There are a lot of older people in this town who treat their dogs like the children or grandchildren they never had or they substitute them for their kids who only visit them once a year. Considering my current situation, revisiting a few adapted paragraphs seems appropriate: Or, you could live the easier “it’s a dog’s life” world, where you might be “a lucky dog” who has his own “dog house,” gets a “doggy bag” at a fancy restaurant, rereads a favorite “dog-eared book,” and maybe even becomes an “underdog” who wins the game because “every dog has its day.”Įither way, things happen fast - because you live your life in “dog years.”Ī few years ago, I wrote the novel The Van Gogh Murders, in which I described Santa Barbara’s infatuation with dogs. To illustrate how pervasive dogs are in our culture, note how many metaphorical dog phrases we use: You can live in an apocalyptic “dog-eat-dog world” in which you spend your “dog days” being “thrown to the dogs,” or get in a “dog fight,” become “dog-tired,” and then get “sick as a dog.” The same person you walked by a dozen times without saying hello to now knows how much time you spend brushing your dog’s teeth. Walking a dog is like spraying a bottle of Instantaneous Conversation on people. Because, in this town, where nearly everyone likes dogs, everyone wants to pet the dog, to know the dog’s name, and to hear stories about him or her (at least you think they do). Walking with a dog is a much different experience than walking alone. It’s kind of like being given a MAGA hat - you don’t really understand what you’re doing you just do it because you get the hat. Because almost all training involves giving treats for doing something: Do this - get a treat do that - get a treat. Training is more difficult when a dog doesn’t like dog food or, in Oscar’s case, food in general. I like to think of him as coming pre-spoiled.
He also insists on having his ears and belly rubbed all the time. And, unlike any other dog I’ve ever known, he refuses to lick up any biscuit crumbs he’s dropped on the floor. In other words, he doesn’t like dog food. Oscar was found wandering the streets of Fresno. This substantial yellow Labrador plush is the perfect companion for all of lifes events, ready to jump and play or sit in your little ones lap while you read.US20. My friends assume he’s named Oscar because, as a screenwriter, I realized that it was the only way I was ever going to get one. And he obviously isn’t named after Oscar Wilde, Oscar Robertson, or Oscar de la Renta, because, even though he’s a smart dog, he’s not famously witty, he can’t average a triple-double for a season, and his odor is not one you would associate with a perfume. Even though he’s messy and unkempt just like the character in The Odd Couple - he isn’t named for Oscar Madison. He’s like that cute but scruffy uncle who shows up at family reunions - no one’s really sure where he came from, who he’s related to, or what he does for a living - but you still feed him dinner. No one knows exactly what breed he is, who his family was, or even if he had a family. He came from the shelter without a real name. To him, “Oscar” is just a friendly sound. We got to know him for a few days and named him Oscar. It’s like living in Montecito and admitting that you do your own laundry. No one wants to face that much public scorn and ridicule. When was the last time you heard a Santa Barbarian proudly say that they got their dog from a puppy mill? Of course that’s what you have to say in this dog-loving town. Many of her books have won awards, including Junior Library Guild Selection, Bank Street College of Education’s “”Best Children’s Books of the Year,”” CCBC Choices, select state awards, and starred reviews.We just got a dog. Her books are endlessly useful for encouraging careful observation, language development, sequencing, plot development, and ultimately, a love of books and reading. She makes sure her illustrations mirror the text, which is vital for children learning to read. Her early readers include simple text with lots of repetition.
#BISCUIT BOOK PUPPY SERIES#
Pat is also the illustrator of the highly acclaimed BISCUIT series of “”I Can Read”” books written by Alyssa Satin Capucilli and published by HarperCollins She has also created several wordless books about a dog named JACK.
Her most recent books include Squeak the Mouse Likes His House, Pie for Chuck, and Pants for Chuck, all “”I Like to Read”” books published by Holiday House. Pat Schories is the author-illustrator of many early readers for children.
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