Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
Dog Diaries: Secret Writings of the Woof Society
Illustrator: Erik Brooks
Fiction
For ages 8 to 10
Henry Holt and Co., 2007 ISBN: 978-0805079579
It is evening and the members of the WOOF (Words Of Our Friends) Society have come together for a very special meeting. The purpose of WOOF is to show the world that dogs are great storytellers. They know a lot more words than just "sit, stay, and fetch." Indeed, they have stories to tell. WOOF has collected stories from around the world, and tonight the president of the society, Beauregard, is going to share some of the stories with the society members. The collection of stories, known as the Dog Diaries, were sent to WOOF by dogs of all kinds and they include tales of courage, stories of historical significance, and narratives that have relevance to the dog of today.
And so the members of WOOF hear about the life of a dog from ancient Egypt, a dog who is convinced that he is the pharaoh and that he rules over all – except the Royal Cat. We also hear the story of a dog who is convinced that a dog's name greatly influences a dog's personality. When the dog was called Gussy he behaved like a Gussy and when he was called Claudius he behaved with the dignity the name deserved. There is also the riveting story about a dog who discovered gold in a creek in Colorado in 1892. Needless to say this dog's master was delighted when he saw what his pet had found.
In all there are eleven stories in this book, eleven stories that will give readers a fresh, entertaining, and often funny picture of what it is like to be a dog. Readers will see how dogs have played a valuable role in human history and they will also come to appreciate the problems that dogs face.
Written by Newbery medal winner, Betsy Byers, and her two daughters, this a title that young dog lovers will greatly enjoy.
