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Dog Lovers Book Club - June 2023



Here are our top picks for the June 2023 Dog Lovers Book Club with a mix of new book releases and some old favourites to kick off your winter reading season! Time to grab your favourite cuppa to snuggle up under a warm blanket in front of the fire with your dogs (or cat, we won't judge)!

THE FLYING VET
by Ameliah Scott, David Brewster (As told to)

The inspiring story of the intrepid Dr Ameliah Scott, the Flying Vet extraordinaire.


Ameliah isn't your average vet - flying solo over a staggering territory of 200,000 square kilometres of red dirt and bush to tend to animals of all shapes and sizes, she's a rare combination of female flying vet and fifth generation farmer in remote Australia. 
She brings much needed solace, care and reassurance to remote farming communities in the heart of the country, while also raising her own young family.

With charm, honesty and wit, Ameliah tells stories from a life on the road and the skies, from attending the School of the Air and becoming a vet, to operating her mobile service in some of the most remote parts of the country. 

Her story spreads as far as her clients are scattered across the Outback, from far western New South Wales to northern Victoria, from the southwest of Queensland to eastern South Australia, treating valuable stock animals and beloved pets, and providing a precious lifeline for their owners.

Funny, moving and uplifting, Ameliah tells us about the diverse community she serves and the animals she treats, and celebrates the bush and the people of the outback - and Ameliah's passion for animal welfare. From treating animals in distress, wrangling hot-blooded goats to gelding biting horses and treating pregnant and calving cattle, Ameliah also battles the changing conditions of the bush, and the scourge of feral animals and plagues - all while navigating vast distances from the air, and raising her own young family on her own 120,000-acre cattle and sheep farm.


Paperback, 320 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers, 21st June 2023


Price: $28.50 (Pre-order) at www.booktopia.com.au

WONDERDOG
The Science of Dogs and their unique Friendship with Humans

by Jules Howard


A celebration of dogs, the scientists who've lived alongside them, and how canines have been key to advancements in science for the betterment of all species.

Almost everywhere there are humans on planet Earth, there are dogs. But what do dogs know and understand of the world? Do their emotions feel like our own? Do they love like we do? What do they think of us?

Since our alliance first began on the hunt and on the farm, our relationship with dogs has evolved considerably. And with domestic dog population rising twenty per cent in the last decade alone, it is a bond that will continue to evolve. 

In order to gauge where our relationship with dogs goes from here, author and zoologist Jules Howard takes a look at the historical paths we have trod together, and at the many scientists before him who turned their analytic eye on their own four-legged companions.

Charles Darwin and his contemporaries toyed with dog sign language and made special puzzle boxes and elaborate sniff tests using old socks. Later, the same questions drove Pavlov and Pasteur to unspeakable cruelty in their search for knowledge. Since then, leagues of psychologists and animal behaviourists have built upon the study of dogs and their much-improved methods have fetched increasingly important results: dogs have episodic memory similar to ours; they recognise themselves as individuals; and, in addition to their expert sense of smell, dogs' noses can even detect thermal radiation.

With the help of vets, ethologists, neurologists, historians and, naturally, his own dogs, Wonderdog reveals the study of dogs to be key in the advancement of compassion in scientific research, and crucial to making life on Earth better for all species.

Hardcover, 409 pages
Publisher: Bloomsbury, 8th June 2023


RRP: $26.99 (Pre-order) from www.bloomsbury.com

A LITTLE DOG’S ADVENTURES IN A BIG DOG’S WORLD
by Suzanne Catalano

In A Little Dog's Adventures in a Big Dog's World, the author recounts the heart-warming story of her bond with her Pug-Beagle mix, Winnie, as they trained together to become a detection team in the sport of Nose Work.

This book not only shares the joys and challenges of this hobby, but also delves into the unique bond between dog and owner, offering insight and understanding into the world of dogs. For those who love animals or have always wondered why their dog is so focused on their every move, this book is a must-read. 

With honest and personal anecdotes, the author's story of how Nose Work has impacted her life will be sure to inspire you to look at your own relationship with your dog in a new light.


Paperback, 204 pages
Published: 20th March 2023


Price: $23.25 from www.booktopia.com.au

HOW TO FOSTER A RESCUE DOG
Training for You and Training for Your Foster Dog (from Selecting a Rescue to Adoption)
by Wendy Blanda


Are you interested in fostering a rescue dog but don’t know where to get started? Here you go!

Fostering a rescue dog can be rewarding both to the volunteer and to the dog. It is a way to help dogs in need, reduce the pet overpopulation problem, and have a loving four legged house guest on a short-term basis.

But how do you get started in dog fostering?
How do you pick a good rescue to work with? What do you need to do to begin? How do you select the right dog and the right adoption application? Isn’t it too hard to let them go? Don’t you want to keep them all?

How to Foster a Rescue Dog” answers all of these questions, and more. 
  • Why foster? The benefits of fostering
  • Evaluating what kind of dog you’d like to foster and what you can give
  • Selecting a rescue
  • Bringing home and caring for your foster
  • The adoption-ready dog
  • Meet and greets with potential adopters
  • After the adoption
  • Other ways to give back besides fostering

This book goes into detail and gives advice far beyond what you will find on websites or what you will find in typical foster training.

Paperback (Large Print), 168 pages
Publisher: Indy Pub, 18th May 2023


Price: $24.25 from www.booktopia.com.au

DOGGED OPTIMISM
Lessons in Joy from a Disaster-Prone Dog

by Belinda Pollard


For anyone who ever loved a pet or needed a laugh...

In this humorous and uplifting read, Belinda recounts how her scruffy Aussie terrier Killarney has helped her through the toughest of days - and taught her to make the most of life.


Killarney is not afraid of anything that sub-tropical Australia can throw at her: venomous creatures, cancer, very large dogs. She becomes Belinda's furry comforter and cheer squad through job loss, grief, and failed romance.

You will be inspired by Killarney's motto: grab life by the throat and shake every last drop of joy out of it. Wrestle it, if you have to.

Belinda Pollard is a multi-award-winning Australian mystery author and former journalist who used to chuckle about people who treated their pets like children – until it happened to her. Her hobbies now include dog-walking in the rain and failing dog training classes.


Paperback, 262 pages
Publisher: Small Blue Dog Publishing Pty Ltd, 8th December 2018


Price: $33.25 from www.booktopia.com.au

A DOG WITHOUT HOPE
Neglected, unloved and abandoned, the puppy that just wanted to be loved

by Barby Keel

A moving, heart-warming and redemptive true story from the Barby Keel Animal Sanctuary, celebrating the healing power of love between humans and animals.

A tiny puppy, neglected and abused, and the foster carer determined to heal him.


When tiny puppy Duke is dumped at the doors of the Barby Keel Animal Sanctuary by his young owners, the brown and white Boxer is suffering from horrendous injuries resulting from a car accident. Having been operated on by an incompetent vet, his back leg has been amputated in a botched surgery, leaving him weak and barely able to stand.

With gentle love and care, Barby and her team at the Sanctuary work hard to give this brave little dog a second lease of life.

Playful and loving, despite his difficult start in life, Duke is desperate for a forever family to call his own. But put off by his terrible injury, Barby is heartbroken as she watches Duke get rejected over and over again by potential owners.

Will Duke ever find someone to love him?

Paperback, 256 pages
Publisher: Hachette, Imprint: Seven Dials, 26th May 2020

Price: $17.50 from www.booktopia.com.au


BOOK CLUB – KIDS CORNER

A DOG’S FIGHT

by Keegan, Fuqua (Illustrator)

A Dog's Fight
is a gripping tale based on actual events, that is ultimately the story of the loving bond between and boy and his dog. 

Knox's journey of abduction to the perils of organized dog fighting, and the happy reunification will make you laugh, cry and rejoice as the story unfolds. 

