Saturday, February 19, 2011

What an Animal Reading Challenge IV



The What an Animal Reading Challenge III ends next week on February 28th. Our new challenge will begin on March 1, 2011 and end on February 29, 2012. The rules are really simple...


1. Read at least 6 books that have any of the following requirements:


a. there is an animal in the title of the book

b. there is an animal on the cover of the book

c. an animal plays a major role in the book

d. a main character is (or turns into) an animal (define that however you'd like).

2. The animal can be any type of animal (real or fictitious)--dog, cat, monkey, wolf, snake, insect, hedgehog, aardvark...dragon, mermaid, centaur, vampire, werewolf...you get the idea...


3. Challenge runs from March 1, 2011 to February 28, 2012. That’s a full year to read at least 6 books (you can read more if you’d like). You can still sign up after March 1st as long as you can get 6 books read by February 29, 2012).


4. Books can be fiction or nonfiction.


5. You may make a list of books at the beginning of the challenge or you can just list them as you find them.


6. Book titles may be swapped out at anytime (assuming you made a list to begin with).


7. Crossovers with other challenges are permitted and encouraged.


8. You don't have to have a blog or write a review, but you can if you want to.
 If you don't have a blog, just post in the comment section that you'd like to join. You can post your books in there.

9. Books can be in any format of your choice (print, audio, ebooks)

If you'd like to sign up, please use Mr. Linky below!

I will list my six books here, as well as listing them on Mr. Linky.

1. Curiosity Thrilled the Cat by Sofie Kelly Click for review
2. The Cat, The Professor and The Poison by Leann Sweeney Click for review
3. Tempest in the Tea Leaves by Kari Lee Townsend Click for review
4. A Dog Named Slugger by Leigh Brill Click for review
5. Dog On It by Spencer Quinn Click for review
6. Thereby Hangs A Tail by Spencer Quinn Click for review



Please post the url that links directly to your blog post about this challenge - not to your blog home page.



Please use the Mr. Linky below for your completed reviews. Please Use this format:

Name: Your Name (Title of book)
URL: The direct link to the post about the specific book you read.



Please use the Mr. Linky below for your wrap up posts once you complete the challenge.

47 comments:

  1. I am looking forward to this challenge, because I love reading books about animals. I already have my six books waiting to be read. And who knows as the year rolls on I may find a few more to read. We'll see.... thanks Yvonne for hosting this fun challenge.

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  2. I like animals too, but then i pretty much love all books.

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  3. This sounds like the perfect challenge for you. Enjoy it!

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  4. I just added my link but when I clicked on it it just reloaded this page. Could you please change the url to:
    http://bfaos.blogspot.com/2011/02/what-animal-lv-reading-challenge.html

    Thanks!

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  5. I'm in! Don't be alarmed if when you visit my sign up post, you think you're at the wrong blog. I sign up from and keep track of all my challenges on my challenge blog.

    Of course, you know most of (or all) the books I read for this challenge will probably be about cats.

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  6. I'm in! :)
    But,I want to change the button... I hope that's okay with you

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  7. Sure, that's fine. Welcome to the challenge!

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  8. I have made my button and looking forward to finish the challenge :)

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  9. I have a question: If we have read/reviewed something for this challenge, do we just leave a comment in this post? Or how can we interact and know what others have read?

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  10. I will be posting a mr linky so everyone can post the links to their reviews on their blog. If you don't have a blog, then you can just post them in this comments section.

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  11. Thank you so much :) I already had 2 reviews up which are linked now :) I hope to learn about lots of great pet stories through this challenge.

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  12. This sounds like a great challenge. I would love to join!

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  13. I resisted entering as long as I could. I am an admitted Book Challenge Addict. lol

    This sounds like so much fun!!

    Dollycas/Lori

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  14. OK, I'm. This will give me an excuse to read some of those books that I have tucked away for a special treat.


    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

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  15. I have a blog but don't actually blog.??? Just use to list blogs I follow or like. Can I still enter this challenge? I have 4 cats and love animal stories and have some waiting to be read..
    Thanks

    misskallie2000 at yahoo dot com

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  16. I'm so glad you're hosting this again! Even better? I found it in time ;)

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  17. Just finished my first book for the challenge--a five star read!

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  18. I've read three that work in March. My favorite has been Travels with Charley. thanks for the fun challenge!

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  19. I love animals! Im excited for this contest! I just posted a link for Murder Takes The Cake.

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  20. Oh also my name is on the list of participants twice (I realized the frist time I put it in I did not link it to my challenge post so I put it in again) sorry for any confusion!

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  21. Hey my second one is up I wasnt sure if it would count but I thought Remarkable Creatures has an animal sounding title/or make you think of animals so I thought Id enter it!

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  22. My first book on this challenge is
    Bad Dog (A Love Story) by Martin Kihn. I pasted it here:


    Have you seen the TV shows about how training dogs helps prisoners gain a sense of self-worth, responsibility and joy? This book, Bad Dog by Martin Kihn shows how developing a routine of training and unconditional love
    have helped him pull away from the abyss of alcoholism.

    It is not so much a story about Hola, a Bernese Mountain dog as a man’s struggle with alcoholism,the destruction of a marriage and the difficult road back.

    Dog training can become an obsession, in this case, a good obsession.Martin’s wife had wanted a dog,she didn’t even recognize at the time what she really wanted was for Martin to stop drinking and so that they could rebuild their marriage. She thought a dog would make her happy.

    They picked a dog from a breeder and named the dog Hola. Hola was not the typical Bernese Mountain Dog. She was unusually intelligent, gorgeous, exuberantly affectionate and extremely active. Because Hola was different from others of this breed, it made the task of training Hola much more difficult. Marti had never trained a dog before.

    I really liked this book. I am a sucker for books about dogs but this definitely had a twist to it.
    There is a lot of humor and hope in this book as the author goes on his journey away from alcoholism and towards better human relationships and loving dog relationship.

    Since I was curious about the AKA, this breed and different kinds of training I enjoyed it even more but some may not.

    I was hooked early in the book and it was difficult to lay it down.

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  23. Sounds like an interesting book. Thanks for posting your review.

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  24. Posted another review! This book has two animal references. There is dogs in the title (Moondogs) and there is a roster on the front cover.

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  25. Posted another link for my review of On Hummingbird Wings.

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  26. Posted a link to another review: Mr. Funnypants I thought this book would count because there is a cat on the cover in the bottom right hand corner.

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  27. My second book in this challege is
    Oogy by Larry Levin. I gave it 4 stars and my review is below:

    This is a inspiring story about a loving family and a dog who needed them. The author, Larry Levin, tells the beginning of the family. There are some flashbacks but it is not difficult to keep up with the story.

    The twin boys, Dan and Noah are adopted. With their father's stories surrounding their adoption the two boys seem perfect for the father and mother. The boys' story of adoption dovetails beautifully with Oogies adoption story.

    When the family took their dying cat to the veternarian, they accidently met Oogy. And Oggy met them. He had an unusual appearance because half of his face had been torn off, his ear was missing, he looked like an ugly dog. What he looked like didn't matter, what mattered is that Oogy already knew that he was a part of the family.

    OOgy had been used as a bait dog for fighting dogs. This is a dog thrown in for the fighter dogs to practice tearing apart and killing other dogs.

    Why is it that this dog who had never known human love, who was never petted could love so much? This dog had suffered more more than being neglected, was a dedicated kisser!

    The boys thought of him as their third twin. I feel that the basic theme of this book is to get across the idea that when you take an animal into your home, it is not really a pet it is family. That is the same way that my husband and I think of our two cockatiels, Squeaky and Speckles. These are our "boys".

    The writing is simple, direct and perseptive. The book has wonderful pictures of Oogy sprinled through out. It is easy to feel the love they feel for Oogy and that Oogy feels for them.

    I reccommend this book to all dog lovers and to everyone has an animal in their family or wants one. It is truly a love story.


    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

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  28. I've finished this challenge with the reading of Catalyst by McCaffrey & Scarborough. My page with links to all six reviews is Here:
    http://abookwormsjourney.blogspot.com/2010/12/what-animal-4.html

    I'll look forward to this next year. I've enjoyed checking out other reviews from this challenge!

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  29. two down, Bulet Work was very interesting and gave be quite an education of what happens away from the horse racing track.

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  30. You're all doing great! I need to catch up. LOL

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  31. Wow! It seems that I have finished the challenge! BUT I will be adding more pet related books anyhow, if I happen to read more of them this year :) I hope that is okay :)

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  32. I'm looking forward to the challenge, Yvonne! However, I posted the incorrect URL to my blog--posted the homepage instead of the challenge mention. Could you please change the URL to
    http://atleastonecat.blogspot.com/2011/05/what-animal-reading-challenge-iv.html
    Thank you.
    Ana

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  33. Ny third book for this challenge is 'Kasey Comes to the Rescue', by Ellen Rogers. See below for my review:

    When Ellen Rogers' son, Ned smashed into a brick wall while driving, her life, Ned's,and all his sibling changed immediately. He may have had an epileptic seizure. He had a seizure disorder prior. He had a fracture of the C 1 and C2 vertebrae which usually means that he would be paralyzed from the neck down.

    Ellen's first husband passed away with cancer. She already had a daughter daughter named Megan and was pregnant with Ned. She later married and added more children Jake, Maddie and Anna Kokos. That marriage didn't last but she still had all of the children and two dogs to take care of. She is the narrator of the book.

    First the family worried that Ned would survive, there was no guarantee. Every hour was a victory, then every day. He did survive, he was a fighter, it was in his nature even before the accident.

    Meanwhile, a very smart capuchin monkey was going through Monkey college, just thirty miles away at Helping Hands: Monkey Helpers for the Disabled It is a non profit organization. http://www.monkeyhelpers.org/. This monkey, Kasey learned the tasks exceptionally quick. He was a star.

    This book tells of the very scary situation of having your child suddenly be in danger of losing his life, of her son's adjustment to and struggle with being quadriplegic and lastly of a star monkey. You know what it is like to change the family's lives in order to make life better for Ned.

    You will know how an incredible bond between Ned and Kasey is forged over time and many trials. This book will make you want to see this monkey and others like him who through love and very hard work make disabled people's lives so much better. You cannot read this book without being inspired and admiring Kasey and all of the family. Just as life is not easy, this was not easy but it was so very worthwhile.

    I recommend this book for all who want to learn about service animals and enjoy a great heart tugging story. There will also be times when you laugh out loud at Kasey's. Kasey is supposed to have the intelligence of a three year old human child but I also realized a toddler wouldn't ever come close to replacing what Kasey does every day for Ned. I want to thank Ellen Rogers for letting everyone in her sometimes chaotic family life. It was amazing to to see the process of bonding between Ned and Kasey and additional mobility that Kasey gave to Ned.



    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

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  34. Hi, Yvonne! I just found this challenge after signing up for your Sookie one :)

    I am a cat-lover, too. I have to say I just love your widget for the black and white cat. I had to put it up on my blog, too! It looks just like one of my cats.

    Looking forward to the challenge!

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  35. I accidentally uploaded up book review with the wrong "linky". It shows as #19 in the sign-up section. Can you delete that for me? I did upload it to the correct section. Sorry about that!!

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  36. Hi,
    I realized I forgot to put a couple animal books up that I read in May so Im doing that now!

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  37. posted my link for The Butterfly's Daughter.

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  38. I just finished reading 'Katie Up and Down the Hall by Glenn Plaskin.

    Here is my review:

    This is love story between a dog and the people living on a floor of an apartment building in Battery Park City. The author, Glenn Plaskin was impressed by a cocker spaniel owned by one of his friends in the apartment building. He wanted to have a dog but did want not be as strict as his friend Joe. He located a breeder with one last cocker. He didn’t like the name Twiggy so he promptly changed her to Katie.

    Katie turned out to have an unusual talent for bringing people together and making them feel like family. This book is illustrated with color pictures so you can get an idea of what Katie looked like.
    The story was very easy to follow and engrossing all the way through the book. Joe introduced Glenn to an older couple on the same floor. They have recently their cocker spaniel named Brandy. It was a treat for them to see Katie. And Katie did not forget them ever.

    One morning Glenn accidently left his door ajar and Katie was gone. Glen couldn’t find her in the hallway so he knocked on the couple’s door. There she was with Arthur and Pearl. They loved Katie and Katie made her visits so often that Glenn felt like he had a new grandmother and grandfather. Katie added many more people as time went on. She was the glue that held everyone together. She made strangers into a family. In this book, you get to meet some very unique personalities. Glenn Plaskin describes them so well, that is as if you knew them yourself. There were many ups and down in their lives so you may be shedding some tears but you will be glad that you read about Katie, the dog who brought everyone together.

    This is a great little book and I recommend to all dog lovers.


