Shelter Dogs

Shelter Dogs

Amazing Stories of Adopted Strays

by Peg Kehret

About the book:

A big jumpy dog who’s “hard to handle,” a scared little dog who snarls and snaps at everyone, a blind dog who hasn’t been house-trained all have come to the shelter. What is going to happen to these abandoned animals? Must they be euthanized? Or can they be adopted and live happily ever after? Award-winning author Peg Kehret tells the true stories of eight amazing shelter dogs and how they have changed the lives of the caring, courageous people who love them.

About the guide:

This guide includes discussion questions and projects appropriate for children’s book clubs, literature circles, and classroom discussions. It focuses on reading comprehension and would be appropriate for reluctant readers and students who need to prepare for standardized tests. In addition, it considers the themes of the book which are animal care, heroes, volunteering and hope.

Author Interview:

1. What inspired the book Shelter Dogs?

I have volunteered for animal welfare groups for more than thirty years. During this time I’ve heard countless reports of dogs who had been adopted from shelters and had gone on to accomplish extraordinary feats. I finally decided to write a book about some of them.

2. Did you do a lot of research to prepare for writing this book? What types of sources did you use?

Many of the stories came from the Seattle/King County Humane Society, where I was a volunteer.  The staff there helped me find dogs to include in my book, and that agency gets a portion of my royalties from Shelter Dogs.

I had hoped to find a dog who had rescued his/her family from a fire but nobody knew of a case where that had happened. I started calling the non-emergency phone numbers for all of the fire stations in my area, asking if anyone knew of such a dog. My call to the Redmond, Washington, fire station paid off.  A firefighter returned my call and told me about Ivan. Of course, my first question was, “Where did the family get this dog?”  He didn’t know, but I soon learned that Ivan had been adopted from the county animal shelter so he qualified for my book.

3. Do you enjoy writing non-fiction as much as fiction?

Nonfiction is easier for me but I enjoy fiction more. I like to be able to make up events and people. With nonfiction, you have to stick to the facts.

4. Did you get to meet any of the dogs featured in the book? Which story is your favorite? Why?

I met all of the dogs except Ivan. He and his family had moved to Kansas so I wasn’t able to meet him or to interview his people in person. I did it on the phone and by e-mail.  A photographer in Kansas took the photo.

There’s no way I could choose a favorite story. Each dog is unique and wonderful, as are the people who adopted them.  Zorro and Megan became good friends and we still keep in touch. Zorro now has a new career as a therapy dog at a children’s hospital.

My favorite book store event happened when this book was published. Island Books, in Mercer Island, Washington, hosted a reading for Shelter Dogs and they invited all of the dogs from the book!  Most were able to attend. There were baskets of dog treats and plenty of opportunities for petting and picture taking. Part of the proceeds from sales that night went to the Humane Society. I don’t know who had the most fun, the dogs or the people.  I loved it!

5. Why do you think people and dogs are so close?

Dogs offer us companionship, laughter, unconditional love, and loyalty. It is satisfying to make an emotional connection with a creature of another species, and to communicate without human language.

I think rescued dogs are eternally grateful for the kindness they receive, and they repay it a hundred times over.  My current dog, Lucy, weighs only eight pounds but I know she would defend me with her life, if necessary. She had been badly abused when I got her and is still distrustful of strangers but she is a true friend to me. 

Questions to consider:

Zorro

1. What strikes did Zorro have against his adoption?
2. Why do some people need to bring animals to a shelter?
3. What game did Zorro learn to play? How did it change his and his owner’s life?

Tracker

1. What do the foster parents do? When are they needed? Could you ever take on this responsibility? Why or why not?
2. Why do they use hand signals when training animals for acting? What types of commands do they learn?
3. What is the hardest part of being an animal actor?

Kirby

1. What had happened to Kirby?
2. What had they decided was the best option?
3. What one word finally saved him? Was he adopted? By who?

Joey

1. Why was Susan unsure at first whether Joey would make a good dog for her?
2. What types of tasks could Joey do for Susan?
3. What did you learn about service dogs?

Danny

1. What happened to Jessica that made her afraid of dogs? Would you ever want a dog if this had happened to you? Why or why not?
2. How do they think Danny might’ve become afraid of strangers? What clues did they have to come to this conclusion?
3. What types of commands must a dog learn for obedience training? What do the four “H’s” stand for?

Tyler

1. What type of situation had Tyler and Tipper been in before they were brought to the shelter?
2. What was the cause of Tyler’s eye problem? Was it resolved? How?
3. What do herder dogs like to do? Why?

Ivan

1. Why did Taj and her family decide to adopt a dog?
2. Explain what steps Ivan took to save his family.
3. How was he recognized for his heroism? What makes a hero?

Bridgette

1. What does the PPPP stand for? What do they do?
2. Can dogs be trained to predict seizures? What alerts them?
3. What types of things did Bridgette have to learn as a service dog? How does she behave differently when she’s with Cliff than when she’s with Carol?

