About the book: Misadventures of Princess Sydney: Have Parentals, Will Travel is the second book in the Princess Sydney series. Readers call Minich’s writing, “fun-filled,” “insightful and creative,” and “heartwearming.”  If you are between the ages of 8-12, a dog lover, or a kid at heart, this book is for you! You can find Chris’s books on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Blurb: “You’ll have a great time,” said the Parentals. But Princess Sydney knows better! America’s favorite crafty cockapoo reluctantly embarks on summer vacation, along with her bumbling brother, Buddy. She expected chaos, but she she never expected to lose her cool when the trip takes an unplanned turn. Silly boy dogs, leftover pizza, and fair maidens are just a few of the bumps along their travels that will keep readers laughing and in love in this second book in the Princess Sydney series. As Sydney would tell you, “Why wouldn’t it?”

About the author: Chris Minich is a writer living in Snoqualmie Washington. He enjoys spending time with his wife and their two precocious dogs, Sydney and Buddy. Chris is also a die-hard Seattle Seahawks fan. You can find out more about Chris and the Princess Sydney series on his website, on twitter, @cockapoosyd, Instagram, or Pinterest.

Jim Kjelgaard introduced me to the world of the man and his dog. He created worlds of wonder where dogs loved men and boys and the impossible was possible. Big Red was the first one. A poor boy who loved Irish Setters works at a kennel and falls in love with a purebred dog. There is no way at all believable or imaginable that he will get a dog. As the story unfolds, the reader is drawn into the boy’s mind and his world. The reader cheers the boy on wanting what he wants, loving the dog he loves. Other stories told of tame dogs gone wild. Desert Dog tells of a dog that was dropped off in the middle of nowhere. The reader wanders with the dog as he fights for his life. It is truly an inspiring tale. To read some of his stories online, go to http://jimkjelgaard.com/. Jim Kjelgaard wanted boys to desire reading. He wrote for that junior high boy who doesn’t want to read. So, if you have a boy in that situation, see if you can tease him into reading using Mr. Kjelgaard’s books. They also work well for young girls.

The next series of animal stories I found was Walter Farley’s Black Stallion series. Again a poor boy (not as dirt poor as in Big Red) dreams of owning an animal, this time a horse. Alec is shipwrecked with a wild black stallion. The story takes you through their time on the island and how Alec works at befriending the Black. The two become inseparable–or so the reader thinks! The series follows Alec and the Black and then children of the stallion. Again, the underdog is the one the reader cheers and applauds. Children are encouraged to dream and reach for the stars.

The final animal series that caught my attention as a child was Marguerite Henry’s Misty of Chincoteague. Two children find a pony and work with her. The three books follow the brother and sister and Misty and her foal through several adventures. The underdog is the hero, and children see everyday life on the island of Chincoteague. Marguerite Henry wrote several other horse stories about famous horses. She wove the same love of horses into those stories as she did into her Misty books. You can learn more about the Misty books and the real world of Chincoteague at http://www.mistyofchincoteague.org/misty.html.

Know a child who loves animals? Want a good read yourself?  Want a look back into time when kids roamed the streets without fear? Take a look at these fun children’s stories.

My son’s horse. He purchased it for $1 just like Alec.