An engaging, instructional work that could be a pet owner’s best friend.
An appealing debut that aims to enlighten dog owners about their pets’ ailments.
When Rade’s canine, Jasmine, became terribly ill, she agonized over whether she’d neglected any of her beloved pet’s symptoms. It led her to write this book so that other dog owners would be aware of potential signs of sickness. “Potential” is the operative word here; one of the book’s strengths is in how it identifies observable symptoms without drawing definitive conclusions. Instead, Rade rightly advises dog owners to get to know their pets’ habits, understand when something isn’t right, and seek veterinary assistance when needed. The book begins with a good overview about how dog owners can advocate for their pets’ health. Included are helpful chapters on interacting with vets, obtaining second opinions, scheduling wellness exams, and dealing with emergencies. The bulk of the content, however, revolves around the symptoms themselves. Rade tackles them chapter by chapter, identifying each one individually, describing it in detail, and including a section titled “When is it an Emergency?” Panting and drooling, for instance, may or may not be normal behaviors, depending on the circumstances, and the author does a fine job of differentiating normal from abnormal. She goes into graphic detail about such subjects as vomit and feces, which some readers may find repellent, but it’s unquestionably highly educational. For example, “What’s in the Poop?” provides useful intelligence about the appearance, consistency, color, and content of a dog’s feces—all of which could be helpful information for a dog owner and, ultimately, a vet. Rade writes conversationally and informally, applying wit where appropriate, and the black-and-white photographs of dogs are charming. She acknowledges the input of veterinarians as she was writing the book, which supports its credibility. As for Jasmine, the dog that started it all, Rade was told by one vet the situation was terminal, but she got a second opinion. As a result, “Jasmine recovered from that medical disaster, and others, and lived over four more happy years.”
An engaging, instructional work that could be a pet owner’s best friend.Pub Date: Feb. 24, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-9952474-0-6
Page Count: 186
Publisher: Dawg Business Publications
Review Posted Online: Feb. 21, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2018
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
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