No comments about Saint Bernards (Blastoff! Readers: Dog Breeds).

1 comments about A New Owner's Guide to Saint Bernards (New Owner's Guide To...).

1. Good service. I received my book fast and in the condition that it said it was in. I would definitely order from them again.

5 comments about Saint Bernards from the Stoan Perspective.

1. Stan Zielinski has produced an excellent book that,in most ways, is the modern version of the Saint Bernard Classic. This book is a must read for all exhibitors, Saint Bernard breeders and all AKC judges either qualified or applying to judge Saint Bernards.



2. Complements the "Saint Bernard Classic" as a reference



3. This is an excellent book, not just for breeders and judges, but for anyone interested in Saint Bernards. It provides wonderful insight for people looking for their first pet Saint as well as those interested in showing Saints. A great reference book!



4. Saint Bernards from the Stoan Perspective explains in language anyone can understand what those of us that aren't breeders and long time Saint Bernard owners need to know. It has helped me see what I need to look at when I buy my next saint. Breed standards aren't the easiest to interpret until you understand the terms. It's all spelled out in here.



5. As a novice Saint owner I found this book to be informative, fun, and concise about what has now become my favorite dog breed. And then I read this passage: "Signs of a Bad Home...Single Status...Single people are almost always in an unstable situation. While their present lifestyle may be suitable for a dog, you can count on a change happening that will make the owner unable to keep the dog. He will get married to somebody who is allergic to dogs, or he will decide to go back to school, or he will move to an apartment that doesn't allow dogs. The list goes on and on, but you see what I'm talking about here. Having to give up the dog is usually trauma for both the owner and the dog. Of course, you end up with the dog coming back."
   
   Wow...just...wow. I'd venture to suggest that perhaps Mr. Zielinski was not properly socialized and has developed a rather narrow opinion and mindset about a broad group of people. Here's hoping that his housebreaking was much more successful!

1 comments about Max & Maddy and the Chocolate Money Mystery (Max and Maddy).

1. Max and Maddy have learned detective skills from their parents and by playing the game Clue. They use these problem-solving skills to help a Swiss banker find robbers who have been using dogs to do their deeds. The writing is as witty and sharp as McCall Smith's books written for adults.

2 comments about New Saint Bernard.

1. This book has been written by long time St Bernard fanciers and conformation judges, the Gwilliams of Coatham Kennels, England. Listed in the contents are subjects not previously included or only briefly touched on in other St Bernard books. The addition of a Hereditary Disorders/Conditions chapter is a bonus, as are the sections on Weaning and Socialisation. Feeding Tables which list the St Bernards daily requirements and the function of individual vitamins and minerals (including the results of deficiency or excess of these), are comprehensive. The aged St Bernard and Temperament are also covered in this responsibly written book. An American section, State by State, ensures that this book crosses the Atlantic. This book is right up there with the best St Bernard books I own.



2. Este libro Ilustra de manera amplia todo lo relacionado con esta raza tan especial, Como los demas libros de su genero entrega de manera simple y cotidiana las recomendaciones que se deben tener en cuenta para poder tener uno de estos gigantes en casa.

1 comments about Julia Gillian and the Art Of Knowing.

1. Julia Gillian is quite accomplished for a nine-year-old. Thus far she's mastered the art of making papier-mâché masks, spreading her gum evenly across her teeth, and knowing exactly what her dog, Bigfoot, is saying even though he doesn't speak "human."
   
   Though she hasn't yet conquered the claw machine at Bryant Hardware by grabbing the stuffed meerkat, Julia keeps her skills sharp every Friday and Sunday afternoon during her walks around the neighborhood with Bigfoot.
   
   By far and away though, Julia Gillian's greatest skill is the art of knowing. For instance: she knows what her mother's making for breakfast before entering the kitchen, she knows the newspaper is full of nothing but bad news, and thirty-six pages into her new green book from Quinn Booksellers, she *knows* the story isn't going to end well.
   
   Set in Minneapolis, JULIA GILLIAN (AND THE ART OF KNOWING) is a down-to-earth story featuring a precocious young girl's struggle figuring out how to deal with the unsettling realities life (sometimes) presents.
   
   A few people might object to Julia's lack of summertime playmates, especially living in a large city; having grown up an only child, though, I can attest to the challenges of ferreting out peers.
   
   Alison McGhee gives children an intelligent and determined central character dealing with relatable problems in an honest, straightforward narrative. I'm definitely setting this one aside to pass on to my nieces.
   
   Reviewed by: Cat

5 comments about The Dog Days of Charlotte Hayes.

