To Dogs, with Love - a review 12.13.23

 If you are familiar with author Maria Gianferrari's work, you already know how much she loves dogs!  And if you know young readers, you absolutely know how much they love reading about dogs!  This December we have a new book to share with the dog lovers in our lives.

To Dogs, with Love:

A Love Letter to the Dogs Who Help Us

written by Maria Gianferrari

illustrated by Ishaa Lobo

published by Roaring Brook Press

While this book is a love letter to dogs and all of their wonderful qualities, it is also a book that shines light on all the special ways dogs can help.  From grief therapy dogs, to comfort dogs, to my favorite, dogs that listen to young readers read a story!  The soft and comforting illustrations by Ishaa Lobo invite young readers to stay for awhile and enjoy these affectionate dogs.  Don't miss the author/illustrator page and see an illustration by Lobo that features Maria and Ishaa with their dogs, past and present!

There really is something so special about the relationship between a dog and a child.  I decided to ask some young friends about dogs and how they have helped them.

"My dog is calm but when he sees me he goes crazy!  I like that." - Connelly, age 7

"I like laying on the couch with my dog and being chill." - Jaxson, age 8

"My dogs make me happy because they bring me joy and love.  I like to cuddle them a lot.  They like to play and I like to play with them too." - Connor, age 8 1/2

And young Charley is going to give Maria a run for her money!  I asked her how dogs help her and I got a whole report from her!  She knows a little bit about military dogs, service dogs, search and rescue dogs, seizure alert dogs, police dogs, comfort dogs, and bomb sniffing dogs.  Talk about your young dog expert.  But my favorite is how she started her report:

"When you think about dogs you probably think of this very cute puppy in a shelter ready to be adopted.  But sorry, today cute puppy, we will not be talking about you.  We will be talking about how dogs help us!" - Charley, age 10

It's clear that dogs make an enormous impact on children.  And I know this book is going to have a place in their heart too!

If you would like a copy for a young dog lover in your life or to share with young readers, don't miss the giveaway at the bottom of the post.  It will be open until Dec. 20th to all US residents.  Thank you to Maria and publisher Roaring Brook Press.

For Maria Gianferrari, dog love is the most pawsitive medicine of all! To Dogs, with Love is Maria’s seventh book featuring beloved canine characters, following Being a Dog: A Tail of Mindfulness, Operation Rescue Dog, Hello Goodbye Dog, Officer Katz and Houndini, and the Penny & Jelly series.

Ishaa Lobo is Children’s Book Illustrator living in London. She is the illustrator of The Mystery of the Love List by Sarah Glenn Marsh; To Dogs, with Love by Maria Gianferrari; and There’s Always Room for One More by Robyn McGrath. Her next book, Bigfoot’s Big Heart, written by Sarah Glenn Marsh, will be released next year. In her spare time she likes to visit galleries, go to the cinema, and go on walks. See her work at ishaalobo.com.