Piper is an enormous Irish Wolfhound who is afraid of just about everything. With a little love and patience from his family, he realizes it is fear itself holding him back from having fun!
I have a 3 year old niece who LOVES dogs. When I say she loves them, it's really an understatement. She adores them completely! All dogs are her friends and she's called my dog her buddy since the day she started talking. Unfortunately, she has developed a lot of fears lately, so I was really happy to get a copy of Piper Was Afraid by Rebekah Phillips to review with her.
Piper Was Afraid is a book about a HUGE dog who is afraid of everything! He is even too scared to leave his chair at one point, but then something happens that helps him get over his fears. The book also came with a plush Piper and a little mouse.
When Adlei saw the stuffed Piper, she went crazy. Then she had to plop right down and start looking at the book. She loved the pictures and kept pointing out the different kinds of dogs. The book is beautifully illustrated and the story is very easy to follow--even for the youngest of children.
We had to read the book three times and she hugged Piper and told her new friend that she would always protect him--even when he was scared. She was sad when Piper was afraid as we read the book. It was so sweet to watch her hug the stuffed Piper was we read the story together.
As you can see, the book and the stuffed Piper were both a big hit! She loves her new friend and I heard she's been sleeping with him at night.
What’s better then a cute kid’s book? One that comes complete with a stuffed animal of it’s hero, of course. Piper, an Irish Wolfhound, was afraid. Of other dogs, of storms- of pretty much everything. Big a dog as Piper was, he was just a scaredy cat. What will Piper do?
“Piper Was Afraid! Piper is the main character of the children’s book Piper was Afraid. He is a cute and cuddly companion that helps children be brave… especially at bed time. Piper comes with an adoption certificate as well as instructions on what to do if Piper gets scared! “Piper was Afraid” is based on a real Irish Wolfhound named “Inspirations Bagpiper of Blackwatch” or Piper for short. He is a rescue dog and was adopted by the owners of The Inn at Willow Grove in Orange, Va.”
Check out the Inn at www.innatwillowgrove.com and don’t forget to tag your photos of Piper with @piperwasafraid to get featured on his instagram page- and who doesn’t want that? Interaction with the real Piper. Well….his people, anyway.
My son got a kick out of Piper, and my guess is your children will as well. Even the very youngest kids will not have a problem following along this simple book with an easy, and relateable theme. Most kids get scared now and again- if a big dog like Piper can get scared (and learn to be brave), then they can feel better about it, themselves. Maybe they will feel like trying something new as well, and having a “brave” moment, just like Piper. Plush Piper can go along on adventures with your child as well, or just snuggle in for a story and bedtime.
As I have written time and time again, I love sharing new books with my kiddos. I place a high value on reading. I have been an avid reader since childhood, and now my daughter is also a terrific reader. My son also loves books. Both my kids are huge fans of dogs. My family has two pet dogs, Espen and Kenobi. My kids thus especially love books about dogs. When recently offered the chance to review Piper Was Afraid written and illustrated by Rebekah Phillips from Pawz Publishing in exchange for my honest opinion, I eagerly accepted the opportunity to add to my home library. The 32-page hardback book currently costs $19.99. I also received a plush Piper and a plush Cornelius the mouse.
When my daughter read Piper Was Afraid for the first time, she immediately remarked that Piper was just like our dog Espen. Espen is also afraid of almost everything including thunderstorms and squeaking. I love that my daughter can easily relate to the story through her own pet. When she finished reading the book, she also turned to Espen, who was sitting on the couch next to her, and said, “See, Espen, you don’t need to be afraid.”
Recommended for readers between the ages of 3 and 5, Piper Was Afraid offers a perfect story for my kindergartener daughter to read on her own. When she first sat down with the read, she could read the entire text by herself without any help. The vocabulary and style is easy enough for the target audience but still engaging. I also love the message of bravery that the story imparts. My toddler son also enjoys hearing me or his big sister read the book aloud. Young readers will also have fun getting louder and louder as the words get larger and larger as the story progresses.
In addition to the story, both my kiddos really love the illustrations in Piper Was Afraid. First, Piper is absolutely adorable. My daughter and son also love pointing out all the dogs on each page. I consider the illustrations absolutely gorgeous. I could pour over the little details for hours. Additionally, you must keep your eye on Cornelius the Mischievous Mouse as he makes his appearance on each page. The plush Piper and Cornelius are perfect companions to the book. My daughter especially loves cuddling up with Piper and Espen together as she reads the story.