1. Charlotte Hayes is not a dog person. She tolerates them okay, but she doesn't love them the way her father and older sister do. And yet, she's the one who is taking care of the family dog, a big, friendly Saint Bernard. Poor Beauregard (or Killer, depending on who you ask) spends all day chained up in the backyard. Charlotte spends some time with him after school, but she can tell he isn't happy.
   
   So Charlotte decides it is time for her to find a new home for the family pet. Her initial attempt is met by a family who insists they want the dog even if they won't spend any time with it. Can Charlotte come up with a plan that will reduce her family's resistance and find Beauregard a loving home?
   
   This is truly a heart warming book from beginning to end. I'm not much of a dog person myself, but I fell under Beauregard's spell from the first chapter. Yet I was rooting for Charlotte to find him a good home without getting into too much trouble. And I will admit I had tears in my eyes at the ending.
   
   The book includes quite a few sub-plots, which help make Charlotte's world feel even more real. Her entire family seemed quite real to me, even the baby brother. A couple of Charlotte's friends are also developed in a realistic way.
   
   The book is targeted at late elementary school, and I'd say it is perfect for them.
   
   I may be a tad older than that audience, but I enjoyed the book as well. It is simple but touching.



2. This is avery intertaining book for a pre teen. Marla Kennedy wrote this book as if she really knew about St. Bernards. It is a book that will keep the childs interest and wanting ti finish the book and find out what will happen, and it is a happy ending.



3. This is a dog story with a real twist: the narrator, 11-year-old Charlotte Hayes, tells us right up front that she is not a dog person. She doesn't hate them or fear them; she just doesn't go all gooey when she sees a puppy. Yet she ends up taking total care of the Saint Bernard her dad bought as a bargain. He brought the dog home, named him Killer, and then pretty much forgot about him.
   
   Charlotte has renamed the dog Beauregard. She's the one who makes sure he has water, feeds him, and scratches his tummy. She talks to him, confiding that it's not fair he has such a boring life, chained next to a doghouse that's too small for him. It's also not fair to Charlotte, she figures, because she shouldn't have to take care of a dog at all.
   
   But Beauregard is not Charlotte's only problem. As the story begins, her mom is suffering a terrible case of the blues. Charlotte's big sister overhears her dad telling someone that his wife has postpartum depression. Mama used to be a happy person who ran in the morning. But nine-month-old Justin Lee is still waking her up at night. Thus she is worn out and constantly cranky.
   
   When Charlotte pleads for Beauregard to be allowed inside, Mama won't hear of it. After all, like all Saint Bernards, he drools. Daddy won't listen to Charlotte's pointed remarks about poor Beauregard's dreary life, refusing to even consider giving the dog away. He seems content to just own the dog, even though he no longer interacts with him. Charlotte can't bear it. She must figure out some way for both her and Beauregard to have a happy ending to their shared sad tale.
   
   Grace Walters is the new girl in Charlotte's class. Beautiful and rich, she lives in a new mansion in town. Charlotte decides that Grace would be the perfect new owner for a drooling Saint Bernard. In fact, maybe Grace's father would offer Daddy a huge amount of money for Beauregard. That would solve every problem: the dog would have a wonderful home, and Daddy would also be happy. That goal pushes Charlotte to make friends with the extremely shy newcomer. And when Grace invites her over, she puts her plan into action. But no matter how many ideas she comes up with for Beauregard, she keeps running into major roadblocks.
   
   Charlotte's story is often funny, but with a poignant undertone that just may cause readers to sniffle as they read to the end. Author Marlane Kennedy does a wonderful job with characters who are so realistic, the reader expects to bump into them at the grocery store. It's to her credit that easy-going Daddy is a truly likable sort, even though he is casually neglectful of Beauregard. In fact, this book has everything: a sympathetic heroine with a goal who keeps being thwarted at every turn, but doesn't give up; a distinct sense of place; unexpected alliances; and interesting secondary characters.
   
   I found THE DOG DAYS OF CHARLOTTE HAYES to be a delightful and compelling read (I devoured it in two sittings), topped off with a satisfying conclusion. Very highly recommended.
   
   --- Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon



4. Kind-hearted and observant, Charlotte realizes her family isn't the best home for the St. Bernard her dad impulsively bought. The book follows her quest to find the gentle giant a much better situation. Though I thought I knew for sure how this book was going to end, I was surprised (but in a good way!) A smart and tender tale about a girl standing up for what's right - even though it means a lot of work and going against her own father.



