Watermelon Party by Jasmine Cabanaw (book review)

Watermelon Party by Jasmine Cabanaw (book review)

Watermelon Party ties in themes of friendship, sharing, and animal rescue. When a watermelon is set out at Rocky Ridge Refuge, the animals come one by one to join in on the delicious fun. By the end of the book, the animals are joined together, head-to-head, in a circle around the watermelon. The interspecies friendships are a metaphor for overlooking differences, no matter how strange or unique someone else may look. It is a celebration of diversity.

There is also a bonus game of “Duck, duck, goose!” A little duckling rides in on the first animal. In each illustration, the duckling is sitting on a different animal, until the very end, when the duck lands on a surprised goose.

The writing style is light and fun. The repetitive rhyming scheme will help children with their reading skills and learning action words.

The story is based on this series of photographs from a real event that occurred at Rocky Ridge Refuge.

My review: In this story for young readers, Jasmine Cabanaw emphasizes living in harmony and without prejudice, as demonstrated by the real life residents of Rocky Ridge Refuge, an organization many of us volunteering in animal rescue are quite familiar with. Located in Midway, Arkansas, the refuge is home to 50-60 animals of diverse species, peacefully coexisting and interacting in their daily lives. You’ll find everything from dogs to zebras, to  turtles, to some adorable capybaras. This book will make a great Christmas present for young ones, while teaching them important lessons in friendships and animal rescue.While many of the animals at Rocky Ridge are permanent residents, some of them are awaiting adoption. If you are searching for a pet (or simply want to check out some adorable pictures of inter-species interaction among the animals), make sure to check out their website www.rockyridgerefuge.com.

The book can now be preordered at http://greenbamboopublishing.com/order/

Residents at Rocky Ridge Refuge

Disclosure: I did not receive the item(s) mentioned in this post for free in exchange for my honest review. Regardless ~ All my reviews are my honest and personal opinion. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”.

Book review: Wallace: The Underdog Who Conquered a Sport, Saved a Marriage, and Championed Pit Bulls--One Flying Disc at a Time

Book review:

Wallace: The Underdog Who Conquered a Sport, Saved a Marriage, and Championed Pit Bulls--One Flying Disc at a Time

Today, Wallace is a champion. But in the summer of 2005, he was living in a shelter, a refugee from a suspicious pit bull–breeding operation. Andrew “Roo” Yori, a scientist and shelter volunteer, could tell

immediately that Wallace was something special. While on his honeymoon, Roo learned that Wallace was about to be put down. Frantic—and even though they already had two dogs—Roo and his wife fought to keep Wallace alive until they could return home to adopt him.

Once Wallace made it home, Roo knew the dog needed a mission, and serendipity led them to the world of competitive Frisbee dogs. It seemed like a terrible idea. Pit bulls are everything that most Frisbee dogs aren’t: large and heavy with thick muscles that can make them look less than graceful. But after overcoming everything from injuries to prejudice against the breed, the unlikely pair became World Champions.

Movingly told by bestselling author Jim Gorant, Wallace will capture the hearts of animal lovers everywhere—and help rescue this popular breed’s unfairly tarnished reputation. 

My review:  

Aaah, the rise of the underdog! Those of us volunteering in dog rescue are familiar with Wallace and his story. And what a story it is! An unwanted American pit bull terrier, stuck in a shelter, and on the fast track to euthanasia, Wallace rose to stardom, become a flying disc world champion. Wallace did wonders proving the nay sayers with their opinions about pit bulls wrong-a mission his owners continue to this day. This book gives good insight into his transformation from a shelter dog deemed a "liability" to world champion. Inspirational and entertaining, I highly recommend this for anyone who loves dogs, especially pit bulls-and for those who are biased against them! 

Link to an awesome Wallace video that showcases brilliantly what this dog was capable of: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNicN-o1VyA

Wallace’s official website: http://www.wallacethepitbull.com

Disclosure: I did not receive the item(s) mentioned in this post for free, but spent my own money. Regardless ~ All my reviews are my honest and personal opinion. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”.