No Home To Roam Turns into A Home To Roam
Written: Jan 04 '08 (Updated Jan 04 '08)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Awareness story of abandoned dogs and rescue efforts with a happy ending
Cons: First person narrative in the dog's voice might bother some readers
The Bottom Line: First-time author Polden provides a heart-warming, awareness story about abandoned and rescued dogs that will appeal to young readers.
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| pestyside's Full Review: Kelly Carper Polden - Puppy Tales |
"My name is Adam. This is my story. I am an Australian shepherd puppy." Adam was an abandoned puppy, too cute for words, too creative to be left alone and too energetic to be stuck in an apartment all day. This tale of the terrible “too’s” finds a happy ending but serves as a lesson for anyone considering adopting the wrong dog.
Puppy Tales, The Adventures of Adam the Australian Shepherd from first-time author Kelly Carper Polden, tells the story of Adam in his voice. He tells how he was scared to act like a puppy, that he was afraid when he entertained himself with furniture, clothing and racing games. At five months old he was sad, scared, and lonely and soon found himself abandoned at an animal pound. His first owner left saying he was a very bad dog. Now he was also confused and frightened.
Fortunately Adam was a purebred Australian Shepherd and was sent to a rescue home to live with a foster mother and her other dogs. He was pleased to be a part of a pack, even if he was the "last dog in the pecking order…that made me happy."
This heartwarming story doesn’t end with the foster mother, and he soon learns there is another move and he’s leaving his newly found pack to live on a ranch with some people who had room for him to run and play. Adam begins doing a little dance on the back seat of his foster mother’s car as they approach his new house and he sees horses. His dream had just come true.
This once abused, once abandoned darling Australian Shepherd now lived on a ranch in the Texas Hill Country and I found myself laughing as he described life with Tinker Bell the cat; Mr. Ginger Man, the stuffed toy; and Cody, Ace and Durango, the horses. I smiled as he described some of his adventures such as eating a table (and not being abandoned again), running trails in nearby wild areas, herding goats, and making dog friends.
Best of all was his response to his new Momma and Poppa. His new Momma is Kelly Carper Polden who was inspired to write this heartwarming story about her spirited dog Adam and his adventures. She tells this story through his eyes and his voice and she fills it with his delightful experiences. His youthful viewpoint helps us understand some of the confusions and fears that an abandoned puppy experiences. Kelly gently makes the point, through the use of contrasts, about understanding the needs of a dog before selecting it, of making sure that it suits your lifestyle. The comparison between Adam’s first home contrasted sharply to his new home on the ranch, a place much better suited to his needs.
When I first met my friend Kelly Carper she was an “award-winning, professional communicator with more than 20 years of experience writing, editing and creating marketing communications materials” for an international company located near Austin. Over the past few years she has begun to dedicate time, creative energy and talent to rescuing both dogs and horses but also to writing children’s books and Puppy Tales, The Adventures of Adam the Australian Shepherd is her first effort. I'm eager for her second. She partnered with Texas Hill Country illustrator, Cheryl Eckenrode, who provided the charming sketches of Adam, his adventures and his new friends.
The language is fragmented, often choppy, and sounds as you might think it would if being told by a puppy. "I almost ran away the day after I arrived at my new home. I didn’t plan to run away. I had a good first night in my new home. But the next morning my Momma got in her car and drove away. I stayed home with my Poppa and was exploring the big, fenced-in backyard when a stranger arrived…He scared me with his gruff, booming voice. I thought he wanted to hurt me with one of those scary-looking tools." It’s so easy for us to forget the fears and emotional baggage an abandoned, abused puppy can carry. Through her use of the first person told in the voice of a puppy I found myself bonding with Adam but also reflecting upon the experiences and fears that still haunt my large blond lab. Kelly had once seen my blond girl at her worst one night after going to a favorite dance hall in Gruene, Texas, to have a little country-western fun. When we returned home my darling Ms. Belle had tried to eat a number of non-edible pieces of furniture and wall covers in an effort to catch up with us. You say how horrible to which I say, yes, but it was more horrible for Belle to have felt that level of panic and insecurity. Kelly managed to convey these feelings in her first novel and this is a book that anyone considering adopting a high-energy dog should read first.
This 72-paged book will charm the hearts of young readers beginning to read chapter books and who are fond of animals and heart-warming stories. While personally I would give this an honest, "unbiased" five stars, I anticipate the dog-speak will discourage some readers. This is a happy-ending tale of a very lucky dog that gets support and multiple wags from my Belle.
Recommended:
Yes
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