I’ve had this series for far too long. In fact, twice, I have had nieces and nephews pull them out and want to look at them specifically because they had dogs on the cover. So, I am thrilled to finally share this series with you.
All the books in this series are written by Lisa M. Gerry with photography by Lori Epstein. This National Geographic series is perfect for young readers with minimal words and photography of the dogs in action.
Each of the books starts with meeting the dog and what they like to do for fun, who their family is, the type of dog they are, and then shares the specific job the dog has. Then each book goes into what a workday is like for Dolley, Stella, Tiger, or Willow. The dogs have also had to go through very specific training for their jobs which is also explained.
Dolley’s expert sniffing skills can detect a very tiny droplet of fire-starting liquid. Stella’s sniffing skills are also very important to find people who are missing, like a hiker that she found deep in the woods. Tiger works really hard with his human partner to keep their city safe using his nose and sometimes his body to protect his partner. Willow uses her friendly demeanor to bring joy and smiles to those who are sick or hurting.
I found each of these dog stories to be so important. I think kids will be surprised that each of these four hardworking dogs is a different breed. Some breeds are better suited for certain jobs, but some dogs can be trained for a variety of tasks. These are some of the smartest and hardest working dogs out there and kids will enjoy learning about them. Many cities, hospitals, and even schools are adding dogs to the police force or to therapy sessions or even allowing staff to bring them to work because of the calming presence they offer. Our school here in small-town Iowa is adding a therapy dog. I think it will be a great addition to the way we interact with kids who are struggling.
Another dog has been added to the series since these were published, Cadi the Farm Dog. Be sure to check them out!
To purchase a copy of any of the DOGGY DEFENDER series, click the photo below:
All summer I’ve been sharing books for kids of all ages on topics that will interest them or offer them a new topic to learn about. Most of the time I shared nonfiction books, but sometimes we can learn how to be better people or learn empathy from fictional stories too. I hope you enjoyed this series. Be sure to check out all the Summer Read-to-Learn titles. See them all, HERE.
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Thanks to the publisher for sending copies of these books for the purpose of this review. This review is my honest opinion. If you choose to make a purchase through the above links, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase.
Posted Under Book Review, Children's books, dogs, Lisa M. Gerry, Lori Epstein, National Geographic, non-fiction