Discussion Questions:

1. Why are so many more puppies born than there are homes for in America? How can you help?
2. What have you learned about shelter dogs that you didn’t know before? Has this book inspired you to any new actions?
3. Brainstorm a list of facts you learned while reading the book. What was the most interesting thing you know now?
4. Which story was your favorite? Why?
5. How do dogs help people? How do people help dogs?

Projects:

Language Arts:

Write your own story about an animal that no one wanted that found a happy home. Use the book Shelter Dogs as a model for your work.

Math:

Research the typical costs of animal care each year for a pet. How much is vet care, food, vaccinations and licenses? If you were responsible for these costs how much would you have to babysit, cut grass or pet sit to afford them?

Art:

Create a piece of  collage art FOR your pet (or a friend’s pet). Use pictures from magazines or create your own. Explain your piece on the back

-or-

Create a poster about a shelter dog in your area. Draw or paint a picture featuring one animal and share its good qualities beneath in a twist on the “WANTED” poster.

History:

Research the history of working dogs. Write a pamphlet or create a poster about what you learned.

Internet Resources: (use with caution, content not guaranteed safe)

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals: http://www.aspca.org/

Terrific resources

Pasado’s Safe Haven: http://www.pasadosafehaven.org

This is where Peg currently volunteers.

Canine Companions for Independence: http://www.caninecompanions.org/facts_faqs.html

Prison Pet Partnership Program:

http://www.prisonpetpartnership.org/

Pet Finder- helps match homeless animals with needy humans:

www.petfinder.com

Iron Thunder

Iron Thunder
by Avi

About the book: When his father is killed fighting for the Union in the War Between the States, thirteen-year-old Tom Carroll must take a job to help support his family. He manages to find work at a bustling ironworks in his hometown of Brooklyn, New York, where dozens of men are frantically pounding together the strangest ship Tom has ever seen. A ship made of iron.

Tom Becomes assistant to the ship’s inventor, a gruff, boastful man named Captain John Ericsson. He soon learns that the Union army has very important plans for this iron ship called the Monitor. It is supposed to fight the Confederate “sea monster”—another ironclad—the Merrimac. But Ericsson is practically the only person who believes the Monitor will even float. Everyone else calls it “Ericsson’s Folly” or “the iron coffin.”

Meanwhile, Tom’s position as Ericsson’s assistant has made him a target of Confederate spies, who offer him money for information about the ship. Tom finds himself caught between two certain dangers: an encounter with murderous spies and a battle at sea in an iron coffin…

About the guide:

This guide includes discussion questions intended to provoke thought and insight into the themes of the book, which include duty, family, risk, choices and war.

Pre-reading:

Brainstorm a list of everything you know about the Civil War. Then, try to categorize the information into subject areas. Finally, circle any information that you think may be relevant to understanding the novel.

Discussion Guide:

1.      As the novel opens what is Tom’s biggest problem? What is the exact setting (in both time and place) of the story? How are these clues given to the reader?

2.      Why must Tom work? What job does he land? What kind of job do you think you could do to help your family if they needed an extra income?

3.      What do you think of the saying “…geniuses were like madmen.” (p.19) Who seems to fit this description best? What other historical figures have also been seen this way? Why do you suppose they get these labels?

4.      Describe Tom’s first encounter with the ironclad. Would you want to be first to try out an invention like this? What would be an equivalent invention for our own time? Why is the ironclad so important to the war effort? What is her main objective? How is related to her name?

5.      Who is Ogden Quinn? What does he want with Tom? Is Tom wrong for accepting food and coins even though he hasn’t disclosed anything about the ironclad? Defend your answer.

6.      Why does Tom begin staying full-time on the Monitor? How does Captain Worden convince other sailors to join Tom? After losing his own father in the war, were you surprised by Tom’s commitment to serve? Would you be willing?

7.      What finally happens with the Copperheads? Who would you turn to when in such a situation? How do you know who to trust?

8.      Explain some of the difficulties the crew has with the mechanics of the Monitor. What problems arise with communication, air quality, and safety? With cooperation they were able to gain control once more. How? Have you ever worked as a team to accomplish a difficult task like the Monitor’s crew? What did you learn?

9.      Compare and contrast the Monitor and the Merrimack. What advantages and disadvantages are on both? How do these play out during the battle? Describe what happens between these two amazing vessels.

10.  What was the most interesting thing you learned while reading the novel? How can historical fiction help us better understand an event rather than a straight non-fiction account? Which would you prefer reading and why?

Projects:

History:

Avi says in the author’s note that even “…the facts— even those put forward by witnesses—can and should be disputed.” (p. 202) Why does he believe so? How can you dispute the facts of an historical event? Research the Merrimack’s version of the events and write a brief account of the battle through the eyes of a shipman on that vessel as an alternative.

Or, research one of the terms from the glossary. Create at least three different projects that show your understanding of the term (pamphlets, powerpoints, art projects, models, primary source summaries, etc.)

Explore these historical treasures at the Library of Congress website: http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/tr11b.html#civil

Science:

On page 51 Tom experiments with a sheet of metal to understand the laws of “force and displacement.” Using the chart below create your own experiments with a variety of materials to see first-hand what will float or sink. Discuss your results.

SINK or FLOAT?

Material:	Shape:	Prediction:	Result: