Pages & Paws

Writing, Reading, and Rural Life With a Border Collie


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GUEST POST! Not Just a Walk in the Woods: Animal Rescues

Well bow-wow and pass the bacon! Cuz we’ve got a real treat for your today! Yes siree, Lassie! Our favoritest park ranger, Ranger Rose the Pawsome, is bringing you a guest post about her experience with animal rescues. So I’d listen up ‘fize you.

Ready? Set? Take it away, Ranger Rose!

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‘Who Saved Who’ A Little Too Woo-Woo

Who Saved Who

By Roslyn Cohn

Tampico Press, 2023

Genre: Non-fiction

Pages: 150

Via: Blog Tour

Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

“We save dogs, Roz, that’s what we do.”

This is the story of a woman who loves dogs. So far, so good. Here’s the main book blurb:

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Why ‘Shadow’ is Like a Warm Breath of Spring

Shadow

By Michael Morpurgo

U.S.: Feiwel and Friends, an imprint of Macmillan

Great Britain: HarperCollins Children’s Books, 2010

Genre: Historical Fiction

Via: Library

A silver star badge. A little red train.  A cave in Afghanistan. A “sniffer dog” named Shadow. An incredible story of escape, adversity, courage, and love. The kind that never gives in and never gives up.

“We want you back.”

Kimber here, saying “Happy Spring” – finally! I’m also ready to introduce you to my new BFF: Shadow the springer spaniel. Aka: “Polly.” She’s a special bomb-sniffing dog. (Okay, she’s not quite as special as I am. But let’s not get picky here, okay?)

Wait. Where was I? Oh yeah. Shadow. She gets lost in Afghanistan during the war and is finally reunited with her old unit from the U.K. But not before finding her way into the heart of young Aman.

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Professional Joy Spreading & 4 NEW Ones for the Little’Uns!

Kimber the Magnificent.

Hello Friends!

Your favorite furry face here. I’m jumping for joy today! Well, okay. I jump for joy pretty much every day. Cuz I’m what Her Momness calls a “Professional Joy Spreader.” No idea what that means. But Mom likes it. So I like it, too.

 

For more, click here.


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XMAS BOOK BASH #4: Will New Xmas Story Go Down in History?

The Greatest Reindeer

By Greg S. Paris, Indie author (2023)

Genre: Fiction/Children’s Christmas Tale

Pages: 199 (Paperback)

Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen… But do you recall the greatest reindeer of all, Kris’s closest friend and protector, Cedric? He didn’t have a shiny nose, but Cedric shines bright in the pages of this expertly crafted blend of magic, myth, legend, and a betrayal that changed everything.

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2 Woof-Worthy Reads (I’d Grab ‘Em Now ‘Fize You)

“Mom! Mom! I like THIS one!”

Kimber the Magnificent here. Telling you about how I nudged Her Momness in the direction of a book that looked really good the other day. “Oh, and this one , too!” I mean, hey. Who can resist these covers? We’re talking Serious Sweet Stuff here, right? Like, Canines R Us.

So I talked Mom into grabbing two woof-worthy titles. (It wasn’t hard, if ya know what I mean.) Here’s the 4-1-1:

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‘Go Find’ Gets Lost

Go Find

My Journey to Find the Lost – and Myself

By Sue Purvis

Genre: Nonfiction – Memoir/Outdoor Adventure/Dog

Blackstone Publishing, 2019

Pages: 344

Via: Library

Go Find is about being lost. The memoir tells the true story of how Sue and her avalanche dog, a black Lab named Tasha, search for missing people in the high country of Colorado and elsewhere from about 1995 to 2007. 

We had high hopes for this book. But it gets lost in Soap Opera Land, with too many side trips into Tedium, Tiresome and Blurrysville. Ditto the countless detours into life with the author’s allegedly petulant, controlling husband, Sir Pouts-a-Lot. 

