I'm a Gluten-Sniffing Service Dog

by Michal Babay, Ela Smietanka (Illustrator)

Overview

A service dog and his human share a special bond.

Chewie's nose always knows. That's why he's training to be a gluten-detection service dog for Alice. His job will be to keep Alice from getting sick. But Chewie gets distracted by bugs in the air and pizza on the sidewalk. He must find a way to focus and complete his training—because Alice needs him.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780807536315
Publisher:	Whitman, Albert & Company
Publication date:	04/01/2021
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.00(w) x 10.00(h) x (d)
Lexile:	AD440L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

After many years as a teacher, Michal Babay now spends her days writing stories, wrangling teenagers, and convincing her three dogs to stop barking. She was inspired to write I'm a Gluten-Sniffing Service Dog based on her daughter's struggle with celiac disease and the essential support her service dog provides. Michal lives in sunny Southern California with her family.

Ela Smietanka is a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków, Poland, where she now lives with her husband and sons.

Editorial Reviews

"This good-hearted book makes a serious subject fun and interesting."—Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

2021-03-02
A well-trained service dog can be a loyal friend as well as a lifesaver.

Chewie the blue poodle already has his person picked out. “Every dog needs a person, and Alice is mine. Almost.” Chewie just has to brush up on a few details of his training and learn to hold his natural doggy exuberance in check. He is learning a highly specialized skill: the ability to detect minute quantities of gluten in foods so he can alert his owner of its presence. This ability will protect Alice, a young White girl who has celiac disease and gets sick if she ingests even a tiny amount of gluten, which is found in certain grains. Training is hard. There are so many distractions for a young dog: a bug, a bird, another dog—not to mention actual food on the ground. A visit from a distraught Alice persuades Chewie to stay as focused as he can in order to graduate from training school. Finally they can be together and Alice can feel safe. Based on the author’s experience with her daughter, who has celiac, the story is told in first person by Chewie. His bouncy narration is punctuated with excited statements in a large, italicized font to indicate both the distractions he encounters and his resolve to avoid them. It’s illustrated in a lively, colorful, cartoonish style, with diversity well represented among the trainers and Alice’s classmates.

This good-hearted book makes a serious subject fun and interesting. (author’s note, further information) (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews