Review from Yvonne Perry, author of The Sid Series

My new book, Frankie, the Walk 'N Roll Therapy Dog Visits Libby's House is making it's way out into the world and the reviews are coming in! If I could wag my tail, it would be wagging 100 miles a minute from this dog gone wonderful review from Yvonne Perry, children's author of The Sid Series. Big slurp on the cheek to you, Yvonne!

Yvonne gave it 5 stars! I love stars!

Appreciate the elderly and the disabled

When I think of all the animals that are destroyed because they have a disability, it saddens me-especially when I see the good that comes from using a disability to help others. That's the case with Frankie, the Walk `N Roll Therapy Dog. In Barbara Techel's new book, she tells how she and Frankie became a therapy team and the joy that visiting Libby's House brings to them and the residents. Libby's House is a senior facility where residents have Alzheimer's, dementia, or some physical challenge from aging.

Beautiful illustrations by Victoria Kay Lieffring enhance the telling of this story. Any child or adult will enjoy seeing Frankie perched in various places like the kitchen sink, her doggie car seat (where she serves as co-pilot), the teacher's desk, Daniel's lap, the dining room table (ready to help blow out the candles on 100-year-old Martha's birthday cake), and on the sofa or beside the wheelchair of an elderly resident. Each month, the folks at Libby's House eagerly await the arrival of Barbara and Frankie ready to pet the pooch who is paralyzed in her hind quarters.

I love the way Frankie tells her own story in a play-by-play narrative. You may forget that Frankie is not a human. She sure knows how to relate to people, and she's a really polite listener even when Edith tells about Schutzie, yet again! The lighthearted humor in this book will help children and adults understand that the elderly have a lot to offer younger generations--even when they are reminiscing and don't know what day it is!

This book provides an endearing glance to help us better appreciate the preciousness in all of life's stages. Highly recommended for family reading and classroom education.

For other reviews and to purchase the book visit Amazon. Can also be purchased from Joyful Paws website where special book bundle pricing is available.

Dachshund Delights Review of My New Book

I love Jerry over at Dachshund Delights! Each month he shares news about dachshunds everywhere via his newsletter. This month he featured your truly. And wow, what a great review he wrote. He is really good at that stuff!

So be sure to visit Dachshund Delights and read his review about my new book, Frankie the Walk 'N Roll Therapy Dog Visits Libby's House.

If you think you just might want a copy remember I am donating a portion of my proceeds to disabled animal charities. This quarter I will donate to Tinkerbell's Fairy Dust Fund which helps animals get wheelchairs who may not have been able to get one.

And I can speak (speak!) from personal experience that my wheels are the BEST! I can be a dog and run and play and have so much fun... so I want all animals to have that too.

And just a reminder that my mom and I will be signing our newest book this Saturday. So if you live in Wisconsin, come see us! We will be at BookHeads in downtown Plymouth. 216 S. Mill Street. 11:00a-1:00p. I'll have my new holiday vest on compliments of April Scott of Hug-A-Dog. It is SO COOL! If you decide to order one for yourself be sure to use the promo code: FRANKIE when you are checking out and April will give you 10% off!

Dealing with the Death of a Pet

Yvonne Perry & special grandson, Sid, who her book "The Sid Series" was inspired by

It is with tail wagging pleasure that I welcome a very special lady today to my blog. Yvonne Perry is the author of The Sid Series. A collection of twelve holistic stories for children that share messages to support the whole child-- body, soul and spirit-- by empowering and building self esteem. These lessons are modeled after Yvonne's grandson, Sidney.

One of the stories is called "Puppy Love" and it as about dealing with the death of a beloved pet. Yvonne has been kind enough to share an article with us that she wrote to help you if you have ever had to deal with this, or may in the future. Without further ado, I give you my BFF (best friends forever) wonderful article:

Dealing with the Death of a Pet

I’m Yvonne Perry and I’m the author of The Sid Series. The main character in my book is my grandson, who is now eight years old. His name is Sidney. In real life, he lives in the country. When his family first moved there, the house didn’t have a fence around it. He has owned several dogs and cats—all shapes and sizes, but it seemed like every time he got close to one of his pets, they would run away or die. Sid’s yard now has a fence so Queen and Lucy will stay home where it is safe.

