patti holmgren

The Adventures of Joey: The Dog Who Barks at Puddles is a true story about my dog, Joey. Joey is telling the story as he describes the silly, off-the-wall things that he has done when I take him outside three times a day. Everything intrigues him and catches his attention—from squirrels and toads to kids playing in the yard to barking at cars when they go through puddles. 

We can learn a lot from animals, especially dogs. They have a lot of the same emotions and characteristics that people do—like love, having fun, empathy, and even jealousy—but they don't wear masks, so all their emotions are right out there for all to see. Dogs are “just themselves.” They live life in the moment with their own unique personalities—which brings me to the main theme of the story. I want to convey to the young reader, through the antics of Joey, that it's okay to be yourself—the unique way that God made you to be—with your own individual personality. When you display confidence in being yourself, love and acceptance from others will follow. When you love God and His Son, you can love yourself and avoid the temptation to succumb to peer pressure, and be who you were meant to be—just like Joey. He is his own sweet, loving, smart, and silly self—and is loved by most everyone. 

This book is suited for younger children between the ages of four to seven years old. They will be entertained—as the story has a lot of rhyme, bounce, and has a repetitious paragraph that is repeated throughout the story.