We're really looking forward to the cooler weather this year, hoping our dogs will finally let us stay in bed occasionally to read a goo...
Here are our top picks of new book releases for dog lovers this month.
A DOG'S JOURNEY
by W. Bruce Cameron 
Buddy is a good dog.
After searching for his purpose through several eventful lives, he is sure that he has found and fulfilled it. Yet as he watches curious baby Clarity get into dangerous mischief, he is certain that this little girl is very much in need of a dog of her own.
When Buddy is reborn, he's overjoyed when he is adopted by Clarity, now a vibrant but troubled teenager. As Clarity navigates the ups and downs of adolescence, Buddy realises that he has a new destiny: to protect, cheer, rescue, and love her unconditionally. When they are suddenly separated, Buddy despairs - who will take care of his girl?
More than just another endearing dog tale, A Dog's Journey is a moving story of unwavering loyalty and a love that crosses all barriers, that asks the question: do we really take care of our pets, or do they take care of us?
Paperback, 336 pages
Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia, 26th March 2019
RRP: $19.95 from www.booktopia.com.au
UNLEASHING YOUR DOG
Field Guide to Giving Your Canine Companion the Best Life Possible
by Marc Bekoff, Jessica Pierce
As the demand for dog trainers and veterinary behaviourists attests, dogs are not naturally adapted to living with and among modern humans. They give up a lot of freedom and instinctual pleasure, as well as their innate strategies for coping with stress and anxiety, in exchange for the comfort and care they get from humans. Bekoff and Pierce show that it is possible to let dogs be dogs without wreaking havoc on our own lives.
They begin by illuminating the true nature of dogs and helping us "walk in their paws." They reveal what smell, taste, touch, sight, and hearing mean to dogs and then guide readers through everyday ways of enhancing a dog's freedom and minimizing deprivations in safe, mutually happy ways. The rewards, they show, are great - for dog and human alike.
Paperback, 256 pages
Publisher: New World Library, 5th March 2019
RRP: $31.95 at www.booktopia.com.au
by Dianne N Janczewski
Research geneticist, Claire Winthrop, tells the story as she is drawn into the quest to find the answer to what's behind the deaths. Claire is torn between focusing on her funded research on canine Addison's disease and current events that draw her and her graduate students into following where the science takes them.
As a dog lover, a mother, a mentor, and a scientist, she struggles to prioritize her personal and professional lives, forcing her to make emotionally charged decisions that impact everyone around her. Turning to an old friend and colleague for support, she must come to terms with her love for two men - one from her past, one from her present.
As events unfold, conspiracy theorists, the Canine Crusaders, promote their own agenda, while pharmaceutical companies jockey for profit from any possible cure. Rife with dog-loving vignettes, Decoded Dog is a fictional story of intrigue, love, and scientific discovery.
Paperback, 304 pages
Publisher: Quo Vadis Publishing, 30th March 2019
Price: $18.75 at www.booktopia.com.au
YOUR ROBOT DOG WILL DIE
Publisher: New World Library, 5th March 2019
RRP: $31.95 at www.booktopia.com.au
TELL YOUR DOG YOU'RE PREGNANT
by Dr Lewis Kirkham
A baby makes many different noises and your dog needs to be familiar with new sounds ranging from crying to giggling; sneezing to splashing in the bath; as well as all those noisy toys. Prepare your dog for these new sounds with this step-by-step guide and CD with 13 baby and toy noises.
Publisher: Little Creatures Publishing
DECODED DOGDo you have a much-loved dog? Your ‘fur kid’? Are you expecting or trying for a baby? Does your dog know? Do you want to learn how to prepare your dog for the new addition?
Tell Your Dog You’re Pregnant offers a practical, intuitive approach for creating a loving bond between your dog and your new baby. Dr Kirkham has packed this book full of information, helpful tips and the latest behavioural knowledge. It is a must read for any dog owning family who is expecting a baby – your dog’s and baby’s future relationship may just depend on it.
A baby makes many different noises and your dog needs to be familiar with new sounds ranging from crying to giggling; sneezing to splashing in the bath; as well as all those noisy toys. Prepare your dog for these new sounds with this step-by-step guide and CD with 13 baby and toy noises.
Publisher: Little Creatures Publishing
by Dianne N Janczewski
A mysterious disease is claiming the lives of dogs, sending a wave of heartbreak across the country. No group of dogs is immune. From dog shows to animal shelters, pure bred to mutt, the epidemic is indiscriminate. Is the cause a new virus or bacteria? Is it contaminated dog food? Or is there a coordinated plot involving intentional poisoning?
