In this episode, Picture Book Peeps members Christine J. Ko and Wendy Goldstein talk about animals, particularly domesticated ones such as dogs, and what they mean to us.
Wendy is the author-illustrator of Oscar’s Blue Bandana which is inspired by her own Havanese dog Oscar and his adventures in training to become a service animal.
Whether we have pets or other domesticated animals in our own homes or not, they play a big part in our lives from how we interact with them in public to how we produce much of our food.
We hope you enjoy this episode and the recommended list of books and resources below!📚📚
Picture books have always historically used animals for a reason because they’re not threatening to the kids. Yet, the messages they’re sending to the kids are important themes for children to understand. — Wendy Goldstein
Further Reading📚:
Kids:
Oscar’s Blue Bandana by Wendy Goldstein
Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne illustrated by Ernest Shepard
Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile by Bernard Waber
Cranky Chicken by Katherine Battersby
100 Mighty Dragons All Named Broccoli by David LaRochelle illustrated by Lian Cho
The Scariest Kitten in The World by Kate Messner illustrated by MacKenzie Haley
How to Get Your Octopus to School by Becky Scharnhorst illustrated by Jaclyn Sinquett
Pig and Horse and The Something Scary by Zoey Abbott
Adults:
Our Dogs, Ourselves: The Story of a Singular Bond by Alexandra Horowitz
Being a Dog: Following the Dog into the World of Smell by Alexandra Horowitz
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
What is A Dog?: A Memoir by Chloe Shaw
Resources:
American Kennel Club - Canine Good Citizen
American Kennel Club - Therapy Dog Program
Oscar Tales - Adventures of Oscar, Wendy’s Therapy Dog
Have a book for us that isn’t listed above? Or is there a topic that you want us to explore on a future episode? Leave a comment below. Thanks for listening!
Animals and What They Can Mean to Us