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Dog Lovers Book Club - December 2022





Santa Paws is coming to town and with only 3 weeks left till Christmas, it's time to get your final Christmas presents organised, thanks to this Christmas 2022 selection of our Dog Lovers Book Club!

Just a note that some of these titles may now be delivered after Christmas so don't delay making your selection (or have a back-up title to avoid disappointment)!


AMAZING AUSSIE DOGS
by Laura Greaves

True Blue tales of clever and courageous canines.

Some say Australia was built on the sheep's back, but it's just as true to say our nation was built in the dog kennel - after all, it was the dogs that were rounding up the sheep.


Everyone believes their dog is the best and they’re not wrong. Dogs don’t have to do anything in particular to qualify as amazing. They are amazing just by virtue of existing. 
And yet, there is something extra special about the fourteen courageous canines that feature in Amazing Aussie Dogs. These are the stories of some of our most remarkable canine companions, embodying the spirit of hard work, mateship and larrikinism.

Dogs like DJ the Border Collie, who survived for days after falling into floodwater near Lismore. Kimmy the Kelpie, who sold for a record-breaking amount at a working-dog auction. 
Basil the Rottweiler, who defied the misconceptions about his breed and saved a drowning child. And Lexi the Jack Russell Terrier, who learned to 'drive' a ute through the paddocks on her farm.


Our faithful four-legged friends save us from peril, inspire works of art and offer unwavering loyalty. In Amazing Aussie Dogs, Laura Greaves brings to life these inspirational true stories of our homegrown heroes.

Trade Paperback, 288 pages (also available as Audiobook and ebook)
Publisher: Penguin Books Australia, Imprint: Michael Joseph, 29th November 2022


RRP: $34.99 from all good bookstores and online. For more details and stockists, visit www.penguin.com.au

THE BEAR PROJECT
by Jody Crossley


The Bear Project is an inspirational story of great love about an amazing bond between a human and a little Jack Russell named Bear. Bear was small in stature but had a larger-than-life personality and an even bigger heart.


For anyone who is or has grieved for the loss of their pet, this will truly pull on your heart strings. It will move you and make you realise you are not alone in this grief-stricken journey.


This story will make you smile and cry, and touch your heart, but it also will highlight the true bond between a human and their pet companion.

Pets are such an integral part of our lives. They can reach people on levels other people can't, including health professionals.

This book highlights the true gifts that our pets are and give you a better understanding of how they can make a difference in a person's life.

"Bear, your legacy lives on. You were the best gift ever. I am truly grateful for every single day we spent together. Forever in my heart, never forgotten."

Paperback, 224 pages
Self-Published: 10th October 2022


Price: $38.50 from www.amazon.com.au; $41.95 from www.booktopia.com.au

 
DOG YEARS
A Memoir
by Mark Doty

A literary memoir of what it means to have a truly special dog in you life. Originally published for International Dog day, this will be a perfect gift for all dog lovers.


Why do dogs speak so profoundly to our inner lives?


When Mark Doty decides to adopt a dog as a companion for his dying partner, he finds himself bringing home Beau, a large Golden Retriever, malnourished and in need of loving care, to join Arden, the black Retriever.

As Beau bounds back to life, the two dogs become Mark Doty's companions, his solace, and eventually the very life force that keeps him from abandoning all hope during the darkest days - their tenacity, loyalty and love inspiring him when all else fails.


Paperback. 240 pages
Publisher: Penguin Books Australia, Imprint: Vintage Classics, 15th November 2022


RRP: $22.99 from all good bookstores and online. 

For more details and stockists, visit www.penguin.com.au

WHERE THE ECHO CALLS
by Steve N Lee

He'd lost so much he wanted to die. But a stray dog changed everything.


Left for dead in the gutter, Rio struggles to his feet and lurches into the shadows for a place to hide. Life has always been brutal, thanks to a monster of an owner, but at least he’d had food, a bed, a place to call home. Now…?


Ben’s life ended when he lost his family. Drink no longer dulls the pain; therapy is a joke; friends have moved on. He’d had everything, yet now…?

But when the broken man meets the broken dog, they discover something neither had ever dreamed could exist… a reason to go on.