    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

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  39. I just finished reading "Katie Up and Down the Hall by Glenn Plaskin.

    My review is below:

    This is love story between a dog and the people living on a floor of an apartment building in Battery Park City. The author, Glenn Plaskin was impressed by a cocker spaniel owned by one of his friends in the apartment building. He wanted to have a dog but did want not be as strict as his friend Joe. He located a breeder with one last cocker. He didn’t like the name Twiggy so he promptly changed her to Katie.

    Katie turned out to have an unusual talent for bringing people together and making them feel like family. This book is illustrated with color pictures so you can get an idea of what Katie looked like.
    The story was very easy to follow and engrossing all the way through the book. Joe introduced Glenn to an older couple on the same floor. They have recently their cocker spaniel named Brandy. It was a treat for them to see Katie. And Katie did not forget them ever.

    One morning Glenn accidently left his door ajar and Katie was gone. Glen couldn’t find her in the hallway so he knocked on the couple’s door. There she was with Arthur and Pearl. They loved Katie and Katie made her visits so often that Glenn felt like he had a new grandmother and grandfather. Katie added many more people as time went on. She was the glue that held everyone together. She made strangers into a family. In this book, you get to meet some very unique personalities. Glenn Plaskin describes them so well, that is as if you knew them yourself. There were many ups and down in their lives so you may be shedding some tears but you will be glad that you read about Katie, the dog who brought everyone together.

    This is a great little book and I recommend to all dog lovers.


    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

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  40. This month I read 'Rescuing Sprite' by Mark R. Levin.


    My main criticism is that I would like more about Sprite, less about his career. It was easy to read and went fast. If I tried to compare to Dewey, the library cat, it is far behind in stories of humor, compassion and what makes this animal different than others. I took a few notes as I went and when I look at them, I realize that Sprite was no different than my dog, Honey when came to love and support when times were unbearable. The author told of his experiences when he was recovering from a medical illness and both Sprite and Pepsi would snuggle up close to him. But this is what I have found-dogs do that! They can be so caring that it is hard to believe but even my cockatiels notice when something is bothering me and they act differently.
    What I craved for was more attention paid to Sprite. What made him different from other dogs? He was different from Pepsi, he ate slowly while Pepsi gulped his food down and he was different on walks. What was the special difference that characterized Sprite that made the author fall so deeply in love with him? The author feels in love with Sprite so much that he was extremely depressed when nothing could be done for Sprite. But what was it? I wish the author dug deeper to find why Sprite was so different for him than Pepsi? If he could have found that and express that in his book, it would have been a remarkable book.
    I stuck the book out, it was boring but it seemed to lack depth. In the last pages, I was crying so if you decide to read this book, bring your facial tissues for the ending.
    I think there are better dog books out there so I will not recommend this book.

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  41. COMPLETE CHALLENGE, MY FIRST THIS YEAR!!!! YIPEE!!

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  42. Ups...I put my review to the wrong Mr.Linky...sorry

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  43. For August, I read "A Dog Named Slugger by Leigh Brill.
    3 stars

    Below is my review:

    With the dog's name on the cover and his name in the title, I was expecting learn more about Slugger. The author has celebral palsy and Slugger was her service dog. I wanted to know about what made Slugger such a great service dog and what set him apart from the other labrador retrievers in this occupation. This makes me think that this book could have been improved if the author had worked with a co-author. That co-author could have asked her questions about Slugger that would have added depth to this story.

    The author went through a lot growing up. She experienced discrimation as a person with celebral palsy,racial discrimation when she married her Indian boyfriend and heartbreak when Slugger came to the end of his career.

    I am glad that author wrote this story is just that I wanted to know more. I was a little surprised and the plain to the point writing that seemed to be written by a younger person. So there was something that could have be improved by re-writing and going more in depth for her experiences. She is donating a portion of the proceeds to Saint Francais Service Dogs. It is a good story, it is just that I wanted more. I didn't realize that it was a young adult story before I read it.

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

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  44. Carol - I'm still reading A Dog Named Slugger. I'm only halfway through. I've been interrupted with some review books, but I will eventually finish it.

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  45. Hi, Yvonne!

    I accidentally linked one of my reviews to the WRap-up Linky instead of the Review Linky. You can go ahead and delete it from the Wrap-up Linky (#2) because I already added it to the Review Linky.

    And I linked up my Wrap-up Post!

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