Staff Picks
The Dog Days of Summer
- Kristin A.
- Wednesday, July 22, 2020
Collection
Too hot to go outside? Then stay in and chill with your favorite canine companion and one of these great reads! Not finding what you are looking for? Call us at 803-799-9084 for more great suggestions.
A Dog's Purpose
Published in 2010
This is the remarkable story of one endearing dog's search for his purpose over the course of several lives. More than just another charming dog story, this touches on the universal quest for an answer to life's most basic question: Why are we here? Surprised to find himself reborn as a rambunctious golden haired puppy after a tragically short life as a stray mutt, Bailey's search for his new life's meaning leads him into the loving arms of 8 year old Ethan. During their countless adventures Bailey joyously discovers how to be a good dog. But this life as a beloved family pet is not the end of Bailey's journey. Reborn as a puppy yet again, Bailey wonders, will he ever find his purpose? Heartwarming, insightful, and often laugh out loud funny, this book is not only the emotional and hilarious story of a dog's many lives, but also a dog's eye commentary on human relationships and the unbreakable bonds between man and man's best friend. This story teaches us that love never dies, that our true friends are always with us, and that every creature on earth is born with a purpose.
Underwater Dogs
Published in 2012
Presents over eighty underwater portraits of canine pals, each with their own unique personalities depicted in the bubbles, paws in mid-paddle, and billowing ears that reveal themselves beneath the surface of the water.
War Dogs
Tales of Canine Heroism, History, and Love
Published in 2014
"Under the cover of night, deep in the desert of Afghanistan, a US Army handler led a Special Forces patrol with his military working dog. Without warning an insurgent popped up, his weapon raised. At the handler's command, the dog charged their attacker. There was the flash of steel, the blur of fur, and the sound of a single shot; the handler watched his dog take a bullet. During the weeks it would take the dog to heal, the handler never left its side. The dog had saved his life. Loyal and courageous, dogs are truly man's best friend on the battlefield. While the soldiers may not always feel comfortable calling the bond they form love, the emotions involved are strong and complicated. In War Dogs, Rebecca Frankel offers a riveting mix of on-the-ground reporting, her own hands-on experiences in the military working dog world, and a look at the science of dogs' special abilities--from their amazing noses and powerful jaws to their enormous sensitivity to the emotions of their human companions. The history of dogs in the US military is long and rich, from the spirit-lifting mascots of the Civil War to the dogs still leading patrols hunting for IEDs today. Frankel not only interviewed handlers who deployed with dogs in wars from Vietnam to Iraq, but top military commanders, K-9 program managers, combat-trained therapists who brought dogs into war zones as part of a preemptive measure to stave off PTSD, and veterinary technicians stationed in Bagram. She makes a passionate case for maintaining a robust war-dog force. In a post-9/11 world rife with terrorist threats, nothing is more effective than a bomb-sniffing dog and his handler. With a compelling cast of humans and animals, this moving book is a must read for all dog lovers--military and otherwise"-- Provided by publisher.
Marley & Me Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog
Published in 2005
The story of a family in the making and the wondrously neurotic dog who taught them what really matters in life. Is it possible for humans to discover the key to happiness through a bigger-than-life, bad-boy dog? Just ask the Grogans.--From publisher description.
Oogy
The Dog Only a Family Could Love
Published in 2010
"A heartwarming story of a puppy brought back from the brink of death, and the family he adopted"--Provided by the publisher.
Until Tuesday
A Wounded Warrior and the Golden Retriever Who Saved Him
Published in 2011
"Tuesday has a personality that shines. I am not kidding when I say it is common for people to pull out their cell phones and take pictures of and with him. Tuesday is that kind of dog. And then, in passing, they notice me, the big man with the tight haircut. There is nothing about me--even the straight, stiff way I carry myself--that signals disabled. Until people notice the cane in my left hand, that is, and the way I lean on it every few steps. Then they realize my stiff walk and straight posture aren't just pride, and that Tuesday isn't just an ordinary dog. He walks directly beside me, for instance, so that my right leg always bisects his body. He nuzzles me when my breathing changes, and he moves immediately between me and the object--a cat, an overeager child, a suspiciously closed door--any time I feel apprehensive. Because beautiful, happy-go-lucky, favorite-of-the-neighborhood Tuesday isn't my pet; he's my service dog." Captain Luis Montalvan returned home from his second tour of duty in Iraq, having survived stab wounds, a traumatic brain injury, and three broken vertebrae. But the pressures of civilian life and his injuries proved too much to bear. Physical disabilities, agoraphobia, and crippling PTSD drove him to the edge of suicide. That's when he met Tuesday - his best friend forever. Tuesday came with his own history of challenges: from the Puppies Behind Bars program, to a home for troubled boys, to the streets of Manhattan, Tuesday blessed many lives on his way to Luis. Until Tuesday unforgettably twines the story of man and dog"-- Provided by publisher.
