G.R.I.T.S Kidz Book Club

Hey kids! Do you like to read? Well, you should if you don't. Reading takes you places without ever leaving your favorite chair or ever leaving the comfort of your bedroom! Oh, the things you will learn and how interesting life can be when you read, read, read!

Ok, enough of my little sermon about reading... hee hee. But seriously, if you LOVE to read I want to tell you about a really cool on line book club called G.R.I.T.S Kidz Book Club.

You can meet other kids safely on line that like to read. What is really cool is this site is maintained by kid power (like this site is maintained by dog power)! You can even submit a review of your favorite books too! Hint: Frankie, the Walk 'N Roll Dog might be a book you'd like to send in a review about, so other kids can learn about me!

Share your love of books and reading and meet kids from around the world! Check it out today! And if you decide to write a review about your favorite dog (hint: that would be me!)... be sure and let me know and I'll share it on my blog too! Arf-a-roo!!

Frankie, the Walk 'N Roll Dog's New Book Cover

Arf-a-roo! I am so excited to share my new book cover with you! Frankie, the Walk 'N Roll Therapy Dog Visits Libby's House tentative release date is January 2010.

My mom will be on Animal Talk Naturally Radio Show Wed., July 8th beginning at 1:30p CST talking about my new book. You can listen via your computer or call in with a question. 646-595-4693 (kids-make sure to get permission from your parents before calling).

BOOK EXCERPT:
Many of the residents at Libby’s house sometimes can’t remember things. The staff helps them remember when to take their medicine, when to eat, and when to go to bed at night. It is kind of like being a kid again like when your mom and dad had to help you with those things.

Spending time at Libby’s House with Daniel makes my heart feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Sometimes older people feel lonely. When I visit, they share stories about their younger years and talk about when they had a pet. They also enjoy throwing my ball for me and feeding me treats.

The activity directors plan many special activities for the residents. On Tuesday afternoons, they all gather in the music room. A resident or staff member plays the piano and everyone sings songs from the old days. The whole time the music plays, Daniel smiles. He can’t always remember the words, but he hums along to the tune.

ENDORSEMENTS:

With this lovely book Frankie will win your heart and inspire children to overcome whatever obstacles they face in life. The journey from using a wheelchair ( dog cart) to finding her purpose as a therapy dog, told from Frankie’s viewpoint, is not only touching but also shows children how much joy, healing, and hope a dog can bring to this world. Outstanding!

~Linda and Allen Anderson, authors of Angel Animals books, Angel Animals Network

Barbara Techel takes us beyond our human reasoning and limited sight by engaging our imaginations grounded in truth through the eyes of her little dog Frankie - who doesn't allow her physical challenges to limit her purpose or her gift of healing to all those who come into contact with her. Into Libby's House we roll with the wide-eyed innocence and charm only a little dog in wheels can claim with unabashed healing love for those who are broken in spirit and body.

~ Dr. Kim Bloomer, veterinary naturopath, author and host of Animal Talk Naturally

Frankie's Fantastic Fourth!

My cart all decked out in red, white and blue


Here I am at our Farmer's Market



Two of my biggest Elkhart Lake fans, right before the parade and getting ready to sell cookies

Pooped out after selling cookies to support the library and getting ready to enjoy the parade. Check out my new wheels! A Jeep Rubicon dog stroller my mom bought for me so I don't have to walk (or roll) too far anymore.

Update on Frankie, the Walk 'N Roll Activity Workbook

First update is that the book is in stock and ready to ship!!

Second, my mom has never been very good at math (writing is her thing!) so she miscalculated the price. NEW price is $11.95 (down from $14.95).

Third there will be FREE SHIPPING now through July 15th! Book will be shipped via media mail, so be sure and take advantage of this offer.

And last but not least, receive a FREE hot pink pencil with every workbook order!! Everything has to be pink you know, to remind you that I am a girl, even though my name sounds like a boy!

So order your Frankie, the Walk 'N Roll Activity Workbook TODAY!

Please Join Me for My World Wide Web Blog Tour- You Could Win A Prize!

Please join my mom and me in June for our virtual book tour! Throughout the month of June, authors, bloggers, parents, and animal experts will share their book reviews, interviews with Barbara, and other contributions.

There will be a SPECIAL OFFER FOR VISITORS TO THE VIRTUAL BLOG TOUR. Each guest who comments on a post in Barbara and Frankie's tour will be entered in a drawing for some fun, unique gifts that will especially appeal to Frankie fans and other dog lovers. We will give away several items from Frankie's store. These include two Frankie t-shirts and two Frankie tote bags.

We may also have a few more great bloggers joining this tour, so stay tuned for updates!

Mon, June 1 -- Author, mom, and disability advocate Elizabeth Aquino at a moon worn as if it were a shellpublishes Barb's guest post exploring how to help siblings and friends understand kids who have disabilities.

Tue, June 2 -- Veterinarian Dr. Kim Bloomer and her mastiff Shadrach posts Shadrach's interview with Frankie at Bark 'n Blog.

Wed, June 3 -- Ellen publishes her interview with Barbara at To the Max, where she writes about parenting and life, including her beautiful son who has cerebral palsy.

Thu, June 4 -- Alicia Clarke at Welcome to My Planetposts her book review. Alicia is an author and blogger who explores many things through her writing, including parenting kids who are on the autism spectrum.

Fri, June 5 -- Book blogger Cheryl Koch posts her review at Cheryl's Book Nook.
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Mon, June 8 -- Writer and dog trainer Charlotte Mielziner posts her interview with Barbara at Children's Dog Books.

Tue, June 9 -- Dawn Kairns at Maggie, the Dog Who Saved My Lifepublishes Barb's guest post, exploring how Barbara's relationship with Frankie changed her life.

