Dog Diaries Series

Fans of dog stories and the RMS Titanic, take note! This new entry in the Dog Diaries series—based on a true story—is narrated by a pampered Peke that survived the fateful voyage!

Sun Yat-Sen—aka Sunny—enjoys the finer things in life. Noble canine companion to globe-trotters Henry and Myra Harper, Sunny doesn’t even like to walk, preferring instead to be carried! Sunny and the Harpers are traveling on the maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic—the biggest, finest ship in the world. So imagine Sunny’s horror when he learns he must stay in the Titanic’s kennel with eleven other dogs, not in the Harpers’ luxurious stateroom! It’s . . . unthinkable! But only four days into the voyage, Sunny learns the true meaning of tragedy when, hidden inside Myra’s fur coat, he escapes the sinking ship in a lifeboat.

Based on a true story, with realistic black-and-white illustrations throughout and a fact-filled appendix that includes information about the RMS Titanic, Pekingese dogs, and more, this is historical fiction for middle graders who don’t realize they like historical fiction!

A stray dog’s moving tale about life with Abraham Lincoln—our sixteenth American president and a true animal lover!

Meet Fido—a “yaller” mutt who was Abraham Lincoln’s constant companion and pampered family pet at the time he was elected President. Smart, friendly, and frightened of loud noises, Fido was uniquely positioned to witness American history . . . when he wasn’t trying to hide under a piece of furniture! Young readers will hear from Fido about Abraham Lincoln’s love for all creatures (great and small), his unique methods of child-rearing, his most famous speeches—including the Emancipation Proclamation—and the tragedy that cut short his life.

With realistic black-and-white illustrations throughout and a fact-filled appendix including information about Abraham Lincoln the animal lover, animal cruelty laws, and more, this is historical fiction for middle graders who don’t realize they like historical fiction!

Queen Elizabeth II’s corgi Susan spills secrets of life in the Royal Family!

Gifted to Princess Elizabeth on her 18th birthday, Susan was the cherished companion of the future monarch—even joining the princess on her honeymoon in 1947! Eight years later, she was in attendance when Elizabeth was crowned Queen. How does a Royal Corgi spend her days? What goes on in the Corgi Room in Buckingham Palace? Susan reveals all, along with details about Elizabeth’s work as a lorry driver during World War II—where she learned to take apart an engine and put it back together! With realistic back and white illustrations throughout and a fact-filled appendix, this is the kind of historical fiction that reluctant middle-grade readers will bow down to with respect!

Charles Dickens’s Havanese sheds light on the writing of A Christmas Carol in this holiday themed Dog Diaries Special Edition!

Like the Spirit of Christmas Past, Timber—aka Tiny Tim—journeys from Victorian England to the present to reveal what life was like for the man who “invented” Christmas!
 
Given as a gift to Dickens during a book tour, small, shaggy, “ridiculous” Timber became the great writer’s constant companion. And whether sitting at Dickens’s feet while the author acted out his stories before writing them down, or entertaining Dickens’s vast litter of ten children before a blazing Yule log, Tiny Tim tells a tale as lively as a holiday jig!
 
With sixteen pages of Dickens-inspired crafts and recipes, this Dog Diaries Special Edition makes the perfect Christmas gift or stocking stuffer. With realistic black-and-white illustrations throughout and a fact-filled appendix, this is the kind of historical fiction that reluctant middle-grade readers beg for!

A dachshund loses a leg and finds his life’s calling—as a therapy dog!
 
Scrappy dachshund Rolf von Noodle may be missing a hind leg, but he’s got attitude and can-do spirit to spare! If anything, his tripod status gives him something special: real empathy for people overcoming physical challenges. And as his owner Mindy discovers, it makes him an ideal choice to become a therapy dog. With realistic black-and-white illustrations and an appendix that includes photographs and information about the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen program, therapy dog training, tripod dogs, and more, this is the kind of fact-based fiction reluctant middle grade readers sit up and beg for!

In this Dog Diaries–meets–Horse Diaries Special Crossover Edition, a no-nonsense fire dog meets her match in the biggest, hottest flames Chicago has ever seen—and a rescue horse with an attitude!
 
In the 1800s, firefighters used horses to pull fire trucks. But horses spook easily and run away from fire—so they needed fire dogs.
 
And there’s no better fire dog than Sparky. Sparky is so good at her job, she knows when the alarm is going to ring before it even rings! But today is no ordinary day. There’s no choice but to put Cinders—a rescue horse with an attitude—to work at her very first fire, one destined to become one of the greatest disasters of the nineteenth century! With realistic black-and-white illustrations and an appendix including information about dalmatians, the Great Chicago Fire, and more, this is historical fiction for kids who don’t like historical fiction, and a perfect choice for supporting Common Core State Standards.
 
Get the horse’s side of the story! Read Horse Diaries Special Edition: Cinders.

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Scottie dog Fala helps run a nation!
 
As President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s nearly constant companion, Fala the Scottish terrier was in the unique position to witness the workings of the U.S. presidency. And now for the first time, the sassy Scottie shares his story with readers—from his idyllic puppyhood spent chasing squirrels through his adulthood spent chasing dignitaries around the world with FDR! This entertaining tail (that is, tale) gives middle-graders a dog’s-eye view of the events leading up to the United States entering World War II, as well as a look at the private side of FDR’s life in a wheelchair.
 
Based on primary source material, with realistic black-and-white illustrations and an appendix including information about President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, World War II, Scottish terriers, and more, this is the kind of historical fiction that begs to be read by reluctant readers. It’s a perfect choice for supporting Common Core State Standards.

A scrappy stray becomes one of the greatest dogs in military history!
 
