Book Review: Mom Tested, Kid Approved – All Dogs Dog Park

ALL DOGS

My kids love reading books; I love reading with them. Spending time exploring books together slows down the pace of our day, even if only for a short while. Often times, my kids get tired of reading the same ol’ books; we go to the library and check out “new” books, but my youngest son usually tries to eat them and my oldest son “loses” them (or hides them, I’m not entirely sure) so for us, finding a new read to download or purchase is exciting! One of our latest discoveries is by Kansas City author Craig Doty who wrote a short yet powerful story about a dog who has to overcome his fear of being “different.” I couldn’t wait to try a local author’s new book on my boys!

My oldest son loved this book. The bright, colorful illustrations captured his attention right away and the fun, energetic, rhythmic flow of the story held his attention the entire time! That’s always the sign of a good book for me with my wild, almost-four year old son. As soon as we finished the book my son said, “lets read it again, mommy.” We had a blast engaging with this story – it even lead to us talking about how much my son has struggled in the past and is continuing to struggle with his new school. One day a week, my son attends a “kids day out” program and he has really had a hard time leaving home each week because this is the first time he has gone into this type of setting without knowing any of the other kids. Because of this book, we were able to talk comfortably about how he can relate to the main character in this story. My son even expressed how he could make new friends at school just like the dog at the dog park made new friends! I had no idea how helpful this story would be for him.

Dog Park II

All Dogs Dog Park would be a great read for any child struggling with transition. The language in the story does a great job of validating how hard and scary a transition can feel, but also reinforces how fun the new adventure can be. All Dogs Dog Park would also be helpful in guiding children through understanding how we are all different but how we can all be friends in spite of those differences.

I strongly recommend taking time to check out Craig’s website; from there, you can purchase a copy of his book or download the FREE e-book! Don’t miss out!

More about Craig Doty:

My wife and I moved to Kansas City in 2001 after graduating from K-State. We chose to make KC our home because of all that the city offers: low cost of living, easy to get around, great people, great parks, and close to family. We love to be active outside, do projects around the house and spend time with our two girls, friends and family.

Jenn
"Jenn is a Special Education teacher turned health enthusiast. Most days she can be found chasing her three kids (4,2, and 8 months) around some park in Kansas City wearing workout clothes and sweaty hair. Jenn is an ACE Certified group fitness instructor and loves teaching group fitness classes around KC. She is also a NETA certified Wellness Coach. You can visit Jenn's wellness coaching website at http://www.jennmarasco.com .Jenn is crazy in love with her husband of seven years, Matthew. Their idea of a great date includes playing or attending some type of sporting event followed by a delicious meal from a local KC restaurant. Jenn and Matt lived in the Midtown neighborhood of KC for four years and recently moved to Overland Park."