Wed, June 10 -- Author and book blogger Margay Roberge posts her review and interview at Moonlight, Lace and Mayhem.

Thu, June 11 -- Margay Roberge posts her review and guest post at Margay Leah JusticeAND Alicia Clarke at Welcome to My Planetshares Barbara's guest post.

Fri, June 12 -- Paige Visintin posts her review at Nurse Mommy.
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Mon, June 15 -- Kyra Anderson at This Momposts her review. Kyra is a mom and writer who explores the joy and challenges of motherhood and raising an amazing son with Asperger's Syndrome.

Tue, June 16 -- Yael Cohen posts a presentation at Get IEP Help, where she offers assistance with navigating the special education maze.

Wed, June 17 -- Nikki Leigh posts an interview with Frankie (the heroine of the story) at Fictional Characters in Depth.

Thu, June 18 -- Mom and book blogger Julie Peterson posts her review at Booking Mama.

Fri, June 20 -- Julie Peterson at Booking Mamapublishes a guest post by Barbara.
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Mon, June 22 -- Stephanie Ward publishes her review at Laughing Stars. Stephanie is a homeschooler, bibliophile, and mom of kids with "special needs"

Tue, June 23 -- Christine Stephan posts her review at Day Sixty-Seven, where she writes about parenting and raising a child on the autism spectrum.

Wed, June 24 -- Author and book lover Christine Verstraete at Candid Canineposts her review

Thu, June 25 -- Author Yvonne Perry shares her review with Barbara at Writers in the Sky Podcast and Blog, where she shares a wealth of information about writing, publishing and book promotion.

Fri, June 26 -- Stephanie Ward publishes Barbara and Frankie's interview with her children at Laughing Stars.
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Mon, June 29 -- Rashmi Srinivas at Mommy Reviewedshares a guest post by Barbara.

Tue, June 30 -- Barb answers questions on Nikki Leigh's radio program.

For More Information and to Order the Book:

Joyful Paws
Frankie the Walk 'n Roll Dog at Amazon.com
Also Check Out http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=3381388881517319729&postID=1512021494028094059

A Stuffed Frankie, the Walk 'N Roll Dog

Hey friends, check this out! Mom and I had a book signing at Book World in Fond du Lac on Saturday. It was loads of fun!! Tracy, the very nice store manager, made a replica of me. Isn't it adorable? Well, err, if I do say so myself. This is a beanie baby named Frank! Tracy went to a little hobby shop, and the wheels are made out of flyer airplane tires. Then she took wire, ties, and fabric to construct the wheelchair. How creative! And if you know my mom, you guessed it, she instantly got tears in her eyes.
I met lots of new fans and sold lots of books. Thank you to everyone who came to see me and an especially big tail wag and woof to Tracy for all she did to promote our book signing. ARF-A-ROO!

Pre-order Your Frankie Activity Book TODAY!

Hey friends! You can pre-order my activity book and it will be here just in time for summer fun! You can take this 28-page book everywhere you go! It is filled with crossword puzzles, word searches, mazes, coloring pages and MORE! It goes hand in hand with my book, Frankie, the Walk 'N Roll Dog and teaches you to:

Always be positive!

Never give up hope!

Be compassionate!

Follow your heart!

Treat others with kindness!

Believe in yourself!

Be an inspiration to others!

Choose happiness!

So pre-order your copy today! Will ship on or around June 6th, 2009. And remember, always be positive and keep on rolling!

Sneak Peak at Frankie, the Walk 'N Roll Dog Activity Book

Hot-diggity dog! My activity book is almost done!! Then it will go to the printer. Arf-a-roo! Here is a sneak peak of the cover and the back. I hope you like it. It will be 28 pages of crossword puzzles, mazes, coloring pages, etc. It will be loads of fun! Stay tuned for details onwhen you can order it. You can click on each image above to make it bigger.

A Tribute to Our Friend, "Daniel"

Today, I hand the keyboard over to my mom to share our tribute to a very special man. I will miss you Daniel, you always made this little dog feel so special and quite loved. I know you are with the angels, and most definitely the furry angels. We will meet again someday. Read my mom's tribute here.

Frankie's Hospital Visits

Question submitted by Erika, Age 9





How many times has Frankie made people in the hospital feel better?

I have lost count! Not only do I help the sick people feel better, but I also have made the staff feel better. They work hard and seeing me makes them feel less stress and puts a big smile on their faces. One day I was asked to visit ALL of the nurses and doctors who work at the hospital. They had a contest about which department could raise the most money for a worthwhile organization. The department that won was able to choose which therapy dog they wanted a visit from as their prize. They picked me and I was so honored!! I had my picture taken with every department (like the one above). It was so much fun! One of my favorite things to do when I visit the hospital is to first visit any kids that may be there. It is sometimes hard for little kids to understand why they have to be at the hospital. When they see me come rolling in the room they are no longer scared and they smile and giggle. I love leaving a copy of my book with them so they can read all about me... and that makes my heart feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Frankie Raising Money for Rolling Dog Ranch Animal Sanctuary

Hot-diggity dog! I am so excited to announce that a portion of my book sales for the month of April will be donated to Rolling Dog Ranch Animal Sanctuary. This is one of my favorite organizations! Why, you ask? Well because they take in disabled animals and love them their whole very long life. Isn't that the greatest?
My mom and I really want to support their efforts so that is why we have decided to donate a portion of my books sales to them. So if you were holding off on buying a book, now is the time! It also makes a great gift for another and teaches the valuable lessons of compassion and tolerance.
To read the swell press release my mom did about this donating event, please read here.
If you can't buy a book, but can help with a donation, we'd love that too. Just tell Rolling Dog Ranch that Frankie sent you!