Ahhhhh, summer reading!
What could be more enjoyable than lounging outdoors on a beautiful summer evening with a good book in hand? If so, I still haven’t found it!
This year, we are emerging from a particularly difficult time, and I want to focus on books that add a lot of value. For the first year, this list doesn’t have any novels! Strange way! However, there’s a memoir that reads like a novel, some helpful nonfiction, and — of course — a bunch of pet-friendly children’s books.
Worry no more, let’s dive into this year’s summer reading guide for dog lovers!
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Number one dog walking agency in London
The perfect beach read encapsulated in a memoir! When Kate MacDougall left her steady but unhappy job at Sotheby’s to walk her dog, her mother wasn’t on board. Luckily, her partner was, so she got going and started the business of walking the dog. The memoir is a middle-aged story told through the dogs she and her staff walk through the streets of London. Each chapter tells an anecdote about one of the dogs in their care and how the dog’s circumstances relate to Kate’s developmental story. It’s an entertaining, well-choreographed story with many endearing moments. Anyone who’s ever loved a dog will associate the stories Kate tells and the experiences she’s had with dogs — and their owners. A quick, smooth and emotional read, perfect for reading on a park bench.
It’s not until July, but you can Pre-order a copy here!
Griffin’s Heart: Mourning Your Pet Without Apology
When a pet dies, a piece of your heart goes with them. For those who love animals, we all know how deep the pain of their deaths is. Unfortunately, that pain is often dismissed: “Just get another dog!” This book attempts to honor the grief of losing a pet and provides a series of stories, tips, and diary reminders to help guide you along that path. I’ll be honest: This book is not for everyone. In some places it was a bit persuasive and preached in others (she said to only drink decaf after 2pm, which I felt was irrelevant and made me feel uncomfortable because I had a glass of coffee). literally full coffee every day at 2 o’clock and I don’t want to be judged for that… can you tell me how I defend my coffee habits?).
Anyway, here is a lovely guide that allows you to feel what you need to feel, no matter how deep and how long you need to feel it. The reminders are thoughtful and even leave space to stick on the picture, so it can become a keepsake of your beloved pet’s life. I think, if someone you love has lost a pet, this could be a perfect and thoughtful way to let them know you care.
Natural dog
If this book is nothing else, it’s still worth adding to your bookshelf for great photography. However, it is packed with useful information with lots of practical tips. It’s a guide to natural care and I’m glad it’s more than just food and vet visits. In fact, much of the book covers behavior, training, safety, walking, and more. It starts with a super helpful section on safe exercise and activity tracking – which I appreciated as we tried to balance Cooper’s physical activity needs with his aging body. There’s also an entire section – the second half of the book – on mental health. It’s deep, thorough, and kind.
As for me, I sometimes shy away from getting into “natural dog” discussions because I don’t like the conversation that (usually) focuses on how to feed. If you’ve been here a while, you know I do not feed raw (and, yes, this book certainly promotes a raw diet), but I am pleased to see that the emphasis on a holistic, scale-up approach to natural dog feeding has gone far, far beyond simply raw diet. The mental exercise chapter itself makes the purchase worthwhile! Definitely pick this one up if you’re looking for some lighthearted living tips to enjoy with your dog. I highly recommend!
Available July 6. Pre-order here.
Dogtography: A stub guide to taking the best dog pictures on earth
Buy this book. Serious. If you share your life with a dog, you need this guide. It will inspire you to take gorgeous, goofy, personable photos of your beloved dog. Filled with helpful hints and breathtaking photos, this could be a gorgeous coffee table book to peruse regularly. To watch?
So aside from the stunning photos, here’s what makes this book invaluable: The included tips go beyond the basics of framing and lighting. Instead, author Kaylee Greer dives into everything a “dogtographer” needs to know, including how to read a dog’s body language, how to position it, and how to capture in perfect detail a dog’s unique personality. . In addition, the tone of the book is warm, friendly, cute and funny. As for the photography guide, it was a really fun read!
Children’s books
Buckley the Highland Cow & Ralphy the Goat
I love stories about friendship between species. They always make me feel like we’re all the same rather than we’re all different. This story – one about a cow and one aiming to be friends for life – fits the bill perfectly. Combining photographs with art seems to be a trend in these longer, more complex children’s stories, and this book is no different. With a combination of illustrations and photos, Buckley and Ralphy’s friendship comes to life! It’s a cute, sweet story with a happy ending.
One note: Violet cried from the very beginning. On the second page, Buckley’s mother is gone when he wakes up (she was sold), and it breaks Violet’s heart. It gives us a discussion about agriculture and animal rescue. Following that trend, the latter part of the book includes a wealth of resources to fuel those conversations.
It is available on Amazonand you can follow their real-life adventures on Instagram.
Unlike the others: The Story of Harley
I believe it is important for children to know that there are many different types of people and animals in the world, and that each has value. Whatever the case, humans and animals have inherent dignity that should be honored and celebrated. Exposing my child to all different types of people and animals is one of my most important values.
This book introduces children to Harley, a dog with diabetes. In it, Harley refers to friends as a cat with asthma, a dog in a wheelchair, etc. It’s a kind, gentle way to show that all these animals have a price. cherished and deeply loved.
It is only available on Amazonand it’s now FREE with Subscribe to Kindle Unlimited.
We want a dog
This book. Put it on your list, parents. The red, black and white color scheme appeals to even the youngest babies. The rhymes are cute and the questions are funny. And on top of that, it has an unexpected ending that has my girls hooked!
Perfect as a gift! Available here.
Yes no
Have you read Elisha Cooper? If not, what are you waiting for? We bought Big Cat, Small Cat years ago at a local bookstore, and it was charming…lovely, realistic, heartbreaking, poignant, full of emotions. We had to hide it because John and I had a hard time reading it over and over again.
When Cooper’s advertiser contacted this person, I took the opportunity to review his latest information. And, oh, it loves! It shows a day in the life of a dog and cat pair and all that they got together. Honest? He does the perfect dog and cat nails with simple illustrations and very few words. We all loved this book and have now read it over and over again, enough for the spine to crack and the pages to curl. If you can’t choose anything else from this list, get this one!
Here it is, guys: my summer reading list! (I’m also reading some non-pet books: Sweetgrass Braid, Apologize to me while I’m ugly cryingand Ready to be heard sitting on my nightstand right now.)
What are you reading What would you add to this list?
Happy summer and happy reading! 🙂
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