{"id":5100,"date":"2011-07-25T13:27:00","date_gmt":"2011-07-25T13:27:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lbpost.com\/articles\/life\/pets\/pet-post-for-the-literary-lion-cubs-summer-reading-for-kids\/"},"modified":"2011-07-25T13:27:00","modified_gmt":"2011-07-25T13:27:00","slug":"pet-post-for-the-literary-lion-cubs-summer-reading-for-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/hi-lo\/pets\/pet-post-for-the-literary-lion-cubs-summer-reading-for-kids","title":{"rendered":"PET POST: For the Literary Lion Cubs \u2014 Summer Reading for Kids"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Budding book and animal lover Ava Elizabeth Albertine catches up on animal-related literature. Photo courtesy of Kim Ward.<\/em>

<\/span>1:21pm | <\/strong>We\u2019re in the midst of the dog days of summer, which, according to Merriam-Webster<\/em>, falls between early July and early September. Dogs and their humans loll around in the yard or at the beach, and cats inexplicably seek out the most sun-drenched areas of the yard or the hot carpet. July with the festivities associated with it is about to pass into August, and although no celebratory days occur in the last full month of summer (unless you want to include Friendship Day and Women\u2019s Equality Day, which we found on a random online calendar), there\u2019s still plenty to do in Long Beach and everywhere else.<\/span>
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Around this time, though, kids are starting to get squirmy from all the unstructured time, and so we\u2019ll segue into the actual intent of the article: summer reading for kids. Since we write a pet column, we want to suggest our favorite kids\u2019 books about animals and those of our favorite independent book purveyors in Long Beach.<\/span>

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 Sean Moor, owner of Gatsby Books<\/a> , 5535 E. Spring St., 562-208-5862<\/strong><\/span>
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\u201cI read Charlotte\u2019s Web<\/em> when I was just beginning to read chapter books, and I now read it to my daughter. It was a pivotal book for me. When I first read it, I thought of concepts that I\u2019d never before thought of, like vegetarianism\u2014whether we should eat animals. The last line of the book is especially meaningful: \u2018It is not often that someone comes along who is a true friend and a good writer. Charlotte was both.\u2019\u201d<\/span>
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Charlotte\u2019s Web<\/em> (E. B. White) barely needs an introduction. The focus of this classic is the true meaning of friendship\u2014across species and in the undying sense. Wilbur the pig and Charlotte the spider are two of fiction\u2019s most memorable and immortal characters. All ages.<\/span>
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Kelsey Davidson, bookseller, Apostrophe Books<\/a>,  4712 E. Second St., 562-438-7950 <\/span><\/strong>

