Sparky Helps Mary Make Friends

by Caryn Rivadeneira, Priscilla Alpaugh (Illustrator)

Overview

Mary's new in town. She’s worried about starting classes at her new school. That's why her mom calls the Helper Hounds—and why Sparkplug, the wildly handsome, wickedly smart, card-carrying, world-famous Helper Hound is on the scene. Sparky knows a thing or two about moving. He moved four times as a puppy, and learned to make new friends along the way. Sparky knows he can teach Mary all his best tricks and help her meet new friends, too. At least Sparky thought he could until he met Custard, Mary's persnickety cat. Will Sparky's best tricks be enough to win over Custard and show Mary making friends is nothing to fear?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781634407779
Publisher:	Red Chair Press
Publication date:	01/01/2020
Series:	Helper Hounds
Pages:	72
Sales rank:	645,784
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 7.30(h) x 0.30(d)
Lexile:	650L (what's this?)
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

Caryn Rivadeneira dreamed of two things as a kid: being a writer and having lots of dogs. Both came true. Caryn and her rescued pit bull live in the Chicago suburbs.

Priscilla Alpaugh holds a BFA in painting and illustration, as well as an MFA in illustration. She has painted murals, mailboxes, and traffic light boxes. Now Priscilla works creating beautiful images for children's books.

Editorial Reviews

"In this new series outing, energetic dog Sparkplug takes his helper mission seriously. Half border collie and half Bernese mountain dog, Sparky meets human Tasha after being surrendered to an animal shelter. She enrolls him in obedience classes, where Sparky proudly excels. His mission as a new 'world-famous, card-carrying Helper Hound' is to provide 'love and encouragement' to people in need. His current assignment is Mary, who, after a recent family separation and move across the country, is nervous about attending a new school. Sparky models for Mary how to 'settle' by performing his good behaviors and is determined to show Mary that making friends is possible, no matter what—even with her bristly cat! Sparky's first-dog narration is exuberant, humbly confident, and playful, mirroring his personality. The text is interwoven with encouraging suggestions and dog facts, and the backmatter includes 'Tried-and-True Tricks for Making Friends' (being a good listener, bonding over laughter, etc.) as well as some facts on Sparky's heritage breeds. The text contains no references to race, but illustrations cast trainer Tasha with dark skin and Mary with light. Most of the text is Sparky-centric, which tends to overshadow Mary's struggles; what should be a pivotal scene in which Mary meets her new classmates is short and accomplished with surprising ease. Regardless, the story, with an appropriate decoding level text for an early chapter book, should appeal to dog lovers and anyone who needs reassurances of their own. Companion title Penny Helps Portia Face Her Fears focuses on another Helper Hound, a pit bull who helps a white girl with Down syndrome overcome her fear of dogs. A doggone encouraging manual."—Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

2019-11-05
In this new series outing, energetic dog Sparkplug takes his helper mission seriously.

Half border collie and half Bernese mountain dog, Sparky meets human Tasha after being surrendered to an animal shelter. She enrolls him in obedience classes, where Sparky proudly excels. His mission as a new, "world-famous, card-carrying Helper Hound" is to provide "love and encouragement" to people in need. His current assignment is Mary, who, after a recent family separation and move across the country, is nervous about attending a new school. Sparky models for Mary how to "settle" by performing his good behaviors and is determined to show Mary that making friends is possible, no matter what—even with her bristly cat! Sparky's first-dog narration is exuberant, humbly confident, and playful, mirroring his personality. The text is interwoven with encouraging suggestions and dog facts, and the backmatter includes "Tried-and-True Tricks for Making Friends" (being a good listener, bonding over laughter, etc.) as well as some facts on Sparky's heritage breeds. The text contains no references to race, but illustrations cast trainer Tasha with dark skin and Mary with light. Most of the text is Sparky-centric, which tends to overshadow Mary's struggles; what should be a pivotal scene in which Mary meets her new classmates is short and accomplished with surprising ease. Regardless, the story, with an appropriate decoding level text for an early chapter book, should appeal to dog lovers and anyone who needs reassurances of their own. Companion title Penny Helps Portia Face Her Fears focuses on another Helper Hound, a pit bull who helps a white girl with Down syndrome overcome her fear of dogs.

A doggone encouraging manual. (Fiction. 6-9)

Kirkus Reviews

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