Stubby the war dog narrates the story of his life–from his days as a stray to his time on the battlefields of France! Adopted by Private John Robert Conroy in 1917 when the dog wandered into training camp, Stubby soon became the mascot for the 26th Yankee division–even learning how to salute! When the men were shipped out for France, Conroy smuggled Stubby on-board . . . and the rest is the kind of incredible true story that dog-crazy middle graders sit up and beg for! By the end of the war, Stubby had served in 17 battles, been injured by mustard gass and grenade; found and captured a German spy; shaken hands with Woodrow Willson; and become the first dog given rank in the United States Armed Forces!

George Washington’s transformation from farmer to Father of Our Country—as told by his dog Sweetlips!
 
Sweetie was the finest foxhound in George Washington’s kennel. But Sweetie’s idyllic days at Mount Vernon were cut short when her master was chosen to represent Virginia at the first Continental Congress in Philadelphia—which he attended with Sweetlips by his side. Follow their journey from the hunt country of Virginia to the battlefields of the Revolutionary War in this meticulously researched, unique historical novel. With realistic black-and-white illustrations by Tim Jessell, an appendix including information about George Washington and the history and breeding of American foxhounds, plus links to the primary source material on which the book is based, this is the kind of historical fiction that dog-loving middle graders—and educators—sit up and beg for!

A dog’s-eye view of the Mayflower voyage and the first Thanksgiving at Plymouth Colony!

English springer spaniel Dash and his furry friend Mercy–a mastiff–travel with their master, John Goodman, in search of the New World. Taken from the pages of history, this Dog Diary follows the story of the colonists whom we now call Pilgrims, from their sixty-six-day voyage at sea to the celebration of their first harvest with the Wampanoag Indians who become their friends and advisors. With realistic black-and-white illustrations by Tim Jessell and an appendix including information about the Mayflower, Plymouth Colony, springer spaniels, and the primary sources on which the book is based, this is historical fiction that dog-loving middle graders–and educators–can be truly thankful for!

Small, feisty Siberian husky Togo—the overlooked sled-dog hero of the 1925 serum run to Nome—sets the record straight in Dog Diaries #4!

When a diptheria epidemic breaks out in isolated Nome, Alaska, in January 1925, the only way to get life-saving serum to the town is by using dog-sled relay teams. Twenty teams participate, and the dog who inevitably gets credit for saving the town is Balto, lead dog on the final team which delivered the serum. But few people have ever heard of 12-year-old Togo and his musher Leonard Seppala, who carried the serum for almost double the length of any other team, and twice violated warnings to avoid perilous Norton Sound and instead ran straight over the frozen ice! With realistic black-and-white illustrations by Tim Jessell—plus an appendix with information about Siberian huskies, sled dogs, mushers, and more—Togo’s tale is perfect for middle-grade readers who love a spunky underdog!

Barry der Menschenretter—a.k.a. Barry—the most famous St. Bernard dog in history, tells the story of his life for the first time.

Eight-thousand feet above sea level, in the treacherous pass in the Alps between Italy and Switzerland, the monks of the hospice of St. Bernard have, since the 11th century, kept dogs to help them rescue travelers lost in the snow. In time, these dogs became a breed unto themselves, named for the hospice. They are responsible for helping over 2,000 travelers who might otherwise have frozen to death. With great modesty, Barry tells not just about his own heroic exploits (saving over 40 lives, including that of a 12-year-old boy frozen in a cave), but about his daily life in the hospice, his close relationship with the brothers who train him, and about the other hospice hounds with whom he teams up to guide lost travelers and save lives. With realistic black-and-white illustrations by Tim Jessell—plus an appendix with information about St. Bernards, the Great St. Bernard Hospice, and much, more—Barry’s tale is perfect for dog-crazy middle-grade readers!

A German shepherd—the first dog trained at the famous Seeing Eye guide-dog school for the blind—looks back at her life.

For anyone who has ever wanted a puppy, the DOG DIARIES series tells a dog’s story in a new way–from a dog’s point of view! Focusing on a different breed for each book, starting with a Golden Retriever and a German Shepherd, these stories are based on true dog stories or on true-to-life situations. With realistic black-and-white illustrations by renowned illustrator Tim Jessel and an factual appendix, dog-loving early chapter book readers will beg for more!

Chosen for her intelligence, obedience, and willingness to learn, Kiss knows there is more to life than chasing balls and chewing bones. She is a Noble Creature and Great Things await her. But after spending months learing to take care of her beloved trainer Jack, why does he suddenly want her to take care of Morris—a strange, clumsy man who wants to wants to change her name to Buddy? Could it be that Morris needs Kiss to take care of him even more than Jack did?

Based on a true story, the appendix has facts about German shepherds, the history and training of guide dogs, hosting guide-dog puppies, and much more.

For anyone who has ever wanted a puppy, the DOG DIARIES series tells a dog’s story in a new way–from a dog’s point of view! Focusing on a different breed for each book, these stories are based on true dog stories or on true-to-life situations. With realistic black-and-white illustrations by renowned illustrator Tim Jessel and a factual appendix, dog-loving early chapter book readers will beg for more!

Born in a puppy mill, Ginger the golden retriever looks back on her life and the various people who have “owned” her. Abruptly separated from her mother, littermates, and the wire cage that was her whole world, Ginger is shuttled from one harrowing situation to another until she finally escapes, living as an outlaw with a pack of wild dogs. But freedom doesn’t feel so good once she becomes hungry and cold and sick. Will Ginger ever find a furever family to call her own?

Appendix features information about puppy mills, breed rescue groups, animal shelters, choosing a pet, and the history of golden retrievers.