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\u201cI like The Warrior[s] <\/em>Series,<\/em> about [a] clan of wildcats and a domestic cat named Rusty who comes to join them and is the bravest of all of them. They are fun fast-paced reads, very entertaining and have a lot going on in them. There are six books in the series, so it\u2019s great to finish one and pick up another. I have two at home, but I don\u2019t think either one is a warrior.\u201d<\/span>
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The Warriors<\/em> Series (Erin Hunter, a pseudonym for authors Kate Cary, Cherith Baldry and Tui Sutherland) has spawned an interactive website, a manga edition, 3-D trading cards and everything else a modern fantasy series can produce. The plots are intricate and the characters are many. For ages 9\u201312, but Potter-happy adults find it enjoyable as well.<\/span>
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Shea Gauer and S\u00e9 Reed, co-owners of {open}<\/a>, 2226 E. Fourth St., 562-499-OPEN<\/span><\/strong>
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Shea:<\/em> <\/strong>\u201cOne of my all time favorite kids\u2019 books about animals would have to be Zippy the Chimp<\/em>. I inherited a love of monkeys from my grandpa (which I\u2019ve now passed on to my nephew), and this book was one of our favorites. I just love the photo of Zippy dressed like a cowboy and wearing roller skates. Makes me laugh every time.\u201d<\/span>
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Zippy was an actual chimpanzee who was popular when we were kids (the Howdy Doody era). We didn\u2019t read Zippy the Chimp <\/em>(Lee Ecuyer), but we remember him roller-skating around on TV. If you\u2019re looking for this book, Shea undoubtedly could tell you where to find a copy. For very young children and equally nostalgic Baby Boomers.<\/span>
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S\u00e9:<\/strong><\/em> \u201cMisty of Chincoteague <\/em>by Marguerite Henry! It\u2019s a charming little story about the wild ponies of Assateague Island that I read over and over growing up. Not only is it one of those rare animal stories that doesn\u2019t end tragically, but having grown up in Southern California, the story\u2019s setting on the small islands off the East Coast also fascinated me.\u201d<\/span>
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S\u00e9 pretty much summed it up. The Newbery Award-winner tells the tale of a boy living on an island off Virginia who took part in capturing wild horses living on an island. The boy wanted a pony of his own; the story tells of how this came to be. Information on the Web said that it was based on a true story. For ages 6\u20139 and all wild horse (or a horse of any type or color) lovers.<\/span>
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Judy and Kate<\/span><\/strong>
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Judy\u2019s favorite animal book to read to her grandkids and enjoy herself is The Shelter Dog<\/em> (Christine Davis). The book touches upon two areas of \u201canimal -welfare reality\u201d that engaged her emotions long ago and that she identifies with: senior dogs who need rehoming\u2014especially the ones in animal shelters, as with her adopted babies Razi and Lucky\u2014and bringing awareness of shelter animals to the public. The book also allows young children\u2014and for that matter, us senior children\u2014 to use the gift of imagination while combining the reality that all ages need to give and receive love. Intended for young children, but Judy recommends it to everyone, regardless of age.<\/span>
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Kate always liked Howard the Duck, but he was too anthropomorphic to be considered an animal. Recently, she had the pleasure of meeting author Peg Kehret, an award-winning author of children\u2019s mystery books and thrillers, many of which feature animals. Ms. Kehret is an animal advocate and volunteer, and so her themes are no surprise. Kate took a couple of her books home, one of which is Don\u2019t Tell Anyone<\/em>. It concerns a colony of feral cats living in a field that is scheduled to be bulldozed for an apartment building. The young heroine, Megan, is determined to save the cats, and the book turns into a neat thriller that includes a particularly icky villain and a connecting side story about a young woman\u2019s part in a fatal car accident. The best part of the book, of course, is Ms. Kehret\u2019s ability to convey animal welfare issues without being didactic or using her characters as mouthpieces. For ages 9\u201312 and, of course, anyone older.<\/span>
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A number of animal welfare organizations have suggestions for animal-related reading, among them the Humane Society of the United States\u2019 Humane Education Children\u2019s Literature Index<\/a> and the ASPCA online store\u2019s age-level list<\/a> . If you know any children who enjoy reading aloud or need a nonjudgmental audience for oral reading, Animal Care Services\u2019 Pet Literacy Program<\/a> is just the ticket. The cats and dogs are sooooo sweet the way they listen, and you may decide that a certain member of the literally captive audience might do well in your living room, listening to Charlotte\u2019s Web\u2026.<\/span>
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 <\/span>Outside of a dog, a book is man\u2019s best friend. Inside a dog, it\u2019s too dark to read.<\/span><\/em>
 <\/span>~Groucho Marx<\/span><\/em>
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Pet Projects<\/span><\/strong>
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July 27, PETA Opening Day Demonstration against Ringling Bros. Cruelty<\/span><\/em><\/strong>
Reading is a wonderful leisure activity during the summer and anytime, so pick up a copy of Water for Elephants<\/em> (Sara Gruen) and read it before Wednesday (or rent the movie if you don\u2019t read fast) and then head for Anaheim and PETA\u2019s protest of Ringling Bros.\u2019 inhumane treatment of baby elephants and the torments they\u2019re put through in order to learn tricks. 11:45 a.m.\u20131 p.m., Honda Center, 2695 E. Katella Ave. in Anaheim (meet at the intersection of South Douglass Road and East Katella). Click here for more information.<\/a><\/span>
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Aug. 13 and 21, ACS Low-Cost Pet Clinic<\/span><\/em><\/strong>
The next low-cost animal clinic will be held at Martin Luther King Jr. Park,  6301 Myrtle Ave., from 10 a.m. to noon. A state licensed veterinarian from the Southern California Veterinary Vaccine Clinic will be onsite to provide the shots, including feline and canine rabies and all dog- and cat-specific diseases. Residents can process their license renewals onsite. Click here<\/a> for the full schedule and details, and here <\/a>for a full listing of prices. <\/span>
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Aug. 21, SCART Annual Pet Fair<\/span><\/em><\/strong>
The Surf City Animal Response Team will hold its sixth annual Pet Fair in the Park. The event will continue from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Long Beach Marine Stadium Park. Featured will be disaster information as it relates to pets, vendors, pet products, pet foods, opportunity drawings, low-cost dog and cat vaccinations, microchipping and a best disaster-ready dog contest. All proceeds go directly into supporting SCART\u2019s response to disasters as well as training and educating the public.<\/span>

