We're celebrating another day of bookish fun with Storybook Sunday! For those not up to speed on the post, I read a lot of great storybooks and thought, why not give them their own day in the sun. Hence, Storybook Sunday appears every now and then!
Today, we're taking a closer look between the pages of a NEW Chapter Book series you won't want to miss! Whether you're in the intended age group, well outside of it but adore a fun, illustrated read, or simply a dog lover, this is one series you need to read! So pack your bags, and get ready for a quick vaca at your new favorite place to stay with the first two installments in the Woofmore series...
Welcome to the Woofmore (The Woofmore, Book 1)
The Woofmore is Not Haunted (The Woofmore, Book 2)
by
Donna Gephart & Lori Haskins Houran
Illustrated by
Josh Cleland
Amulet Books
Welcome to the Woofmore...where your stay will be tail-waggingly good! If you're looking to relax and unwind, they've got a grooming treatment for you. If you're looking for fun in the sun, take a dip in the pool complete with poolside treat delivery. If you're looking for anonymity to escape the ever present PUPparazzi, Ms. Coco and Rufus will make it happen...and they do, in this first series title release! Together, they aim to please, and to keep their VIP (Very Important Pooch) of a guest happy til the end. Are their challenges? Absolutely! I mean, it's not easy keeping someone of this caliber under wraps. Disguises are employed, and the real fun begins, but the proverbial cat is let out of the bag when things take a turn for the ITCHY, and this VIP can't simply stand by and let this darling hotel and their attentive staff go down in shame. The antics! The dedication! The fun illustrations! The unforgettable Rufus and his habit of having a nervous tummy! You won't want to check out at book's end, and (THANK GOODNESS) with the second installment just on the horizon, you don't have to...
The Woofmore is Not Haunted... sees another famous pup heading to this chic place to stay, and once again, they want nothing to go wrong. The thing is, this particular VIP is all about the scares (a spooky story writer!), but only wants their stay to be filled with rainbows, unicorns, and bubbles? Hmm...interesting choices, but who's to say you can't have multiple interests. On one paw, that should be easy because this hotel is all about giving puppers a stay they'll remember in the best ways possible, but on the other paw, it seems like EVERYTHING is working against Rufus in meeting this guests requests, much to his chagrin. Did I mention Rufus has a nervous tummy and toots a plenty happen when activated? Yeah, there's definitely a few moments of air clearing that quickly pass, but Rufus doesn't let it keep him from getting this guest's stay up to sniff...I mean, snuff. By book's end, the mystery of the haunted reputation is solved, and Silas Fang is more than a fan of the fabulousity that is the Woofmore. A perfectly timed release for the kiddos this reading season, and a fun addition to the series!
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About the authors...
Donna Gephart’s award-winning middle-grade novels include Lily and Dunkin, Death by Toilet Paper, How to Survive Middle School, and others. Her first picture book, Go Be Wonderful, is a celebration of being perfectly imperfect. She’s worked as an editor at a greeting card company, a creative writing teacher at a high school, and as an indie bookseller. She lives in South Jersey with her family and her canine office assistant, Benji, a sweet retriever mix.
Lori Haskins Houran is a former children’s book editor and the author of more than 55 books for kids, including Next to You, a School Library Journal Best Picture Book; the Kirkus-starred Button Your Buttons; and Close Your Eyes, which SLJ called “a perfect bedtime work, filled with sly humor.” She lives on the North Shore of Massachusetts with her husband, four boys, and two rascally rescues, Bailey and Coco.
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About the illustrator...
Josh Cleland is an illustrator working out of his home studio just outside of Portland, Oregon, where he resides with his wife, Rayna, and creative director/dog, Newman. Some of his recent illustrated children’s books include Fridge-opolis, The End, Chomp Chomp Dino, New York, Go!, Trick-or-Treat Songs, and Portland Baby. His work can also be found in various children’s magazines, including Highlights and Storytime, as well as greeting cards, games, and more.
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Special thanks to Anna and Mary at Abrams for the copies for review. (THANKS!) For more information on this series, the authors, illustrator, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above. Remember, the first title is AVAILABLE NOW, but the second installment is coming later this month (September 24th to be exact!) with a THIRD title in the works, so make your reservations and prepare for a stay that will be worth WOOF-ing about!
Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!