Research geneticist, Claire Winthrop, tells the story as she is drawn into the quest to find the answer to what's behind the deaths. Claire is torn between focusing on her funded research on canine Addison's disease and current events that draw her and her graduate students into following where the science takes them.
As a dog lover, a mother, a mentor, and a scientist, she struggles to prioritize her personal and professional lives, forcing her to make emotionally charged decisions that impact everyone around her. Turning to an old friend and colleague for support, she must come to terms with her love for two men - one from her past, one from her present.
As events unfold, conspiracy theorists, the Canine Crusaders, promote their own agenda, while pharmaceutical companies jockey for profit from any possible cure. Rife with dog-loving vignettes, Decoded Dog is a fictional story of intrigue, love, and scientific discovery.
Paperback, 304 pages
Publisher: Quo Vadis Publishing, 30th March 2019
Price: $18.75 at www.booktopia.com.au
by Arin Greenwood
A realistic young adult thriller with tragedy at its heart, set at an indeterminate point in the future …
A realistic young adult thriller with tragedy at its heart, set at an indeterminate point in the future …
But when Dog Island's biggest celebrity supporter, movie star Marky Barky, arrives for his annual visit, Nano discovers something that shouldn't exist: a real live puppy, tiny and magical. Unable part with it, Nano now finds herself on the run. She knows that the puppy could destroy her family, Wolf, and even the Island itself.
Yet her harrowing fight for their survival sparks a belief that it might just save them all.
Paperpack, 192 pages
Publisher: Penguin Random House Australia, 19th March 2019
For Ages: 15 - 18 years old
RRP: $17.99 from www.booktopia.com.au
BOOK CLUB – KIDS’ CORNER
DINGO
by Claire Saxby, illustrated by Tannya Harricks
Poetic language and glorious illustrations follow a dingo from the comfort of her pack into the darkening landscape in search of food for her family.
Can you see her? There — deep in the stretching shadows — a dingo. Her pointed ears twitch. Her tawny eyes flash in the low-slung sun.
Dingo leaves her sleeping pups with her mate and lifts her head to smell the air. Dusk is a busy time — the time for hunting. Softly and fleetly she runs through the forest, past a possum, a wombat, and kangaroos in the gully below. Now she climbs to the highest point and sniffs again, locating the scent of rabbits in the wind.
Interspersed with text offering facts for curious readers, Dingo is a lyrical foray into the life of these fascinating wild dogs.
Dingo leaves her sleeping pups with her mate and lifts her head to smell the air. Dusk is a busy time — the time for hunting. Softly and fleetly she runs through the forest, past a possum, a wombat, and kangaroos in the gully below. Now she climbs to the highest point and sniffs again, locating the scent of rabbits in the wind.
Interspersed with text offering facts for curious readers, Dingo is a lyrical foray into the life of these fascinating wild dogs.
Hardcover, 32 pages
Publisher: Walker Books Australia, 1st April 2018
For Ages: 5-9 years old
For Ages: 5-9 years old
Aqua the farm dog really loves to swim.
Sometimes the farmer gets angry at him.
Instead of herding sheep he loves to splash.
Diving under water in a flash.
When the rain falls and the water levels rise.
A lesson is learnt of immeasurable size.
When a flood puts his talents to the test.
Is swimming what Aqua Dog does best?
Instead of herding sheep he loves to splash.
Diving under water in a flash.
When the rain falls and the water levels rise.
A lesson is learnt of immeasurable size.
When a flood puts his talents to the test.
Is swimming what Aqua Dog does best?
Hardcover, 28 pages
Publisher: Lisa Van Der Wielen, 5th March 2019
For Ages: 4 - 9 years old
RRP: $38.40 from www.booktopia.com.au
LET’S HAVE A DOG PARTY
by Mikela Prevost
A sparkling debut that celebrates friendship and encourages empathy, starring a lovable dog.
Kate and Frank are best friends. To celebrate Frank's birthday, Kate throws him a party with all her favorite things: lots of friends, dancing in circles, loud singing, and sparkly confetti everywhere. But best friends don't always have the same taste in parties.
Frank prefers quiet, sun-drenched naps on his favorite rug. So he hides. Kate must find a way to bring Frank back to the party - on his own terms.
This tender debut picture book is a fresh take on the classic birthday party story, and one that encourages empathy and the art of listening.
Hardcover, 32 pages
Publisher: Viking / Penguin, 19th March 2019
For Ages: 4 - 6 years old
RRP: $29.99 from www.booktopia.com.au
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