animals

STEP RIGHT UP

Animal Stories, Book Reviews, Book Reviews, History /

STEP RIGHT UP: HOW DOC AND JIM KEY TAUGHT THE WORLD ABOUT KINDNESS is a deeply inspiring book about a brilliant horse and his kind trainer. Together they taught the American people that animals have feelings, a sense of humor, and the ability to reason just as humans do.

The astonishing abilities of Beautiful Jim Key to spell, do mathematical calculations, answer random questions from his audiences, and thoroughly charm the millions of people who came to his performances were nothing short of astonishing.

Doc Key emphasized over and over that all of Beautiful Jim Key’s training had been done with kindness. Doc and Jim became part of the growing movement in the early 1900s to treat animals humanely. Over two million children “stepped right up” to sign the official Jim Key Pledge: “I promise always to be kind to animals.”

STEP RIGHT UP Read More »

Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear

Animal Stories, Book Reviews, History /

Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear, is an inspiring and engaging account of the real world events that led to Winnie’s good home in the London Zoo and the subsequent stories of Winnie-the-Pooh.

In a time of great global stress during World War I, kindness and love between a very special bear and the humans she encountered prevailed and rippled out across the world through A. A. Milne’s tales of Winnie-the-Pooh and her friends.

Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear Read More »

The Carpenter and the Cat

Animal Stories, Book Reviews /

A tiny kitten has been abandoned by its mother in the hollow of a large maple tree on the rural property of Ron Venden, a retired carpenter.
Ron discovers the kitten and begins a daily ritual of climbing up a ladder with food and water for the kitten.
The kitten grows into a healthy adult cat, named Almond by a neighbor girl. Still, Almond refuses to leave his tree home until one day Ron finds Almond on the ground, obviously seriously hurt by a fall from the tree. An anonymous donor pays the $4000 vet bill to remove Almond’s irrepputably damaged leg.
Almond becomes an indoor cat and lives happily with Ron and his wife Marie. A real human animal bond has formed. In 2025, Almond is fifteen years old and doing well.

The Carpenter and the Cat Read More »

Review of TONY by Ed Galing, illustrated by Erin E. Stead

Animal Stories, Book Reviews, Book Reviews /

Using the text of the beautiful poem, Tony, by Ed Galing, Caldecott medal recipient, Erin E. Stead, has illustrated a beautiful and inspiring picture book, TONY.

Tony is a steady, loving cart horse who helps his driver, young Tom Jones, deliver milk, butter and eggs in the early morning hours.

The poem beautifully embellished by Stead”s illustrations, creates a sense of peace and shared love in this simple but profoundly moving story.

Review of TONY by Ed Galing, illustrated by Erin E. Stead Read More »