5. When I was a boy, I was not a pet person, let alone a dog person. But it wasn't necessarily by choice. My parents were not pet people therefore, my sister and I grew up pet-less. After we went off to college my younger brother rescued a kitten from the tennis courts in town (high schoolers had been pelting it with tennis balls) and my parents allowed him to keep it. Figures! We leave and now the family takes in a pet! Since then, my sister and I have both taken in cats. It's funny how they can become such an important part of your family. In the past, a book like THE DOG DAYS OF CHARLOTTE HAYES would not have gotten much of a reaction out of me. But anymore, I have to turn the television channel when those sad abandoned pet commercials come on!
   
   Charlotte Hayes is not a dog person. But somebody has to take care of Beauregard (the Saint Bernard her father bought because he just can't say "no" to a great deal). Since no one else in the family is jumping at the responsibility, Charlotte feels compelled to fill his water bowl daily, feed him, and rub his belly. But she doesn't like it. And Beauregard deserves a better life. A life he doesn't have to spend chained up in the backyard, rain or shine. He deserves a family that will love him and give him attention. A family with a yellow kitchen and a soft plaid dog bed, just like in Charlotte's dream. When her dad refuses to let Beauregard go (possibly to a family that will appreciate him), Charlotte takes it upon herself to make her dream a reality.
   
   It'd be easy to describe this book as a "dog story" about a girl that doesn't like dogs. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if that's what author Marlane Kennedy had in mind when pitching this idea. I think that would be a little misleading though, because it was obvious from page 1 that Charlotte is not quite as annoyed by the furry canine as she claims to be. Sure she tells us through her fun, first-person narrative, that her care for Beauregard is more out of pity than kindness, but her actions speak louder than words. There's something sweet in the way Charlotte talks to Beauregard, in the way she bathes him with her sister Agnes' strawberry shampoo, and how she builds him a makeshift extension for the roof of his too-small doghouse to help keep him dry during rainstorms. The pride she feels in successfully teaching Beauregard how to "shake" and her change in sleeping habits near the end of the novel prove there's more than pity behind her actions. She loves this dog, which makes her mission all the more heartwrenching.
   
   I couldn't help but feel annoyed with the adults in this novel, especially Charlotte's father. Time and time again, he proves to be lazy, immature, and selfish. He neglectfully forgets to take care of Beauregard, but argues profusely to keep him. I didn't understand it. One particularly infuriating scene takes place at a garage sale (Daddy loves a good bargain). Charlotte wants her Daddy to buy a set of paints for her. Daddy doesn't want to buy them until he overhears a couple talking about how great of a deal they are. Daddy then buys the paints . . . but not for Charlotte! For himself! Never once has he shown an interest in painting, and suddenly he buys up a set of paints that his daughter wanted and rubs it in her face by using them all in front of her. Sure by the end of the book Charlotte has moved on but seriously . . . what kind of parent does that?
   
   Later, after Charlotte's scheme is revealed to her parents, they agree to give her three months to raise enough dough ($400) to send Beauregard to a proper Saint Bernard rescue organization. In doing so, she's sacrificing her birthday gifts for the year. Mama even jokes "Well, after she's done paying for him, she should be responsible for buying his bags of dog food too." Who taught these two how to parent? Someone forgot to remind them that THEY were the ones to purchase the dog and that THEY were the ones too irresponsible to take care of it. So now it's okay to take out their frustrations on the poor kid who's trying to make the best of the situation? They are insane!
   
   Despite their poor parenting skills, I really enjoyed this tearjerker of a book. It's short chapters make for a quick and easy read and the touching scenes between Charlotte and Beauregard are great. I got the feeling that this book was set smack dab in the middle of a chaotic time for this family. New baby, new dog, lots of new challenges and by the end of the book, you sense a return to normalcy for this family, even though we don't really know what their normal is. Daddy annoyed me throughout but Mama's transformation from post pardem depression is believable. The character of Petunia was necessary for Charlotte to see Beauregard in a different light. Petunia's loneliness paralleled Beauregard's loneliness nicely and forces Charlotte to own up to her growing feelings for the dog.
   
   Couple this book with ME AND THE PUMPKIN QUEEN and I think Marlane Kennedy is an author worth paying attention to.

1 comments about St. Bernard (Comprehensive Owner's Guide).

1. We now have several of the books from this series and have found that with this particular book even the training section is a bit less generic than some of the others. You cannot get a more comprehensive book for the money.

5 comments about Saint Bernards (Barron's Complete Pet Owner's Manuals).