I remember my first dog. Her name was Snooks and she was a German shepherd. I loved it when she had a litter of puppies! I hated it when she died of heartworms. I was about twelve years old. That wasn’t my first encounter with death, but it was the first time I had lost a pet and I was pretty upset because I couldn’t see her or play with her anymore.

I wrote the stories in The Sid Series book to help kids find answers to some things they may have questions about. For example, it’s hard to understand death. It makes us feel sad when someone we love dies. Some adults say it means that you just don’t exist anymore. Others say being dead means the body can’t do anything, so the spirit leaves the body and goes to a wonderful place called heaven. Some people will tell you that dogs and cats don’t have souls so they can’t go to heaven, but I don’t believe that. I believe in a place known as the afterlife. It’s just like the place you existed before you came alive in the body you have now. Most of us don’t remember where we were before we were born, but I call it the Rainbow World. It must be a good place since none of us have bad memories of it.

Scrap is the family dog in my story titled “Puppy Love.” Scrap is old and she’s had a good life, but it’s time for her to go to the Rainbow World. One morning, her family finds her in her favorite sleeping spot, but she’s not moving; she can’t get up and she can’t bark or chase the tractor like she used to. That’s because she is dead. The family is sad and everyone cries. They wrap her in her favorite blanket, dig a big hole in the ground, and put her body in it. It’s like planting a flower or seed, but Scrap’s body is not going to grow like a flower or seed in the spring.

The family has a memorial service and talks about Scrap’s death. It’s good to talk about things that you are afraid of or don’t understand. That way, you get more information to help you decide what you want to believe.

You will get some ideas to help you create your own understanding about afterlife or the Rainbow World when you read my story. Don’t worry, it has a happy ending. If you want to read it, let Barbara or Frankie know and she will email a link to you or your parent. You may read more about each of the stories on my Web site: http://thesidseries.com./

I have learned a lot from children. So, I’d like to ask you some questions. You can answer them by leaving a comment below.

What does it mean to be dead?
Where do you think Scrap’s soul went when she died?
What do you think happened to Scrap’s body when she was buried in the ground?
Have you ever seen a person or an animal that is dead?

Yvonne is available to read her book to your classroom via Skype an Author.

To order your copy of The Sid Series you can visit Amazon. Receive The Sid Series coloring book for free when you order the print copy of the book!!

Thank you, Yvonne, my BFF, for sharing this well written article on the death of a pet. I can personally say that I know when I die my soul will stay here with my mom because I love her so much. She won't be able to pet me anymore or see me, but I will always be in her heart, loving her... and I know when my body is gone, I will one day be reunited with my mom in heaven, or as Yvonne says, "Rainbow World." I believe that we always stay with the ones we love, just in a different form.

A Popular Question

Question submitted by Emma, Age 9

How does Frankie sleep?

This is one of the most popular questions I get asked. I can actually sleep in my wheelchair. That is the advantage of being so short. I can lay the front part of my body down (like in the photo) and then my little butt sticks in the air. My mom always has to pat my butt when I do this. She thinks it is so cute. Oh brother!

At night mom takes me out of my wheels and I have a little crate I sleep in, which you can see in the photo above too. It is filled with lots of cozy blankie's to keep me warm.

And most of the time when we are home and I am in my mom's writing room with her, I snuggle in my little bed as you can see in the other photo. I LOVE TO NAP!!

Frankie Inspires Kids to Read and Write More!

Thank you, Karen, teacher-librarian from Canada for sending us the Literacy & Compassion Post (1-27-09) and how I am inspiring kids to read and write more. WOW, if a dog could blush, I would! Keep writing and reading everyone! Reading can take you anywhere you want to go! And writing can lead you to all your hearts desires. I am so proud of each and every one of you! I can't wait to read the stories you are writing about me!!

Frankie's blog!

Frankie and I are starting this blog to communicate with school children who we may not get to actually visit in person. We hope it will be a way children can learn about Frankie and ask questions. Frankie and I love sharing our message with kids and we hope we can inspire many more kids by having this blog. We were inspired by a 7th grade class in Canada to start this blog. Karen, the teacher contacted me and told me the kids had watched Frankie's video. The kids are putting together their own compassion video's. They were so inspired by Frankie's story that they are doing raffles to raise money to donate to animals in need. Isn't that wonderful? So thank you, Karen and all the 7th graders. We look forward to answering your questions soon via our new blog that you inspired!!
We will keep you posted as we make progress and see where this will take us. In the meantime, remember, Always be positive and keep on rolling!