“Decomp”

We eventually learn that the vast majority of Tasha’s deployments are “decomp” missions to locate human remains. A live find is rare. Sue and Tasha are often deployed as “last resorts” – long after any decent chance of locating a live missing person has flown the coop. Too often egos, petty politics and jealousies within the SAR community as well as weather, terrain, logistical details and a lot of other stuff mitigate against a live find. It’s depressing and frustrating.

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‘Death by Pitbull’ Pulls No Punches

Death by Pitbull:

Bred to Kill

By Richard Morris

Genre: Non-fiction/Animals

Independently Published

Pages: 235

Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A Little Background

Back in February 2022 we received a review request for a “dog book.” It sang the praises of a pit bull, Stella. Here’s how we wrapped up that review:

So there’s no doubt Stella is a wonderful dog. (Not as wonderful as a certain Border Collie mix. But nobody’s perfect.) After awhile, however, I just wanted this book to end. Additionally, Kimber has a story of her own on the subject. Sort of.

Kimber: When I was about a year old, Mom and I were out for a walk. On a public street. Chugging along. Minding our own business. All of a sudden two dogs tore out of a house, racing straight toward us. They had us surrounded faster than you can say “Rin Tin Tin.”

One dog grabbed my shoulder. Mom pushed him off. He came back again. Mom jumped between us. She morphed into Mama Grizzly Mode, yelling and screaming at those dogs to Go away! Go home! Leave us alone! Get. Your. Dogs! (Note: You so don’t want to mess with Mama Grizzly Mom the Raving Lunatic. Ever.)

The owner finally came out of the house. The dogs didn’t pay any attention to her. Another human finally came out and got ahold of those two dogs. It took some doing.

We got away. I wasn’t hurt. But I was scared! Those were the most aggressive dogs I’ve ever seen.

Both were pit bulls.

You can read our review in full here. 

So Richard Morris’s book struck a chord. Here’s our review:

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Recs for Your Summer Reading

What’s on YOUR Summer TBR?

Mom’s at it again. She’s skipping merrily around the house, opening every window in sight.  Humming that Temptations song. You know the one. About sunshine on a cloudy day.

Here in the omni-soggy Pacific Northwest, we take whatever we can get in the “sunshine” department. Maybe that explains Mom lately. Why she keeps crowing, “Summer’s comin’! Woo-hoo!”

Has anyone found my frisbee? Cuz frankly, what’s summer without a nice, chewy, frisbee?

Anyway, with the weather warming up and some blue skies finally putting in an appearance, we whipped up a quick list of books for your summer reading. Categories include:

  • Most Unusual and Imaginative.
  • Most Intriguing.
  • Notable Nonfiction.
  • Just Plain Fun.
  • Favorite Re-reads.
  • Most Poignant.
  • #1 Favorites.

Titles appear in no particular order. So without further ado, here ya are. You’re welcome:

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14 PAWsome Animal Conservationists

Who’s PAWsome?!

“Mom! Mom! Wake up!”

“Umm…. Er… Arghhhhh!”

“Fine. But really, Mom. You gotta wake up!!”
“Right now, Kimber? It’s two o’clock in the morning!”

“No time like the present. Especially when announcing a Stroke of Genius from Yours Truly!”

And that’s how Mom and I came up with this post about famous animal conservationists. (Well, it was mostly me. Mom helped. A little.)

We just finished reading a book on a coupla animal conservationists from the mid-1900s. It was… a slog. Like, pass the No Doze.

So one of us thought we’d come up with our own list. Kinda like Who’s Who of Animals Conservationists List. For hoomans who’ve dedicated their lives to saving and protecting animals. Cuz what’s cooler than saving and protecting animals? (Well, there was that nice, thick slab of filet mignon… But I think Mom’s forgotten about that.)

Wait. Where was I? Oh yeah. PAWsome animal conservationists. Several have written some excellent books. So here goes our totally subjective and 100% unscientific list of 14 PAWsome Animal Conservationists. In no particular order. Holler if you recognize any of these peeps. Or want to add someone:

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