Will give dog enthusiasts plenty of reinforcement for the assertion that dogs are man’s best friend.
A celebration of the many ways service dogs help humans.
"Dogs of courage," as defined by Rogak (And Nothing But the Truthiness: The Rise (and Further Rise) of Stephen Colbert, 2011, etc.), are not unique in that they possess courage—all dogs, she asserts, are born with it—but humans have the ability to draw out this courage in ways that benefit both the dogs and the people working with them. The author gives a broad overview of dogs in service today, as well as the history of dogs providing support in a myriad of settings. She profiles guide and assistance dogs, fire and police dogs, medical research-assistant canines, wildlife and conservation dogs and therapy dogs. Training programs were instituted when World War I began, and dogs have served in the military since. As Rogak notes, there is overlap between the different types of service dogs and the skills that are called upon; the benefits that therapy dogs provide through steadfast companionship and support offer a form of therapy to anyone working closely with them. There are also distinctly different training requirements for different types of service. A dog trained in providing therapy support, particularly when the service is being provided to children, must acquiesce to having their ears and tails tugged on by little hands, whereas a police dog by necessity requires sharper self-preservation instincts. Rogak also shares brief profiles of specific dogs working in the various service arenas.
Will give dog enthusiasts plenty of reinforcement for the assertion that dogs are man’s best friend.Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-250-02176-2
Page Count: 288
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2012
This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)
Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996
ISBN: 0-15-100227-4
Page Count: 136
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An extravaganza in Bemelmans' inimitable vein, but written almost dead pan, with sly, amusing, sometimes biting undertones, breaking through. For Bemelmans was "the man who came to cocktails". And his hostess was Lady Mendl (Elsie de Wolfe), arbiter of American decorating taste over a generation. Lady Mendl was an incredible person,- self-made in proper American tradition on the one hand, for she had been haunted by the poverty of her childhood, and the years of struggle up from its ugliness,- until she became synonymous with the exotic, exquisite, worshipper at beauty's whrine. Bemelmans draws a portrait in extremes, through apt descriptions, through hilarious anecdote, through surprisingly sympathetic and understanding bits of appreciation. The scene shifts from Hollywood to the home she loved the best in Versailles. One meets in passing a vast roster of famous figures of the international and artistic set. And always one feels Bemelmans, slightly offstage, observing, recording, commenting, illustrated.
Pub Date: Feb. 23, 1955
ISBN: 0670717797
Page Count: -
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1955
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
bookshelf
