Welcome to my stop on the official blog tour for Honey the Dixie Dingo Dog blog tour! Today I have my review of the book, along with a guest post by the author - and don't forget to enter the giveaway!
Honey the Dixie Dingo Dog: Champion of the Strays
Author: Allen Paul
Genre: Children's Chapter Book/MG Fiction
Release Date: June 16, 2014
Description:
Bestselling and award-winning author Allen
Paul has created an endearing character in Honey, a swamp dog who gets
rescued at the moment she's about to get shot. Taken to live at Banbury
Cross Farm with other rescued Dixie Dingos, her quick cuts and darting
turns soon draw notice; she's then trained for agility championships,
the most popular of all canine sports. From the start, Honey forms a
deep bond with Miss Jane, who saved her in the nick of time. Her trainer
is Ace, a worldly wise black man who manages the farm's kennel. Honey
forms another deep bond with Miss Jane's partner, Mr. Billy, a skilled
horseman who delights Honey by quoting famous rhymes.
The story is told by Honey in a charming
southern voice. She's just turned one (equal to a 10-year-old girl or
boy) when the story begins. At its center is a haunting mystery: Why are
swamp critters turning up dead with a wild look in the eye? Many
believe a big coyote named Geronimo scares them to death. When two dead
dingo pups are found, Honey becomes convinced that her pack, which is
still in the swamp, could be next. Somehow she has to get them out. The
plot thickens when several small pets get killed in the nearby town.
Rewards are posted and a group led by the trapper Topper Guy, who nearly
shot Honey, head for the swamp. Twelve innocent dingos mistaken for
coyotes get shot. Miss Jane confronts Topper Guy and demands that the
killings stop. The upshot is a high stakes bet: Topper Guy wagers his
guns against Miss Jane's favorite horse that Honey won't win at the
Sportsman's Championship. How Honey fares in that contest, and how the
mystery killer gets caught, make for a thrilling read that kids at heart
of all ages will love.
This was a really cute chapter book that will appeal to readers of all ages. It's great for younger children who are advancing in their reading abilities, as well as for younger middle graders. The main character is a dog named Honey, who turns out to be a great lead for the story. She has great personality traits - she's kind, smart, and determined to help others and do the right thing. The book is told from Honey's point of view, which makes her all the more accessible to a younger reader. Getting to see, hear, and experience all the things throughout the story from her perspective makes her easy to identify with for all readers. The book is full of action and tons of adventure - with even some mystery is thrown into the mix. There's also some pictures and illustrations throughout the story, which the make Honey and the rest of the plot all the more real for the reader. Kids will find solving the mystery behind the swamp critter murders exciting and will love to cheer Honey on as she competes to win the championship. I definitely recommend this book to kids on an intermediate reading level who are starting to read chapter books, as well as younger middle age children who enjoy a great story with heart.
Top Six List - Things you would change about your high school years if you could go back in time.
1. Study more
2. Not take myself so seriously.
3. Participate more in drama and theater productions.
4. Assess my athletic skills more realistically by realizing earlier I’d never be a professional baseball or basketball player.
5. Not be so arrogant and headstrong.
6. Avoid driving at high speeds.
Allen began his career as a reporter with
the Associated Press in Raleigh, NC. Later, he wrote speeches in
Washington for a congressional committee chairman, a member of the
president’s cabinet and the chairman of one presidential campaign. He
was in Poland gathering material for his first book when the Berlin Wall
fell. That book – Katyn: Stalin’s Massacre and the Triumph of Truth –
became a bestseller in Eastern Europe. It earned warm praised from the
New York Times, the Washington Post, New York Review of Books and many
other media outlets.
He was a Fulbright Fellow in Poland in 2010-11 and collected material there for a novel based on a daring mission of the Polish underground at the end of World War Two. It will be published in 2015.
His first book for younger readers (middle grade) was inspired by his own dog, Honey, whose breed – the Dixie Dingo – is probably the oldest in North America.
Allen holds a B.A. degree in English with a minor in History from Guilford College, and a Masters of International Public Policy from Johns Hopkins University. He and his wife, Betsy, live in Raleigh and have two grown children.
He was a Fulbright Fellow in Poland in 2010-11 and collected material there for a novel based on a daring mission of the Polish underground at the end of World War Two. It will be published in 2015.
His first book for younger readers (middle grade) was inspired by his own dog, Honey, whose breed – the Dixie Dingo – is probably the oldest in North America.
Allen holds a B.A. degree in English with a minor in History from Guilford College, and a Masters of International Public Policy from Johns Hopkins University. He and his wife, Betsy, live in Raleigh and have two grown children.
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You can purchase Honey the Dixie Dingo Dog: Champion of the Strays at the following Retailers:
(1) Winner will receive a Signed Copy of Honey the Dixie Dingo Dog: Champion of the Strays by Allen Paul. (1) Winner will receive a $20.00 Amazon Gift Card.
Giveaway is open to International. | Must be 13+ to Enter
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