1. Love this book but that's because two of my dogs are prominently featured in it.
   
   Be sure to admire the cover girl
   
   CH. Belyn's Sentimental Journey, CDX, TDD
   
   The shorthaired Saint soaring over the high jump is
   
   Belyn's Wendy, UD, TDD



2. If someone is think of buying a Saint Bernard or owns one now this is a very good book.
   Saints are a wonderful breed that grow large fast. Training should start from the day you bring them home. Read feeding your Saint first because everyone gives them puppy food. They need Large Breed Puppy.
   This book is very helpful.



3. This book was disapointing, I really needed some more specific tips on feeding and training. This may be a good overview book for someone who is trying to decide if they would like to own a Saint Bernard, but as far as answering specific questions and needs this book didn't do a very good job.



4. I have enjoyed the book a lot. I received it fast and in good condition. Thanks



5. It was worth the price I paid, but was not exactly what I was looking for. It was very short and couldve been more informative.

5 comments about Barry: The Bravest Saint Bernard (A Stepping Stone Book(TM)).

1. We have A St. Bernard and we decided to buy this book for our son. He love the story and my husband and I enjoyed reading it very much. I would recomend this book to any dog lover



2. I received the book on time. the stories are short to keep there attention I like the book



3. This is a wonderful book for those learning to read (my own child is in 2nd grade) and also a wonderful book for parents to read to their children. Set in the Alps and based on a true story, it tells of a heroic dog and the love he shares with his trainer. Together they rescue travelers of a dangerous mountaing pass lost in the winter snow and avalanches. We read it over and over. Highly recommend.



4. I LOVE the "Stepping Stones" series of books! Many books have gained the Stepping Stone designation years after their original publication - they are not books written by a formula to gain this moniker. I'm not sure how a book earns this label, but good quality writing seems to be one of the requirements. I did a title search on Amazon for "A Stepping Stone Book," and a listing of over 900 books appeared! The books seem to be pretty much second and third grade chapter books, with many series like the Magic Tree House books (Mary Pope Osborne), A to Z Mysteries (Ron Roy), the Marvin Redpost series (Louis Sachar), several abridged classics, and many other series and stand alone books.
   
   I have stocked many of these titles in my fourth grade classroom, probably at least 100 of them, with quite a few of them purchased before they gained the Stepping Stone logo on the cover. They have filled an important niche for my lower readers, but have also been popular with many of my higher readers who often grab them "just for fun" in between some of the higher level books they read. I will continue purchasing these for my classroom - the nice thing is that they will be quick and easy to pre-read before adding them to my bookshelves!
   
   This particular book is the long-ago, true story of BARRY, THE BRAVEST SAINT BERNARD. In the book, Werner is a 12-year-old boy who lives with the monks at the Saint Bernard Monastery, high in the cold and snowy mountains of Switzerland. Werner helps train the rescue dogs (aptly named the Saint Bernard breed) to find and rescue people lost or buried in the snow. Even from puppyhood, Barry shows himself to be a special dog, much better at finding lost people by their scent and persisting with the search when the other dogs give up. As Werner grows up, eventually becoming a monk himself, the bond between him and Barry grows to be very strong. Barry rescues more than 40 people during his many years of service, and even in his later years, as his strength begins to falter, he is still eager to join in the rescue efforts. His fame grew enough that, over 100 years later, his story is still told.
   
   For a book this short (44 pages of fairly large print with plenty of color illustrations) and easy (listed on the back as RL 3.1), the book is plenty entertaining with lots of "heart." I had previously read Barry's story as part of a compilation of short dog stories, but this book did a much better job of fleshing out the characters and bringing them to life.
   
   My only question is about the reputed kegs of brandy that the Saint Bernard rescue dogs supposedly carried - is this just a myth, or was it left out of this book because it's written for children? Or maybe because alcohol doesn't truly warm a person up, but just makes them FEEL warmer.
   
   P.S. As I complete this review for a SECOND time (due to losing the first one somehow when I hit Preview Your Review), I'm reminded that it's always a good idea to highlight and "copy" the review until it's totally entered and acknowledged by Amazon.



5. I bought this for my 9 year old grandson who is a struggling reader. I was looking for a book at his reading level for his genre project. RL 3.1. I read it and found it to be at his reading level and a good based-on-fact story. But there is a part at the beginning where two would-be robbers were directed to the barn where the dogs were kept so they, the dogs, would scare them into leaving without robbing the monks. I decided that was too graphic for my grandson. He loves dogs and he lost his dog about a year ago during surgery.
   I also ordered Moonwalk, another Stepping Stone book, and he used that one for his report. It was an excellent book full of good information about the first steps on the moon back in 1969. I highly recommend that book.