Booth's Daughter by Raymond Wemmlinger

We just finished the novel Booth's Daughter written by Raymond Wemmlinger. Now let me give you the low down on this book first. The story is about an 18 year old girl named Edwina Booth who supports her father, the popular stage actor, Edwin Booth. Ever sense the assassination of President Lincoln, her family has been shamed because her uncle, John Wilkes Booth. Poor Edwina gets paranoid when an assassination attempt on president Grant is attempted and she feels that everyone is looking at her. Most of the story follows Edwina for a number of years as she travels with her father as he goes all over performing plays. In between all the plays, president Grant, snotty rich people, Edwina is wrapped up in a romance with quite a few young men.
Now, with my being a very manly man dog - as manly as I can be after the "snip-snip" incident, which I don't like to talk about - I am not into romances. This book made me think of watching those mini-series in the 80's that last for a few days and really never told a story. I felt like I was reading Edwina's personal diary. Although there were some historical facts, they kinda get lost in the first person perspective from Edwina. So with that being said, teens who feel the need to get their romance fix might like this book, but I can't see it being a hot read. The story itself was not bad, there just wasn't much of a plot. No profanity, no sexual innuendos - except for a kiss in which Edwina thinks she's going to pass out - I find it hard to believe very many teens will be impressed with this novel.
I am giving this novel a wet-nosed three and a half biscuits:


When my owner first read the title, he thought it was going to be more about John Wilkes Booth when really, that was just a relative of the main character and didn't have any significance to the story. I hope the next book has a plot.



Sniff Sniff - I'll see you later.

Tough Boy Sonatas by Curtis Crisler

This book is a collection of poems written by Curtis Crisler. These poems are from the eyes of a young boy growing up in the town of Gary, Indiana. There are many vivid images in the poems as the characters and personalities of the local boys is described with each poem. There are people from daydreamers in class to tomboy girls who have a nice right cross to the chops. One boy tells of his grandmother's drug addiction and the effects it has on her. The poem I enjoyed was the poem that talked about the boy's addictions, which ended up being candy bars and fast food. The illustrations throughout the book drawn in black, browns, and darker tans and blues, add to the dingy and sooty look of an industrial town like Gary.
There were a lot of very graphic words and "images" through the writing. The "n-word" was even used sparingly throughout the poems, as long as imagery of sex, violence, and innocence of the boys in the community in which they were raised.
Will high school kids enjoy this book? Some may. If you can get past the way each poem is written in chopped up pieces down the page and read it like a prose instead of trying to get a rhythm of poetry in your head, it may be interesting to some. I'm betting most teens will just read and re-read the poems that talk about the sex or have questionable language.
Now as far as my wet nosed opinion of the book, I would give it 3 1/2 bones out of five.


Until next time, LICK!

The Surprise by Sylvia van Ommen

ALRIGHT...What's the big idea? The first book my master pulls out of the box is a picture book. Now I looove picture books as much as the next wiener dog don't get me wrong, but this picture book had NO WORDS! That's right, a wordless picture book. Well, since I wasn't going to be read to from this book, I had to push my nose in and take a look for myself.
The pages are very colorful and leave a lot to the imagination. The story is about a sheep who dyes and shaves her wool to make a very special gift for a very special friend.
Nothing much to this book. I could hear the teacher wheels spinning inside my owner's head as he "read" through the book a second time. I can picture the students in his classroom using the pictures to make predictions and inferences. The class could also write their own story to each of the pictures. That could be fun.
This book is definitely intended for younger audiences. Even as young as 2-3 years of age. Now for my floppy eared biscuit rating:


I gave it three because of the potential it could pose in the classroom. Could lead to a lot of creativity and imagination from students.


Woof. I'll sniff ya later.

What's in the Box?

We got our first box today. Goodie, goodie, goodie, goodie! My owner brought it home from school. It was a small box with about six books. Of course I had to give each one a sniff first to make sure I would be able to allow them inside my house or if they had to be chewed on. No chewing on these. Now, let the reading begin!

Woof. See ya later.

Higher Power of Scrotum...Oops I mean Lucky

The Newbery Award winner for this year - The Higher Power of Lucky - has come under a lot of criticism lately for containing an "offensive" word. The book was written by librarian, Susan Patron, who not only uses the word once, but several times throughout the first chapter. The word in question is: *snicker-snicker* "scrotum". People - librarians, teachers, and parents alike are outraged that a children's book would contain such a dirty dirty word. They are even going as far as banning the book from libraries. What's wrong with that word? Isn't that the anatomically correct word? Maybe people wouldn't get so mad if the author used a term such as nut-sac or nard-bag. Oh oh, how 'bout jewel sac or perhaps veg basket. I could go on for days.
What is more offensive to me is the fact that the term is being used when describing an incident with my own kind. A dog in the story, Roy, gets bit in the scrotum by a snake. Now that's what I call offensive, why couldn't it have been a cat getting bitten. Everything in books always happens to us dogs. We die all the time, get bit by rabid animals, get lost, and so on. This takes the cake though, getting bit in the doggie danglies? Ouch ouch ouch.
Anyway, the book itself it actually pretty good. The main character, a 10 year old girl, likes to listen through a hole in the wall to the patrons of a local Alcohol's Anonymous meeting. Lucky has a lot of worries and concerns going through her head, such as her guardian leaving her, and she listens to the meetings hopefully to get solace from a "higher power". The characters are quite interesting, especially my favorite, Miles, a five year old boy who likes cookies and a certain picture book. If you truly want to judge this book for yourself, I suggest you look past the first chapter. Oh yeah and for all those who are still in shock about the word in the first chapter, - SPOILER - It rears it's ugly head again towards the end of the book.

In my honest four-legged opinion, this book deserves 4 1/2 biscuits out of 5. (I'm eating a half biscuit in honor of my friend,Roy, and his scrotum).Hey, Ms. Patron, next time write about a cat getting clawed in the "kittie kaboodles" then I'll be a real fan of your work.


Woof! I'm out!

Let's Get it Started

My first box of books is anxiously awaiting for my owner to pick them up from the UPS prison. The box was initially sent to the wrong address so now we have to physically go and pick them up. Looking forward to chewing open that box, pushing my muzzle through the flaps, and sniffing that first book. I just can't wait to get my nose into that first book. I'll let you know what we find inside the box!