Piper and Mabel: Two Very Wild but Very Good Dogs

by Melanie Shankle, Laura Watkins (Illustrator)

If you are a dog lover, you will enjoy New York Times bestselling author Melanie Shankle’s debut children’s book, Piper & Mabel. Melanie shares the adventures of her two very wild but very good dogs, Piper and Mabel, who have an experience of their own when their owners plan a vacation to the beach. 

The dog duo is shocked to discover they won’t be joining their people on the trip. Instead, they’re headed to doggie day care at the Happy Trails Ranch, where they create all kinds of mischief when they discover the accommodations are not exactly what they were expecting. And when they decide to take matters into their own paws, they end up on one crazy journey.

Humorous story, perfect for children ages 4-8If your kids loved Secret Life of Pets, they’ll enjoy reading about Piper and MabelShankle is the author of four books, co-hosts The Big Boo Cast and is the hilarious voice behind the popular Big Mama Blog.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Dogs

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2020

About the author

Melanie Shankle is a 4 time New York Times bestselling author, speaker and co-host of The Big Boo podcast.

She is the author of multiple memoirs about friendship, motherhood, marriage and life, including Nobody’s Cuter Than You, Church of the Small Things and On the Bright Side.

Her newest book, Here Be Dragons, was in released in February of 2025 and debuted on the New York Times bestseller list.

Melanie is a 1993 graduate of Texas A&M. She lives in San Antonio, Texas with her husband, Perry. Her daughter Caroline is a 2025 graduate of Texas A&M and has written a 100 day devotional entitled The Lion and The Bear which was released in October 2025.

Reviews

[Laura]

PIPER AND MABEL is the story of two very wild but very good dogs. They are excited about vacation until they discover they aren't going with their people, but instead to a ranch for pets. But when the ranch isn't what they imagined they .... Well, you'll have to read this book to your favorite child to find out! Pre-order your copy now. My three girls give it five stars!
I was given a copy free. All opinions are my own.

[Conny Reviews]

“I’m just not sure Happy Tails Ranch is the place for two very wild but very good dogs,” the manager suggests in Melanie Shankle’s children’s book, Piper & Mabel: Two Very Wild but Very Good Dogs.

~ What ~
This thirty-two-page oversized hardbound with a matching jacket cover targets children ages four to eight years old. With no scary scenes, it is a story about 2 mischevious dogs who want to go on vacation with their owners. Detailed, expressive colorful illustrations cover the full pages.

In this short tale, Piper and Mable are two white-chested large black sibling pups who think they will be going to the beach with their family. However, when they learn they will have to stay at Happy Tails Ranch, they question if it will be full of excitement or dull and boring. When they realize they have nothing to do at the kennel, they escape and get lost, only to be found and reconnected to their peoples where they can happily play.

~Why ~
This innocuous, charming story shows how two dogs would rather be with their owners than anyone else. I like how they fantasize about being at the ranch chasing rabbits, running after cows, and digging in the mud and become disappointed in the boredom so jump a fence, only to be alone and lost in the woods. I appreciate how one dog writes several haikus of their situation.

~ Why Not ~
Those who do not like any references to God may not like this book, although He is only mentioned once at the end. Kennel owners may not like the suggestion that a dog ranch or doggie daycare is not a fun place for dogs. Due to some of the three and four-syllable words, it may be hard for beginner readers.

~ Wish ~
I wish the ending had a page explaining a haiku is a seventeen-syllable poem divided into three lines of five, seven, and five syllables, usually about nature.

~ Want ~
If you want an adorable tale with fun-filled drawings for someone who loves or has dogs, this engaging book will delight kids as they read about two wild but good dogs enjoy their lives.

Thanks to Zblog Squad for this complimentary book that I am under no obligation to review.

[Jalynn Patterson]

**Disclosure**This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from the author. All opinions are my own.



About the Book:

Piper & Mabel is written by Melanie Shankle, New York Times bestselling author of four books and the hilarious voice behind the wildly popular Big Mama Blog. In her debut children’s book, Melanie shares the adventures of her two very wild but very good dogs, Piper and Mabel.

When the family plans a vacation to the beach, Piper and Mabel are shocked to discover they won’t be joining their people. Instead, they’re headed to doggie day care at the Happy Tails Ranch where they create all kinds of mischief when they discover the accommodations are not exactly what they were expecting.

Dog-lovers everywhere will enjoy the adventures of Piper and Mabel. The book jacket includes embossing.


