"Puppies are irresistible and so is this revised and expanded book graphically illustrating the birth and early life of a Norfolk terrier puppy....A gem for preschoolers and a sure bet for older youngsters who just won't be able to turn down a chance to enjoy such a warm experience."--Booklist. "Excellent in every way."--Kirkus Reviews.
Joanna Cole, who also wrote under the pseudonym B. J. Barnet, was an author of children’s books who teaches science.
She is most famous as the author of The Magic School Bus series of children's books. Joanna Cole wrote over 250 books ranging from her first book Cockroach to her famous series Magic School Bus.
Cole was born in Newark, New Jersey, and grew up in nearby East Orange. She loved science as a child, and had a teacher she says was a little like Ms. Frizzle. She attended the University of Massachusetts and Indiana University before graduating from the City College of New York with a B.A. in psychology. After some graduate education courses, she spent a year as a librarian in a Brooklyn elementary school. Cole subsequently became a letters correspondent at Newsweek, and then a senior editor for Doubleday Books for Young Readers.
Text-to-Self Connection: How does the story connect to your personal experiences or background?
This book is wonderful about explaining in simple terms how a puppy is born and what to expect after the puppy is born. I used this book to help my son understand when he was becoming more interested in owning a dog and wanted a puppy. It helped him see that although puppies are really cute, they are a lot of work. The book showed this through photographs and explained well how the puppy needed to be cared for. After my son and I talked about the book and his thoughts, we came to the realization that it might be better to get a slightly older dog. We came across Bella one day at a PetsMart, she was a 1 year old dog and came home with us that same day.
This book follows the first weeks of a puppy's life and is intended to inform the reader of the growth and development that takes place during this time. The book begins with the mother dog preparing her nest box for the arrival of the new puppies. Shortly after birth, the mother takes care of the puppies by licking them clean, feeding them, and keeping them comfortable. As the puppies grow, their eyes and ears begin to open, they start eating solid foods, and they begin standing on their own. Although much of their time is spent sleeping, by four weeks old the puppies begin exploring their new world independently by running around. At eight weeks, the puppies are full of energy and very playful, and are ready to leave their mother for a new home. This was an excellent informational book that can help any young child understand the process of a puppy being born. Children who already have pets or may be thinking about getting a pet will benefit from the clearly identified stages of a young puppy's life. They will learn about the importance of young animals spending the first weeks of their life with their mother in order to develop the senses required to become healthy and independent. The pictures in the book do an excellent jog reinforcing the information provided in the text, and enables the reader to clearly follow along with the developmental process. This would be an excellent educational resource to introduce children to the concept of how life enters the world and is cared for. The book could easily be incorporated into a science lesson dealing with young animals and the developmental process. It could also teach children the importance of leaving young animals alone if they encounter them in the wild. Birth is a natural part of life that is often difficult for young children to comprehend. The information provided in this book would help children successfully prepare for the arrival of new life in their own homes or in the classroom from a class pet.
Summary: This is a picture book about the birth and first few weeks of a puppies life. Along with the narrative are some photos of the birth and life of this puppy that children of all ages can enjoy. The photos in shown in the book just make you want to take the puppies home! This is also great book for dog lovers and those wanting to know about the early life of a puppy. This book was recommended by Reading Rainbow.
Written by Joanna Cole and Photographs by Margaret Miller
Audience: Grades K-4
Social Issues: In My Puppy Is Born, one big issue would have to be the birth of the puppies. This brings in a topic that every child wonders about, birth. This book would be a great way to explain to children how puppies, and or other animals are born.
Use: This is a great book to read aloud with children. The pictures in the book make it easy for younger children to follow along with the story. This book can also be used for students to create a writing assignment on their puppy or kitten.
I absolutely love this book. I had read it as a child when my Poodle, Buffy, was pregnant. My mom said I followed along with this book as the dog was going into labor and through having the pups. I guess I wanted to make sure she was OK through the process. It is such a sweet book for kids with adorable pictures of mamma dog and pups. I would give this book to anyone who has a dog expecting a litter.
Oh, this was one of my frist "real" books ever! I was a great doglover even as a kid, and Dackel/Dachshounds had and still have a special place in my heart, because my first dog-love was one. This books shows the birth and growing up of a dachshound in wonderful, simple black-and-white pictures. The accompanying text is easy and aimed at first/second-graders. This book is really special to me.
Thanks to resources such as this, parents don't have that tiring excuse "I want to show my kids the miracle of life" for letting the family pet birth unwanted litters. The birth and growth process of puppies is closely followed with color photos.
I still have this book from when I was a little girl. I read it so many times and fantasized about how it would be for my dog to have puppies. That finally did happen, and it didn't live up to this book!