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"Most youngsters have a half-dozen or so books that they want to have read to them - or read themselves - over and over again. These are almost always tales of heroism, directly and touchingly told, wonderful to look at. Emma and the Night Dogs (Albert Whitman and Company, $14.95, grades one to four) is a book of this sort. | It is the saga of a little boy lost in the woods and the determined, courageous girl who helps find him. As you might expect, a squad of trained rescue dogs (two Newfoundlands and two Golden Retrievers) are the real heroes. | Illustrator Marni Backer's rich, dark paintings set just the right tone of quiet tension, and author Susan Bivin Aller tells the story without a wasted word." - American Kennel Club Gazette |
We are most proud of the success of Emma and the Night Dogs by Susan Bivin Aller of West Hartford, CT. This children's book includes four of the CCSAR dogs as characters and is very popular with children aged three years and up - way up, as a matter of fact, because adults love the beautiful illustrations which are paintings by Marni Backer of Philadelphia, a most talented artist.
One CCSAR member, Kathy Queen of Cheshire, has developed a Preventive Search Curriculum for young children, using the book as a tool to teach children how to avoid getting lost and what to do if they should get lost. She emphasizes, for example, that it is OK to respond to searchers calling one's name even though children are strictly cautioned against speaking to strangers these days. She also stresses that a lost child will not get into trouble if he or she comes back or calls out to searchers.
Another set of guidelines for use with young children has been developed by Jim Gibbons, president of the Berkshire Mountain SAR. Many other teachers have incorporated the book into their curriculum to teach children to learn about the woods and the jobs search dogs do.
CCSAR members have visited schools, bookstores, and libraries throughout the state, often with Susan, the author, reading the book, followed by a demonstration presented by CCSAR members and dogs. This important initiative by CCSAR members has helped earn needed dollars for the organization's search and training programs. Pet Source "Just for Kids:"
Additional reviews and the book itself are available at Amazon.com
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