A Book and a Beagle -- Special Offer
I am a dog mom.Sam the Schnauzer is my best furry friend. But three years ago, our family decided (with much convincing) that 8-year-old Sam needed a brother. Not a puppy. An older dog. A calm dog to show our very barky, anxious guy the joys of being chilled out.I went to the animal shelter. Crashed out on the office floor was an overweight older beagle, snoring away like he owned the place That afternoon, we brought Rudy home.If you'd like to hear more of Rudy's story -- and meet Rudy himself, the Oscar to Sam's Felix -- check out this video.When I was working on my middle grade novel, Takedown, I couldn't help myself. Rudy is such a funny, weird, lovable dog, I had to put him in the book. That's how one of my main characters, eleven-year-old wrestler Lev Sofer, ended up with a lazy, chubby old beagle named Grover.We first meet Grover in Chapter 4. Lev describes him like this: Grover waddles into the hall, snuffling my backpack. He sounds more like a pig than a dog. I pat his soft ears.
When I found these adorable beagle baby plushies, I had to pick up a basket full. And now I have a special offer!I am selling "A Book and a Beagle" for just $20 plus shipping. You'll get a signed copy of Takedown (read a review) and a Grover beagle plushie to love. Leave a comment if you're interested.Since it's Poetry Friday, I went hunting for a beagle poem to go with the book and toy. Kenn Nesbitt didn't let me down.I love the closing stanza of "Gabby's Baby Beagle" because it's so true. Beagles are totally pig-like. They are obsessed with food. And the snuffly sounds they make when they're sniffing around, hoping to find a dropped morsel -- not to mention their big tummies -- earn the title of pig-dog.
Gabby’s Baby Beagle
A Tongue TwisterFrom the book The Tighty-Whitey SpiderGabby bought a baby beagleat the beagle baby store.Gabby gave her beagle kibble,but he begged for bagels more.Gabby loved her baby beagle;gladly Gabby gave him one,but her beagle grabbed the bag andgulped them down till there were none.So she took her baby beagleto the bagel baker’s store,where the beagle gobbled bagels,bags of bagels by the score.Gabby’s beagle gorged on bagels,bigger bagels than before,till he’d gobbled every bagelin the baker’s bagel store.Gulping bagels bulges babybeagles’ bellies really big.Say goodbye to baby beagle;Gabby’s beagle’s now a pig.--Kenn NesbittCopyright © 2010. All Rights Reserved.You'll find the poem here at Kenn's website. It's worth visiting. There's an audio file where you can listen to the poem being read!Thanks to Donna Smith at Mainely Write for hosting Poetry Friday this week. You'll find the link up at her blog.