<\/span>SCART is a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization founded to respond to animal needs, assist other agencies during a local or national disaster or crisis, educate the public in disaster preparedness for animals before, during and after a crisis. SCART also assists local and national agencies by responding to a crisis with trained volunteers. For more information, click here.<\/a><\/span> <\/span><\/span>

Volunteers Needed for FOLBA Pet Appreciation Fair and WALK
<\/span><\/strong><\/em>Volunteers are needed for the Friends of Long Beach Animals Pet Appreciation Fair and WALK for the Animals<\/a> to take place Oct. 8 in Eldorado Park. Help is needed in such areas as registration, entertainment, vendors, exhibitors, food, logistics, sponsors, parking, signage, first aid, pet contests, goodie-bags and the WALK itself. For information, e-mail nancylewisphn@yahoo.com. Register online to participate in the event, win great prizes and help fund spay\/neuter and humane education in Long Beach.<\/span>
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Virtually Pets<\/span><\/strong>

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Maya<\/em><\/strong>
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Maya, a Chi-Yorkie mix about 3 years old, was featured in our last column, and both her rescuer and we wanted to show you how well she\u2019s cleaned up and how easily she settled in \u2014 couch, TV clicker, some sort of green doggie drink. When the rescuer found her, she was filthy, wearing an equally filthy collar and a string \u2014 filthy \u2014 tied around her neck. According to neighbors, she\u2019d been roaming the streets for two years. She\u2019s ready for adoption now and gets along with other dogs. She loves to play, so she\u2019d do best in a home with another playful dog or with a human who will play with her and take her for long walks. She\u2019s spayed and microchiped, is current on shots, and has gotten a much needed teeth cleaning. Maya\u2019s shy at first but is learning that not all people are out to hurt her. Contact hoffmannclaudia@hotmail.com to adopt.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We\u2019re in the midst of the dog days of summer, which, according to Merriam-Webster, falls between early July and early September. Dogs and their humans loll around in the yard or at the beach, and cats inexplicably seek out the most sun-drenched areas of the yard or the hot carpet.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":69974,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","inline_featured_image":false,"newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_popups_has_disabled_popups":"","_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"_":"","_author_alias":"","cap-aim":"","cap-description":"","cap-display_name":"","cap-first_name":"","cap-jabber":"","cap-last_name":"","cap-linked_account":"","cap-newspack_employer":"","cap-newspack_job_title":"","cap-newspack_phone_number":"","cap-newspack_role":"","cap-user_email":"","cap-user_login":"","cap-website":"","cap-yahooim":"","newspack_article_summary":"","newspack_email_html":"","newspack_email_type":"","newspack_featured_image_position":"","newspack_hide_page_title":"","newspack_hide_updated_date":false,"newspack_post_subtitle":"","newspack_show_share_buttons":"","newspack_sponsor_byline_prefix":"","newspack_sponsor_disclaimer_override":"","newspack_sponsor_flag_override":"","newspack_sponsor_only_direct":"","newspack_sponsor_url":"","newspack_article_summary_title":"Overview:","newspack_show_updated_date":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"newspack_spnsrs_tax":[],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-5100","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pets","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5100","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5100"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5100\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/69974"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5100"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5100"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5100"},{"taxonomy":"newspack_spnsrs_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/newspack_spnsrs_tax?post=5100"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=5100"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}