In a story as heartwarming as it is heartbreaking, Where the Echo Calls explores how hope can be found in the most unexpected of places if only we have the courage to look for it.

Paperback, 284 pages
Publisher: Blue Zoo, 16th October 2022


Price: $27.98 from www.amazon.com.au

THE LAW DOG CHRONICLES
by Elliott H. Costas

Born at a pirate radio station on the Gulf of Mexico, nine-pound Shih Tzu Micawber learns HumanSpeak after listening for hours to 1960's rock 'n' roll. But for Micawber, being able to talk like a human isn't enough. The plucky pooch soon teaches himself how to read and write and develops an interest in literature and the law.

After completing his Memoirs of a Law Dog, the erudite Shih Tzu Micawber is back for more adventures in The Law Dog Chronicles, a collection of four stories. Follow along as Micawber transforms into a daring pugnacious pooch in order to survive a spy mission, and with the help of a young girl on the autism spectrum, prevent the outbreak of World War Three in "Micawber Goes Abroad".

Join the furry crusader in the courtroom as he battles to gain legal recognition for his HumanSpeak abilities in "Micawber Gets Legal". 

In "Micawber Meets the Captain", heroic Micawber and his dear friend Captain Jack describe how they meet each other while saving an innocent man from being convicted of a crime that he did not commit. 

"Micawber's Fantasy" plants readers beside Micawber at his desk as he overcomes writer's block while imagining a visit with his literary icon, Samuel Johnson.

Paperback, 236 pages
Publisher: Palmetto Publishing, 1st November 2022


Price: $31.73 from www.booktopia.com.au

DOG TALES OF AUSTRALIA
by Kerry Martin

Maybe you do need to get out more… with your beautiful dogs and not just down to the local beach, park or bush trails. Dogs are family too and they love exploring new places with their loved ones.

Dog Tales of Australia presents over 290 pages packed with real locations, real world advice and real experiences, perfect for when you really want to share some special times with your very special holiday-bound hounds.

Long story short, Dog Tales of Australia offers you:

✔️ Inspiration – a personal selection of our inspiring adventures, favourite eye-opening images & ideas and locales to chase, catch and drop, into conversations with friends and family.

✔️ Options – setting your sights on the perfect location for you and your family is far from the only choice that needs to be made. This is your guide to all things packing, prioritising and picking activities that suit the whole (fur) family.

✔️ Opportunities – with great planning comes real opportunities to enjoy what you’ve seen, learned and always dreamt about – taking your beautiful dog or dogs on an adventure you’ll all cherish forever.

RRP: $39.00 (pre-launch offer only until December 4) or $30.00 (eBook) at puppytales.com.au 

DOG TRIP SYDNEY
52 dog-friendly nature adventures

by Evi O, Andrew Grune


Sydney boasts some of the most breathtaking walks in the vicinity of the city, but not all are dog-friendly. Rather than leaving your four-legged friend at home when seeking a nature adventure, Dog Trip Sydney offers 52 getaways that both dogs and their people can enjoy, all within a 120 km radius of Sydney's CBD.


Escape the urban chaos with sandy escapades at the beach, splash about in waterfalls or bound through tranquil coastal rainforests. Every adventure has been tested, photographed and given an enthusiastic paw of approval. Presented in a user-friendly format, the collection includes maps showing walking routes and facilities, on and off-leash information, and a guide to trip highlights.

Fire up your adventurous spirit and get those tails wagging with Dog Trip Sydney.


Paperback, 240 pages
Publisher: Thames & Hudson Australia Pty Ltd, 25th October 2022


Price: $24.90 from www.booktopia.com.au

BOOK CLUB – KIDS CORNER

ANIMAL ATLAS
by Anne Rooney, illustrated by Lucy Rose

Explore the animal kingdom like never before with the Animal Atlas from Lonely Planet Kids. Unfold maps to reveal animals from every continent and lift the flaps to see their unique environments and habitats.


Discover a world of animal facts, life-size photos and creature features-from a bear's paw and a baby turtle to an anteater's tongue and a goliath birdeater, the world's heaviest spider. EEK! All drawn to scale so you can measure yourself against them.


