Find out the latest indie author news. For FREE.

ADVERTISEMENT

Formats
Paperback Details
  • 12/2017
  • 978-1-4575-6090-3 1457560909
  • 50 pages
  • $14.95
Ebook Details
  • 12/2017
  • 978-1-4575-6090-3 1457560909
  • 50 pages
  • $7.99
Hardcover Details
  • 12/2017
  • 978-1-4575-6090-3 1457560909
  • 50 pages
  • $17.95
Melissa Mullamphy
Author
Me, My Dog and a Sheep

Children/Young Adult; Spirituality/Inspirational; (Market)

Grizzy, a disarmingly good-natured puppy-as large as a house with a spirit to match-is suddenly struck with a immobilizing illness. Luckily, this hefty hound has a best buddy, Luke, a tender-hearted boy who will not let Grizzy give up the fight. Together, with the aid of caring veterinary professionals and Luke's attentive parents, Grizzy digs deep to find the grit to fight the odds and withstand the challenges of recovery. This is a true story of dog expressed through the eyes of Luke a 7 year old. Grizzy went from a complete quadriplegic to walking and running today. While the book is about a dog and his drive to not give up, it can be applied to many problems we all face in life. You cannot chose what happens to you, but you can choose how you handle it.
Reviews
Clarion Review

This is a true underdog story, one that emphasizes that “you cannot choose what happens to you, but you can choose how you handle it.” Though the text contains some errors in punctuation, the thoughtful, straightforward themes shine through. With Luke as the narrator, and with the inclusion of the clinic workers who helped Grizzy, the story feels deeply personal. Mullamphy does such a masterful job at building suspense about Grizzy’s outcome that without these personal touches, readers might forget that this story is true. Clear, colorful illustrations by Andrew Thomas work well to enhance understanding of the text, and real pictures of the family and Grizzy at the end are an added bonus. In Me, My Dog, and a Sheep, a determined dog’s fight is a reminder of what really matters. Young readers will hang on to every word. KELLY THUNSTROM (January 22, 2018)

Kirkus Review

This debut picture book describes the recovery of a seriously ill canine. When Luke, the child narrator of this book, is 2 years old, he gets a puppy that he names “Grizzy.” It grows into a big, 160-pound dog, and for three years, Grizzy and Luke are inseparable playmates, spending every day together. When Luke goes to kindergarten, Grizzy faithfully waits for his return. Then Grizzy develops a serious health problem that requires surgery; the operation leaves him weak and mostly paralyzed. The family’s last hope is a faraway animal hospital, where they leave Grizzy and visit him on weekends. The kind, dedicated staff work hard to save the dog, thoughtfully giving him a squeaky sheep toy to help him communicate. Over months, Grizzy slowly recovers until he can walk and even run. Mullamphy’s book, based on a true story, shows love for the brave dog and deep gratitude for veterinary professionals. Readers will cheer at the outcome, which seems to bear out the book’s advice to never give up

Online Book Club

Official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Me, My Dog and a Sheep" by Melissa Mullamphy. 4 out of 4 stars 

This Review Me, My Dog and a Sheep by Melissa Mullamphy is a story of hope, faith and perseverance. In this book, the author shares her family’s real-life experiences with their dog, Grizzy. It is 52 pages long and belongs to the Children’s book genre. The book begins with a four-month-old dog, Grizzy, being ignored by all customers at a pet store due to his age. One day, Luke’s father selected Grizzy and gave a two-year-old Luke his new best friend. A few years later, one day, when Grizzy could not stand, the family took him to a doctor and discovered that Grizzy needed surgery, after which, Grizzy was left paralyzed. The rest of the book describes the struggles of both Grizzy and the family, as they cope with the situation and do everything that they possibly can for Grizzy’s recovery, despite knowing that there are bleak chances of success. Will Grizzy be able to walk again? Will Grizzy and the Family’s tireless attempts prove to be successful? Will Luke be able to play with his best friend again? More importantly, how is a sheep relevant to the story? Read the book to find out!The story is told from Luke’s perspective. Luke’s thoughts and feelings are expressed in a manner that would enable anyone, but specifically children, to connect with him and hope for the best for him. Further, the author has included numerous pictures of the real dog and family (who the plot is based on) which made me extremely involved in their story. As a result, to be honest, I doubt any reader would be able to read through the book without hoping and praying for the best.As I read through the book, I found it to be an emotional roller coaster. The first page included a real image of the dog, and I felt like I could see pain in his eyes. As an animal lover, that picture had a large impact on me. Towards the beginning of the book, the author described how “sad and abandoned” the dog felt when every customer walked by him and did not select him. At that point, I could almost feel the dog’s pain. As the plot moved ahead, it was inspiring to read how, despite every failed attempt, Grizzy and the family never gave up. They did everything they could, at every step. Without giving away any spoilers, I can mention that the end was also emotional.In terms of language, I thought that the book was well written. The vocabulary and sentence structures were simple and I found no word that, in my belief, a child would not understand. The book seems professionally edited and has been formatted well. There were large, full-page illustrations on every alternate page. The illustrations were simple, but appropriate with regard to the text they represented. Overall, I thought that the book was very easy to understand and follow. I have no major issues with the book. One thing that I did not expect was that all the pages had a blue background. It took me a little time to adjust to the background and its contrast with the black text. However, eventually, I got used to it and it did not bother me much. However, this is not a major issue, and many readers might actually like the blue background. I rate the book 4 out of 4 stars. I thought that it was well written and had an important message for children – not to give up. After finishing the book, I felt good about having read it. To me, that is a definite sign of a great book. While I would definitely recommend the book for children, I would also recommend it for animal lovers of any age group. If you love animals, this is a book that you will not regret picking up!******Me, My Dog and a Sheep View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

News
10/01/2017
Martin Harding & Mazzotti Capital Region Pet Show

 

What a trooper! How a dog named Grizz learned to walk again thanks to a team of techs at Shaker Animal Hospital... #nevergiveup #wobblersdisease #physicaltherapy 

#yougogrizz

Watch the interview below!! We recently followed up "A year in Review" stay tuned.

01/21/2017
Nearly paralyzed dog overcomes the odds, reunites with family

ALBANY, NY (NEWS10) – It’s a reunion that’s months in the making. A family has reunited with their beloved dog after he overcame incredible odds.

Grizzy is a big dog with even a bigger heart. And 7-year-old Luke loves his four-legged companion. The two were finally together again Saturday.

Back in April, Grizzy was having trouble walking so his owner Melissa Mullamphy brought him to an animal hospital in Yonkers. It was there when things took a turn for the worst.

“We walked in with a walking dog and out with quadriplegic,” said Mullamphy.

He was suffering from Wobblers Disease, making it very difficult for him to walk.

Melissa and her family had nowhere to turn.

“I searched everywhere. All over the Tri-State area. Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and there’s not a place like this place,” said Mullamphy.

But two hours away from their Holmes, New York home, they found Shaker Veterinary Animal Hospital in Latham. So they took the chance and made the trip.

Formats
Paperback Details
  • 12/2017
  • 978-1-4575-6090-3 1457560909
  • 50 pages
  • $14.95
Ebook Details
  • 12/2017
  • 978-1-4575-6090-3 1457560909
  • 50 pages
  • $7.99
Hardcover Details
  • 12/2017
  • 978-1-4575-6090-3 1457560909
  • 50 pages
  • $17.95
ADVERTISEMENT

Loading...