Thursday, June 25, 2009

Geography For Dog Lovers


Little Lions, Bull Baiters & Hunting Hounds: A History of Dog Breeds by Jeff Crosby and Shelley Ann Jackson.

I can't remember if I've seen this on a fellow homeschooler's blog because I seem to remember that I may have (was it yours Christina?).

The book literally jumped out at me today from the library shelf. Thought it would make a good distraction for DS who's still not back to his usual self from his recent tummy troubles and bout of fever. Actually I didn't even thumb through the book at the library. I just judged it by its cover and picked it up with some sort of second sight that it was going to be good. My mind was more on getting home quickly to relieve the hubby (who is also feeling under the weather) from son-sitting.

So I get back home and we open the covers and I am enthralled. I mean it's probably not the best book out there on dog breeds but it's pretty charming as a picture book with a good level of text that's just enough to attract DS attention away as a break from one of his Murderous Maths titles.

I think one of the best things about the book, apart from the lively illustrations, are the little map insets describing where the breeds originated from. No intentional geography lesson here but I think it will make a wonderful, informal supplement to any geography curriculum. I'm still thumbing through the book but I'm sure almost every continent (Kerrie, Australia has her cattle dog featured here!) has been touched upon however briefly.

My one complaint: no Siberian huskies! Huskies happen to be one of my favorit-est breeds too. I was a little mollified by the one page on the Alaskan malamute though.

All things considered, this is a lovely companion for a dog-loving family.

4 comments:

  1. Ah good to see the humble cattle dog rates a mention :)

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  2. New house + with backyard + great dog book = perhaps a family dog in the near future?

    I so love dogs! Great to hear about this book. My youngest son and I are working on convincing DH and older son about getting a dog -- both are allergic. We have made some inroads....

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  3. Kerrie, it includes a small mention on the dingo too! :) It's featured just opposite the Siberian Samoyed though why they couldn't include the husky is still beyond me. LOL, I'm actually getting more excited about this book than DS.

    Amita, gosh I sure hope so LOL. Just today hubby was getting into denial again about how nice it would be to have a dog but all the worry and cost involved when we travel, or it gets ill etc. Never mind, baby steps!

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  4. Nope, it wasn't me, but it looks like a book that belongs in my house, LOL! DD (almost 8) has a birthday coming up, and she is the most dog crazy of us all.

    Thanks for posting about it, Suji! Hope everyone is back to feeling 100 percent in your house soon.

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