My Review:

Piper and Mabel remind me very much of my two dogs, Lily and Annabelle. My puppies act the exact same way as the main characters. So fun, full of love and tons of playfulness. Piper and Mabel are buddies, they do anything and everything together. When they find out that they will stay behind when the family heads to the beach the doggies aren;t to sure how this whole thing will go down.


But... they are going to have so much fun and get into some much mischief they wont notice at all, that there loving family is missing from it all.


This story is the sweetest ans so much fun. Such a delight!

[C.E. Hart]

What a delightful story about two very wild but very good dogs! Piper and Mabel are disappointed when they can’t go on a beach vacation with their owners but are somewhat relieved to learn they’ll be staying at the Happy Tails Ranch instead. But the ranch isn’t what they expected, so the determined dogs escape and their sense of adventure results in getting lost, trekking through mud, and becoming hungry.

I’m a dog lover so I can relate to Piper and Mabel’s adventuresome and wild ways, and I’m sure young dog lovers and families will appreciate how these very good dogs want to be with their people more than anything else.

This sweet story is a wonderful display of friendship, adventure, family, and being thankful. The illustrations are entertaining and colorful, and Piper and Mabel are memorable and lovable characters. I enjoyed the entertaining Haikus and the goodnight prayer of thanks. The hardback cover is identical to the protective dust jacket, depicting the two happy and lovable dogs.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through the Zblog Squad.

[Penny]

Piper and Mabel are two adventurous dogs. When their family sets out for vacation and leaves them at a kennel, they are less than impressed. So begins the adventure. I love the detailed illustrations by Watkins. They will entertain the littlest reader to the adult reader. The color palette she uses is a bit muted, which is a perfect contrast to the two very wild but very good dogs. Children will enjoy the mischief the two dogs get into and the very satisfying ending. My granddaughter loves animals, especially dogs. I know she'll enjoy Piper and Mabel. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Deanna]

Can It Be Any Cuter?

I have been following the adventures of Piper and Mabel from the author’s first post on her blog. When I heard she wrote a book about those two crazy dogs, I knew I had to order two copies. One for me (even though our children are grown) and one for someone who teaches 3 & 4-year-old preschool. I loved the story and the illustrations. I am told the 3 & 4-year-old preschool class was quiet during storytime (a good sign of a good story) except for the laughter at the silly dogs. They loved it, too! Great storytelling by some zany dogs…I mean by the author.

[Margaret Boling]

4/4/2020 ~ I am not a fan of this book. First of all, there's a grammatical error early in the book (apostrophe in the word treats on the dogs' dish). Also, a disconnect between the text and illustrations (dogs sharing a single bed when the text says beds). There's a flaw in the characterization when the dogs are at the ranch (refusing to share) - as compared to when they are at home (getting along and sharing). Finally, the book conveys the idea that it's okay to run away when you don't like a situation. We can do better for our youngest readers/listeners.

[Gretchen]

A book I picked up at PLA 2020. A cute story about two dogs that wanted to go to the beach with their owners. Their owners left them at a "ranch". The ranch is not everything that the dogs imagine, so they run away to find their owners, but get lost. They are found by the ranch owner, and are reunited with their owners who take them to the beach. Good artwork. Original story.

[Meredith Spidel]

This is such a fun book for our family of dog-lovers! Silly, sweet fun from Zonderkidz (thanks for the ARC!) that we have all enjoyed reading and are so looking forward to sharing with the neighborhood in our Little Free Library. A great find for your young ones!

[Sarah A]

This book is for every dog lover. Children will love this story about very wild, very good dogs. It is told from the point of view of how the dogs are feeling when the family goes on vacation. The illustrations are amazing.

[Bobbie]

This is such a cute book! The storyline is clever and unique, Piper and Mabel are hilarious, and the illustrations are beautiful. This is a book that I’ll be purchasing for several kiddos in my life.

[Holly Smith]

Beautiful story. Beuatiful artwork! A great book for all people, like me, who love their dogs!

[Molly Cluff (Library!)]

Two endearing little pups run away from their dog kennel, wanting to join their family on their beach vacation. Not ground-breaking, but cute, and the doggie illustrations are pretty precious.

[Sasha]

I got an ARC from the publisher and it tells the story of 2 good pups who want to go on vacation with their family and not go to puppy daycare. The illustrations are very sweet. There is some religion in the book, which is not an issue for me but might be for those who are not Christian. (I was not aware that ZonderKid was a Christian Book Publisher until I got my credit card statement.)

[Pinky]

Piper and Mabel go to Happy Tails Ranch, but it's no fun so they escape and go back home.