You'll find animals living on freezing ice caps, high on snowy mountain peaks, in parched deserts and down in the dark depths of the ocean. They fly through the air, crawl among trees, burrow into the earth, plunge through the seas, and prowl the forests-and range from the tiniest of insects too small to see without a magnifying glass to the blue whale, which is longer than three buses!

The book is divided into seven sections: North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australasia, Oceania & Antarctica-each with a map of the major environments as well as illustrated and photographic depictions of some of the animals living there.

Are you ready for this round-the-world animal adventure?

Hardcover, ‏ 32pages
Publisher: Lonely Planet Kids, 8th November 2019
For Ages: 9-12 years old

RRP: $12.00 from www.kmart.com.au

WEEZA’S GREAT ESCAPE
One dog’s inspiring journey of hope

by Katherine Cobb, Nadia Ilchuck (Illustrator)

Weeza’s Great Escape was inspired by a heartwarming true story of courage, hope and the power of kindness.

A little hound who just wants love. When she ends up in a pack of meanies, can this big-hearted dog find the courage to sniff out a better life?

Anxious, afraid and hungry most of the time, all Weeza wants is a loving family. When her owner takes her to the woods, she’s expected to hunt deer…but soon finds herself in world of trouble. Without thinking, she bolts into the unknown.

Now she’s all alone. And even though Weeza left behind a life she dreaded, at least it was one she knew. But if she’s brave enough to try, will this sweet hound find a special family that welcomes her gentle soul?


Paperback, 28 pages
Publisher: Bandito Publishing, LLC, 11 October 2022
For Ages: 6-10 years old


RRP: $22.50 from www.amazon.com.au

THE DOGS THAT HELPED SANTA SAVE CHRISTMAS
A Tale of McHenry and Finn McCool

by Dennis Averill, Maryam Nazargol (Illustrator)


Every child, young and old, dreams that their pet has hidden magical powers.


The Dogs that Helped Santa Save Christmas brings this dream to life by telling the tale of two adorable puppies, McHenry and Finn McCool, who use Christmas magic to help Santa save the day in a way that wins the hearts of children and adults alike.

Paperback, 38 pages (also available as Hardback)
Publisher: 2nd November 2022
For Ages: 3 - 8 years old


Price: $15.25 from www.booktopia.com.au



DON’T EAT BEES
Life Lessons from Chip the Dog

by Dev Petty

The comic duo that brought you I Don't Want to Be a Frog is back, with Chip the dog, a hilarious new character who's got some "wisdom" to share.


Are you a dog in need of advice? Fear not: Chip the dog is ON IT in this super-silly guide to living your best canine life. 

Chip is seven; he knows things. Like what to eat (important papers, the fancy bird the humans cooked for the fancy dinner, Grandpa's teeth), and what not to eat (bees). He won't get those mixed up, will he?

Pet lovers will see their own goofy fur-friends in Chip's earnest yet ridiculous antics, and readers who love funny animal stories will find their next favourite book buddy with Chip the dog, who's patiently waiting to eat your homework and slobber on your clothes.


Hardcover, 32 pages
Publisher: Penguin Books Australia, Imprint: RHUS Children's Books, 31st May 2022
For Ages: 3 - 7 years old


RRP: $32.99 from all good bookstores and online. For details and stockists, please visit www.penguin.com.au

LIONEL and Me
by Corinne Fenton, illustrated by Tracie Grimwood

When Lionel arrives, Maverick is unimpressed.


Is there enough love to go round for the two of them?

Told from the older dog’s point of view, we see how initial jealousy can blossom into genuine friendship and love. A delightful book that celebrates inclusion and friendship.

Award-winning Corinne Fenton is a writer with a passion for picture books that warm the heart. To date, all her picture books have featured an animal hero (The Dog on the Tuckerbox, Little Dog and the Christmas Wish, Little Dog and the Summer Holiday etc.). Corinne has rescued so many strays over the years that she now never leaves the house without a pet lead.


Hardcover, 32 pages
Publisher: New Frontier Publishing, 1st June 2022
For Ages: 3-6 years old


Price: $22.50 from www.booktopia.com.au

Don't forget to browse our 2022 Christmas Gift Guide for Pet Parents to uncover another 25 unique ideas to spoil dog lovers of all ages!
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