dog’s tale has just arrived in America. It’s for kids a little bit older than me, maybe 8+ or so - kids that like books like ones about Mr. Harry Potter and his pals.

It’s a “beautifully illustrated and irresistible tale of the 'Lonely Dog' - an orphan hound growing up in Alveridgea, where cats and dogs live alongside each other, but on very different sides of the tracks. Set in the bizarre and beautiful port town of Alveridge, a fascinating place of unique clans and classes — where Felines struggle to maintain the upper hand. Bullied and misunderstood, Lonely Dog became a refugee in his own country. The story follows Lonely Dog from abandonment at the Houndside Orphanage steps through his emergence as a dapper, pin-stripe suited dog with a message of hope through his music.”

Here’s a full review by Christie Barnes, author of The Paranoid Parent's Guide. She writes, "New Zealand artist Ivan Clarke, with writer Stu Duvall, have created a world of total imagination: cat bosses oppress dogs in a complex society. Advanced issues of prejudice, discrimination, friendship, bullying, loyalty, betrayal play out in ways that will spark discussion in kids to older teens alike." Here's more about it!

There's even supposed to be a movie about it - so quick go out and read it first. I hope Lonely Dog doesn't stay lonely for long!

Love and high hopes,
Hannah

People Do Cool Stuff, Too

Sometimes people are so cool! This really nice lady named Patty Aarons and her friend Judy took their gorgeous Bernese Mountain Dogs to two book readings for kids in Michigan. They have dogs named Skye, Trina, Magnum (I bet he’s big), Abigail and Annie B. Two of them have special CGC Certification – that’s a Canine Good Citizen. (I’m not certified to do a darned thing!) Anyhow – They read my books at The Atlanta Public Library and The Lewiston Library Reading Garden in the great state of Michigan and even got a spread in the Montmorency County Tribune.

They’ll do another reading on Aug 9th at Gaylord, MI Library. Here are some pictures. Isn’t that just the nicest thing to do? I’ll tell ya – kids love us Berners!!
Patty said that Skye tried to sneak off with a stuffed me. (I like to play with - and shred - those cute little stuffed Hannah toys, too!) I'm not sure why mom thinks kids want these toys 'cause Berners sure like to play with little puppy dollies like themselves. But kids like to play with them, too.

Another creative teacher at Chapin School in New York read the book to her kids and then they did snow stuff they don’t normally get to do. For example, they did some sledding on wheels in the gym and then puffed up a parachute stuffed with cotton balls so all the kids got to be in a big snow globe! How much fun was that? I like to catch blowing bubbles, but cotton balls would be a riot!
Love and good cheer to cool people!
Hannah

Mom Goes to Gettysburg

May 2012...(we're a little behind right now) For scores and 7 weeks ago a whole bunch of Berners got together in Gettysburg, PA for the Bernese Mountain Dog Specialty Show. Mom said there were a ton of Berners there all dressed in their finest furs – fluffed and primped and gorgeous. They were talented, too - check out this boarder dude!

Mom was at the Gettysburg specialty show signing my books in Mary Dawn DeBriae’s booth. Mom says that she knew my book had gone international to places like Scotland, Germany, and Sydney already, but now it’s going home even further to Japan and Perth. (That may be as far away as it could go!) I hope the roo’s like it in Perth…

Mary Dawn has a shop in Telluride called Schaussi’s Alpen Schatz (http://www.alpenschatz.com/) that has all sorts of cool Swiss dog collars, yodeling outfits, specialty items from Germany and other Bernese kind of stuff – (Mary Dawn has Berners like me too!) She invited Mom to come to the Bernese Specialty Show with her and it’s been lots of fun.

But… Mom is here posing in the booth with an imposter! Her name is Sophie and I’m very jealous that I’m not there to be in the photo. Can you imagine? Grrrr…. Next year the show will be in Loveland, Colorado, and so Lucy and I can go with Mom and fend off these charlatan dogs!!

All week long Mom’s sister, Marnie, has been helping her drive around and peddle books at bookstores in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Mom says it’s been a fun adventure and it’s a beautiful area this time of year with all the blooming bushes. Marnie knows a guy who thinks we should have a ‘wet fur’ contest – you know, because we’re such sexy canines. (Could be a new entertainment trend!) But then he’s the same guy that gave my own sister Lucy the nickname of Lucifer, and so I’m not sure what to think about him!