You have to love doggos with jobs! Here are two books about hard-working pups.
Major Makes History: From the Shelter to the White House, by Jill Twiss/Illustrated by Maribel Lechuga, (Sept. 2021, HarperCollins), $18.99, ISBN: 9780063118768
Ages 4-8
Narrated by President Biden’s First Dog, Major Makes History is all about Major’s humble beginnings, how he “rescued” Joe Biden, and became a hard-working Presidential dog, giving a nod to his mentoring by (now-departed) Biden’s other dog, Champ. Major takes readers into the daily duties of a First Dog: defending their home against the evil vacuum cleaner; having afternoon tea (out of a toilet bowl, but still… refined), even playing fun games like “Guess Who Hid My Very Favorite Toy in Your Bed?” The story touches on well-known moments from the Bidens, Champ’s, and Major’s time together, even touching on Major’s biting incident, when he mentions that he “had a friend help me to learn to behave myself a little better”. Joe and Jill Biden feature throughout the book, and Joe Biden sports his trademark aviator glasses as he strolls the grounds with Major at his side. The book has a light, fun spirit that appeals immediately to dog lovers and pet people, and Jill Twiss gives Major a funny, lovable voice that illustrator Maribel Lechuga brings to life in her colorful, lively spreads. Back matter includes a word on past Presidents’ pets and resources for adopting a shelter pet. Red, white, and blue endpapers feature stars and silhouettes of Major. Pair this with Joy McCullough and Sheyda Abvabi Best’s Champ and Major: First Dogs; for more on working dogs, consider displaying with National Geographic Kids’s Doggy Defenders series.
Pooper Snooper, by Jennifer Keats Curtis & Julianne Ubigau/Illustrated by Phyllis Saroff, (Nov. 2021, Arbordale Publishing), $10.95, ISBN: 9781643518237
Ages 5-8
Detective doggos at your service! These poop-sniffing dog detectives are instrumental in helping researchers track and learn more about endangered animals. Sampson, the star of Pooper Snooper, is a shelter dog adopted and trained to catch the scent of wild animal poop, so researchers can track and research them without trapping them. Sampson can locate the scat for a pocket mouse – about a third the size of a human eyelash! – much more easily than a researcher can; when he finds what he’s looking for, he gets his reward: a shiny red ball! Trained to track different animals, Sampson works in all sorts of conditions, and stays focused on his task so he can enjoy his toy. Illustrations focus on action shots and close-ups of Sampson’s nose catching a scent. The For Creative Minds section offers information on the Pacific Packet Mouse, previously believed to be extinct; a word on dogs’ senses of smell, and a Q&A with a research scientist. An interesting look at a different career!
You can preview Pooper Snooper at Arbordale’s website, and get copies of the title’s For Creative Minds supplement.
Mom Read It 