The Friend
Published in 2018
"A penetrating, moving meditation on loss, comfort, memory...Nunez has a wry, withering wit." — NPR "[A] sneaky gut punch of a novel...a consummate example of the human-animal tale." — Harper's Magazine A moving story of love, friendship, grief, healing, and the magical bond between a woman and her dog. When a woman unexpectedly loses her lifelong best friend and mentor, she finds herself burdened with the unwanted dog he has left behind. Her own battle against grief is intensified by the mute suffering of the dog, a huge Great Dane traumatized by the inexplicable disappearance of its master, and by the threat of eviction: dogs are prohibited in her apartment building. While others worry that grief has made her a victim of magical thinking, the woman refuses to be separated from the dog except for brief periods of time. Isolated from the rest of the world, increasingly obsessed with the dog's care, determined to read its mind and fathom its heart, she comes dangerously close to unraveling. But while troubles abound, rich and surprising rewards lie in store for both of them. Elegiac and searching, The Friend is both a meditation on loss and a celebration of human-canine devotion.
Let Me Tell You About Jasper...
How My Best Friend Became America's Dog
Published in 2016
Dana Perino is a popular and beloved host on Fox's The Five, with over two million followers on social media. While readers admire Dana for her charm, warmth, and insight, she also knows who the real star in her family is: her Vizsla, Jasper-A.K.A. America's Dog. and partisanship. She also talks about how dogs bring families together -like Dana's own, from her career in Washington through her life as a TV star. In addition to all the fun and fabulous dog tales, LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT JASPER... will be fully illustrated with hilarious photoshops so clever they will make you laugh out loud. These photoshops bring Jasper's adventures to life through pop culture, art, sports and history,"--Amazon.com.
Dog on It a Chet and Bernie Mystery
Published in 2009
Spencer Quinn presents Dog on It, the first installment of the Chet and Bernie mystery series. Chet, an intelligent and loyal canine, teams up with his owner Bernie, an unlucky and self-involved private detective, to investigate the strange disappearance of a teenage girl.
Dogtripping
25 Rescues, 11 Volunteers, and 3 RVs on Our Canine Cross-country Adventure
Published in 2013
Lessons from Tara
Life Advice from the World's Most Brilliant Dog
Published in 2015
"Rosenfelt's latest work of nonfiction has a slightly misleading title; although Tara, the author's first dog, takes center stage, other dogs--a handful of the hundreds the author and his wife have taken in over the years--do make some appearances. The book's theme is pretty straightforward: here are some of the things I've learned about myself through my dogs. Grieving after Tara's death, for example, allowed Rosenfelt to open up a more emotional side of himself; other dogs have shown him how to cope with stress, how to put others ahead of himself, how to exist in a seriously hectic environment (his house is always full of dogs), how to find the small joys in a busy day, how to manage with a lack of sleep, and more"--Booklist.
Lily and the Octopus
Published in 2016
Teddy is unhappily single in L.A. In between sessions with his therapist and dates with men he meets online, Teddy has debates with his dachsund, Lily, who occupies his heart. Unfortunately, he is also able to communicate with the "octupus" attached to Lily's head, which is soon revealed to be a metaphor for Lily's lethal cranial tumor. As Lily's condition worsens, Teddy faces off with the "octopus", engaging it in a battle of wills that takes on epic proportions. An exceedingly authentic, keenly insightful, funny and ardent tribute to the purity of love between a pet and its human. -- adapted from Booklist and Publisher's Weekly.
The Art of Racing in the Rain a Novel
Published in 2008
Nearing the end of his life, Enzo, a dog with a philosopher's soul, tries to bring together the family, pulled apart by a three year custody battle between daughter Zoe's maternal grandparents and her father Denny, a race car driver.
Travels with Charley
In Search of America
Published in 2002
Steinbeck records his emotions and experiences during a journey of rediscovery in his native land.
Tails from the Booth
Published in 2015
"Furry friends meet photo booths in this quirky photography book that captures all the cute canine action when the leashes come off and the dogs are the star of the show. If dogs could take selfies, it might look something like Tails from the Booth. For this adorable collection of photographs, Lynn Terry draws on more than twenty years of professional photography experience to capture the most endearing moments between canine companions: A couple of pitbulls grinning widely at the camera. Two saggy-faced bulldogs bumping jowls. A Pomeranian, an English bulldog, and a Boston terrier dog-piling (of course) on top of each other. These pictures show the countless ways dogs will ham it up in front of a camera, and that more dogs in a photo booth = even more fun! With all the charm of Underwater Dogs and Shake, Tails from the Booth will make you laugh out loud at all the awkward and endearing ways dogs make friends with each other"-- Provided by publisher.
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle
Published in 2009
Born mute, speaking only in sign, Edgar Sawtelle leads an idyllic life with his parents on their farm in remote northern Wisconsin. For generations, the Sawtelles have raised and trained a fictional breed of dog whose thoughtful companionship is epitomized by Almondine, Edgar's lifelong friend and ally. But with the unexpected return of Claude, Edgar's paternal uncle, turmoil consumes the Sawtelles' once peaceful home. When Edgar's father dies suddenly, Claude insinuates himself into the life of the farm—and into Edgar's mother's affections.Grief-stricken and bewildered, Edgar tries to prove Claude played a role in his father's death, but his plan backfires—spectacularly. Forced to flee into the vast wilderness lying beyond the farm, Edgar comes of age in the wild, fighting for his survival and that of the three yearling dogs who follow him. But his need to face his father's murderer and his devotion to the Sawtelle dogs turn Edgar ever homeward.David Wroblewski is a master storyteller, and his breathtaking scenes—the elemental north woods, the sweep of seasons, an iconic American barn, a fateful vision rendered in the falling rain—create a riveting family saga, a brilliant exploration of the limits of language, and a compulsively readable modern classic.