URBAN ST. READS
Named for Sirius, the Dog Star that burns brightest in the night sky in the constellation Canis Major, the “Dog Days of Summer” are the days of the year that are typically the hottest. What a great time to relax under the shade of a tree (or curl up under a blanket with cool air conditioning blasting) and indulge in good book!
In honor of the midsummer moniker, our friends at The Bookman, located at 715 Washington Avenue in Grand Haven, have put together this list of books that revolve around the central theme of— you guessed it— dogs! From kids’ books to Cujo, here are their recommendations:
Kids — May 2024
Maxine Gets a Job – Alexandra Garyn, Bryan Reisberg
Maxine the Fluffy Corgi (a real-life Instagram star) would like a job. But when she tries out her friends’ jobs, they don’t go very well. Eventually, she realizes the key to finding the perfect job is first figuring out what she loves to do.
Ages 8 – 12 — June 2024
They Call me No Sam! – Drew Daywalt
From the bestselling author of “The Day the Crayons Quit” comes a novel about a brave dog, Sam, who will do anything to protect his family. The Petersons adopt a precocious pug who causes more harm than good at first. But when danger threatens the Peterson household, Sam leaps into action, and may just save the day.
Visit The Bookman on Saturday, Aug. 17 for a “Dog Days of Summer” celebration. The fun starts at 10 a.m. with a story time for children. Dogs are always welcome in the store, but on this occasion they are especially welcome. There will be crafts, coloring pages, dog treats and more. For details, visit the bookstore’s page on Facebook/The-Bookman.
Ages 10 – 14 — May 2024
Gooseberry – Robin Gow
Twelve-year-old B has a lot of questions. Like what should their name be after coming out as nonbinary. Or what it would be like to live with a family, and not in a foster home. But they do know they’d like to be a dog trainer. Eventually B meets a stray dog and it’s love at first sight. But it turns out dog training is a little harder than B expected.
Fiction— Re-release September 2024
Cujo – Stephen King
For something a little different, here’s a classic and terrifying read. Cujo used to be a friendly dog, always doing his best to take care of his people and keep them happy. But a rabbit chase gone wrong leads to a chain of events from which no one is safe.
Non-Fiction— April 2024
Puppy Brain – Kerry Nichols
This book will help you raise a healthy and well-behaved puppy. Through years of research on puppy brain development, Nichols helps readers understand and communicate with their dogs more deeply— filled with adorable photos, clear instructions, and even some humor!
Photography— October 2023
The Best Dog: Hilarious to Heartwarming Portraits of the Pups We Love – Aliza Eliazarov
A beautiful collection of dog photographs honoring the connection between pet and person. Everything from lazy dogs to adventurous pups proves that dogs really are the best.
The Bookman, 715 Washington Avenue, Grand Haven
Facebook/The-Bookman.
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About The Author
Urban St.
Urban St. magazine is distributed to residents and visitors of the lakeshore communities of Holland, Zeeland, Grand Haven, Spring Lake, Saugatuck, Douglas, Fennville, Muskegon, Nunica, Port Sheldon and West Olive at numerous pick-up locations including attractions, retailers, restaurants, hotels and salons/spas.