Readers will connect with Knox and share in the realisation that dogs can and often do experience the same feelings and emotions as their human companions.

Paperback, 82 pages
Publisher: 
Kids4k9s Inc.28th February 2023
For Ages: 8 - 12 years old

Price: $39.62 from www.booktopia.com.au

LIKE CATS AND DOGS
The Tuckwilla Troubadours
by Richard A. Skeel, David Priesing (Illustrator)

Get ready to join Hugo the cat and Jeremy the dog on a fun and musical adventure in Like Cats and Dogs

In this heart-warming children's picture book, not only do Hugo and Jeremy get along, but they become the most dynamic singing duo in Tuckwilla, winning over the hearts of their fans. 

With captivating illustrations that bring their story to life, Like Cats and Dogs is sure to delight children of all ages and inspire them to celebrate friendship and teamwork.

Paperback, 72 pages
Publisher: Austin Macauley, 7th April 2023
For Ages: 6 - 8 years old

Price: $21.50 from www.booktopia.com.au

10 DOGS
by Emily Gravett

Ten gorgeous dogs chase, hide and play with ten juicy sausages in this funny, original book about numbers by the multi-award-winning, bestselling Emily Gravett

Bursting with energy and fun, children will love to count the dogs and the sausages, as well as looking out for all the funny details on each page. 

The book explores numbers one going up to ten, and ten going down to zero, touching on several simple concepts like half, all, more, less along the way. 


A brilliant companion to Emily's book about counting, colours and cats, 10 Cats.

Hardcover, 32 pages
Publisher: Pan Macmillan UK, Imprint: Two Hoots, 11th May 2023
For Ages: 3+ years old


RRP: $32.95 from www.booktopia.com.au

SAM FRANCISCO AND THE CAT DISCO
by Sarah Tagholm, illustrated by Binny Talib

"The beats were loud, the lights were bright.

The cats drank milk and danced all night."

Superstar DJ Sam Francisco wants to throw the disco of the year, but he won't if their crabby neighbour has his way. Luckily, it's the people (or in this case cats) who make a party, and these guys are the best.

Reminiscent of Hairy Maclary but with a unique beat and bursting with sass, this is a picture book for children and their grown-ups.

Hardcover: 32 pages
Imprint: Affirm Kids
For Ages: 2 – 7 years old


RRP: $19.99 from all good book stores and online at affirmpress.com.au

THE GARDENING DOG
by Cindy Wume

Meet two very special friends in this heart-warming and beautifully illustrated tale. Watch as a boy and a dog who don't quite fit in learn that a friendship, like a garden, takes time to grow - but that both are always worth the wait.

The Gardening Dog
is never chosen to go home with anyone who visits the rescue centre where she lives. Instead she spends her time quietly growing beautiful plants. Then one day she meets a boy called Lewis, who much prefers drawing to running around with all the other children. 

Working together, Lewis and The Gardening Dog create a wonderful community garden for everyone to share – and as new shoots grow outside, they build a deep friendship that leads to a new start for them both.

Format: Paperback, 32 pages
Publisher: Pan Macmillan UK, 30th May 2023

For Ages: 3+ years old

Price: $14.25 from www.booktopia.com.au

KNITTING FOR DOGS
by Laurel Molk

A funny and creative look at how to turn a problem into a solution.

Max is a big dog who lives with Izzy, a medium-sized girl, who has big ideas. Izzy can build anything-a birdhouse, a wooden swing, a tent, and even a catapult that really works. So when Izzy takes up knitting, she expects to be able to knit anything. But trying to make a sweater seems impossible.


While scarves and hats knit up quickly, her sweaters always come out too big, too small, or with too many mistakes. As Izzy's knitting nightmares pile up, it takes a trip with Max to the dog park to figure out what she can do with them. Maybe these aren't mistakes after all!

Hardcover, 40 pages
Publisher: Random House US Children's Books, 28th February 2023


Price: $28.90 from www.booktopia.com.au
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