"Max Goes to the Moon" by Jeffrey Bennett

Max Goes to the Moon is a fun book about a dog that gets sent to the moon, but it provides so much more. Each page also has a section dedicated to some bit of science involving space or space exploration. Not only will kids learn what it would take to send a dog to the moon, they can also learn about things such as the phases of the moon. This book is a work of fiction (sadly, I kind of doubt there are any plans to send the real Max to the moon any time soon), but it does really open one's eyes to the power of the voice of children. The children in this story become so inspired by Max's story that they begin a project that leads to the colonization of the moon. This inspires other children to work their hardest so that they may one day get to attend college on the moon. What a great way to inspire real children to develop an interest and lover for science!

The more I think about this book, the more I love it. Jeffrey Bennett captured my imagination so I know this book will appeal to kids too. I'm sure more than one that has read this book is trying to figure out how they can send their own dog (and probably themselves) to the moon. I look forward to reading the rest of the books in this series and finding out more about the other places Max visits.

Happy Reading!

-Melly

"Pinkerton, Behave!" by Steven Kellogg

What's not to love about Pinkerton?  In Steven Kellogg's Pinkerton, Behave!, Pinkerton is trying to learn commands that every dog should know such as fetch and come.  However he is struggling with these commands.  It seems that the only answer is to put him in obedience school.  Too bad he flunks out.  When a burglar breaks into the house it is up to Pinkerton to save the day- but will he be able to follow commands to get rid of the burglar?

I read this book because it is on the Banned Books list.  It was "challenged, but retained at the Evanston (IL) Public Library despite complaints that the image of a masked burglar pointing a gun at a woman is too violent for young readers."  I can see the point in this, but I would use this book as an opportunity to talk to the child about gun safety.  Maybe that's just me.  I really enjoyed this book.  I love children's book that make me actually laugh out loud.  This is a great book for a family with a new dog (or about to get one) as the conversation of training comes up.  In a way it's sort of a what-not-to-do, but it is still a lot of fun! 

Happy Reading!
-Melly

"Balto and the Great Race" by Elizabeth Cody Kimme

I was rather young when I first saw the movie Balto.  Like many of kids my age, I became rather obsessed with the movie.  What can I say, I am a dog person (on my desk I have several photos.  One is of my boyfriend.  Three are of my dog. Enough said).  It wasn’t too much longer that I found out that the movie is based (based) on true events.  I never did much research into those events until recently.  I came across Elizabeth Cody Kimmel’s Balto and the Great Race while looking for something to read on my Kindle.   This is a beginning reading book so of course it was a very simple read, but in a good way.  It covered the facts of the famous dogs’ journey to Nome, Alaska to deliver antitoxin serum to children sick with diphtheria.  It acknowledged that there were many people and dogs involved and not just Balto.  I appreciated that it was very upfront with the information and didn’t try to spin it in a way that made Balto the only hero.  I didn’t become interested in history until I was in middle school but I think that had I read more books like this one, I would have become interested in such subjects at a much earlier age.  I like that this book is aimed at young readers without being dumbed down.   

 I think that it would be very interesting to introduce this to a young reader and have them watch the movie as well.  This would start a conversation comparing the two mediums and get constructive thinking started at an early age.  Though I was certainly not the intended audience for this book, I enjoyed it quite a bit and highly recommend it!

Happy Reading!

-Melly