Book Review: Doggy Defenders

I recently received in the mail four children’s books, featuring dogs. They are part of a series of National Geographic Kids books and all are written by Lisa M. Gerry, with photos by Lori Epstein. All retail for $9.99 each. Each book deals with the job the dog does and each ends with questions for the dog’s handler.

There’s also a page of tips relating to the subject. “Dolley the Fire Dog” describes the work a yellow Labrador Retriever does to detect what caused a fire. Her tips are about fire safety. “Willow the Therapy Dog” follows a Greyhound as she visit people in hospitals, nursing homes and schools.

Her tips are on how to be a good neighbor and friend. “Stella the Search Dog” teaches children about Bloodhounds and their ability to find people who are lost. Her tips are about keeping safe if you get lost. “Tiger the Police Dog” is about a Belgian Malinois who works in Washington, D.C., sniffing out drugs and explosives. His tips are also about safety and calling 9-1-1.

I really enjoyed all four of these books. The photographs are just wonderful and the information is excellent, yet written in easy-to-understand language for children. I was especially happy to see that the police dog was not a German Shepherd Dog, as many law enforcement agencies now use Malinois, but the breed is not as well known to the public. If you have a dog-loving child, these books are perfect gifts.