I’m delighted with the reception for my dog book “Made for Each Other: Why Dogs and People Are Perfect Partners”! I had great fun working on this project. I got to meet lots of wonderful people and adorable dogs, and I love the result of all the effort that went into the edit and design–take a look and see for yourself!
The reviews are enthusiastic:
Kirkus: Patent’s text burbles with liveliness, and the book is energetically designed with plenty of color, different-sized type, text bullets, and photographs.
Booklist: Irresistible photos of babies, puppies, kids, and dogs (plus a few token adults) happily frolic across pages as three main sections explore the relationship between people and dogs.
The engaging cover will make this a natural draw for dog lovers, but be sure to promote this as a STEM title, too.
School Library Journal: The well-researched narrative is presented in an understandable and friendly, yet authoritative, voice…..It has been said man’s best friend is a dog, and this book about canines is sure to make fast friends with young readers.
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I love that dogs and people are really “Made for Each Other.” But when kids ask me “What’s your favorite animal?” I do have to think twice–wolves or dogs? Hmmm….then I realize I can get around the question easily by saying either “Dogs and their wolf ancestors” or “Wolves or their domesticated descendants,” because that’s really the truth–wolves are the only ancestors of dogs.
I love wolves for their devoted family life and their wildness, and I love dogs for their devotion to being part of our human families and for their eager tameness–they really enjoy being around us humans.
“Made for Each Other: Why Dogs and People Are Perfect Partners,” talks how wolves and dogs are different. It explains how we’ve bred dogs to focus on different wolf traits, depending on their jobs. We have herding dogs, hunting dogs, guard dogs, and more. Each kind uses traits from their wolf ancestors to do its job.
People and dogs can communicate well with each other, too. We can tell the difference between a bark that’s an invitation to play and one that’s a warning. We teach dogs different commands so they behave the way we want. And dogs know if we point to something, they should pay attention.
Best of all, dogs love us and we love them. Petting a dog is good for us and for the dog. When you pet a dog, your “feel good” hormones increase and do so those of the dog! What more could we ask for?
I think you’ll enjoy the many adorable photos of dogs and their people sharing their lives, and you’ll learn how we’re truly made for each other.