tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post3748038022753985869..comments2024-03-27T06:42:26.250-07:00Comments on Seven Miles of Steel Thistles: Dogs in BooksKatherine Langrishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12529700103932422873noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-84630434696622349372010-03-23T04:56:44.166-07:002010-03-23T04:56:44.166-07:00Antony, thanks - and Kate, I have the 'Gypsy C...Antony, thanks - and Kate, I have the 'Gypsy Crown on my 'to read' pile!Katherine Langrishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12529700103932422873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-79867386959977998162010-03-23T00:13:50.475-07:002010-03-23T00:13:50.475-07:00I always have to have dogs in my books, and not ju...I always have to have dogs in my books, and not just dogs. There's Rollo in The Gypsy Crown (and a bear, a horse, and a monkey.) He was lovely to write, based on a dog I had when I was a younger. And Jed in the Witches of Eileanan books ... I always thought my preoccupation with animals in books was because my father was a vetKate Forsythhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04653155154318079452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-71560591357456269922010-03-22T00:31:29.189-07:002010-03-22T00:31:29.189-07:00... and also see http://wp.me/p42Yg-if, thanks for...... and also see http://wp.me/p42Yg-if, thanks for the permission KatherineAnthonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08677173494958234552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-28186697546422272512010-03-21T23:54:22.644-07:002010-03-21T23:54:22.644-07:00Maybe Little Hound Found published in 1989 by Haim...Maybe Little Hound Found published in 1989 by Haimish Hamilton? (ISBN 0241125057)Anthonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08677173494958234552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-55560709813863975872010-03-17T09:43:58.315-07:002010-03-17T09:43:58.315-07:00Eigon, how right you are about Conory's wildca...Eigon, how right you are about Conory's wildcat in 'Mark of the Horselord' - I think that's my favourite of all her books. I don't know the one about the chihuahua - must see if I can find it on the web!Katherine Langrishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12529700103932422873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-52936907412605519972010-03-16T13:58:54.289-07:002010-03-16T13:58:54.289-07:00I think you're right about the general lack of...I think you're right about the general lack of dogs in books for older children recently. However there are some in books for younger children, notably by Rose Impey and Jeremy Strong. And Dick King-Smith may prefer pigs, but he does have some good doggie characters.<br /><br />I grew up with Rosemary Sutcliff (though my first stuffed toy dog was called Timmy). I think my favourite of all her dogs was the one in Warrior Scarlet (just look at the scene where Drem protects him when he's been chosen for a dog fight).<br />She also did at least one good cat - the one in Mark of the Horse Lord that rode around on the shoulders of the hero's best friend. After reading that, I desperately wanted a cat that would do that, and I eventually got one (though not a Scottish wild cat).<br />The one that made me weep buckets, though, was a short story about one of her chihuahuas, in which the dog dies and has to perform an act of incredible bravery to be re-incarnated to be with her again. (This was embarrassing, because I was at work at the time!) Sadly, I couldn't afford the book at the time, and I haven't seen a copy since.Eigonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11368838188678418192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-81454634305090876232010-03-16T12:41:47.375-07:002010-03-16T12:41:47.375-07:00Also avoid The Curious Incident of the Dog in the ...Also avoid The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time...Katherine Robertshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17196712319655603442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-60738191458859489252010-03-13T08:38:46.767-08:002010-03-13T08:38:46.767-08:00Nan, avoid I Am David at all costs.Nan, avoid I Am David at all costs.Judithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01222238421273392904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-36513412638000069052010-03-12T06:44:50.838-08:002010-03-12T06:44:50.838-08:00I could hear the late Barbara Wodehouse in your &#...I could hear the late Barbara Wodehouse in your 'what a good dog!'<br /><br />I cannot read any book with a dog in it unless I am very, very sure nothing bad happens. If it is about a dog in trouble, forget it! The new mystery I've bought, Dog Gone It looks promising as a fun book. I really liked Kate DiCamillo's Because of Winn-Dixie. And the Bagthorpe books by Helen Cresswell feature dear Zero. I can't remember if Steinbeck's dog dies in Travels with Charley.Nanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15547916206007733970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-4320849327568970242010-03-12T01:57:02.610-08:002010-03-12T01:57:02.610-08:00101 Dalmatians! Duh... that's a case of me no...101 Dalmatians! Duh... that's a case of me not spotting (sorry) what's right under my nose. Of course! I'll look forward to the dog in your next book. <br /><br />Maybe I'll start up a group - 'Authors for Dogs in Books....'Katherine Langrishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12529700103932422873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-12003620997133953332010-03-12T01:54:52.214-08:002010-03-12T01:54:52.214-08:00Antony, my eyes almost popped out when I saw the t...Antony, my eyes almost popped out when I saw the tagline for your comment! How exciting to meet a relative of Rosemary Sutcliff's. You're welcome to quote from my blog. As I love her books so much, I'm certain to be alluding to her again. Interesting to hear about the chihuahuas - all the dogs in her books that I can remember were the large hound variety, but they would be too difficult to exercise. Perhaps she wrote about them as a way of owning them anyway, as Miriam, who wrote the first comment above, suggests. <br /><br />Beverley, thanks for your comment too - Belgian Shepherds are such beautiful dogs. I appreciate just how you must miss her - our puppy is the second Dalmatian we have owned: our beloved old Rosie had to be put to sleep just before Christmas...Katherine Langrishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12529700103932422873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-35303876774487202272010-03-12T01:53:13.831-08:002010-03-12T01:53:13.831-08:00There's a dog in my next book, Almost True. I ...There's a dog in my next book, Almost True. I really enjoyed writing about her, brought back memories of Ben who we had when I was a teenager.<br /><br />101 Dalmations has to be the ultimate doggy book for children. The fictional dog I love best is in an adult book - Edward in Anne Tyler's The Accidental Tourist. Perfectly alive on the page.Keren Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13121027210783177857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-22902832660892966712010-03-12T01:15:36.438-08:002010-03-12T01:15:36.438-08:00What a wonderful blog post - although it brought a...What a wonderful blog post - although it brought a tear to my eye. For many years we shared our home with the most beautiful Belgian Shepherd cross that you could have wished to meet, Elsa. My youngest learnt to walk by pulling herself up on her fur and all Elsa would do would be to give me a long suffering look that said 'get me out of this...please!' - she is very much missed.<br />Others have mentioned my favourite dogs in books (Timmy being top of the list of course) but there are also all of the wonderful character full dogs I met in the James Herriot books, which reminds me I must re read them.................;0)Bev Humphreyhttp://www.bevhumphrey.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-90692331638580366222010-03-12T00:29:31.819-08:002010-03-12T00:29:31.819-08:00Fascinating article - thank you. Rosemary Sutcliff...Fascinating article - thank you. Rosemary Sutcliff was a close relative of mine.<br /><br /><br />I was intrigued by your highlighting of how dogs often featured in her books. I know she adored dogs, always had a labrador when her father was alive and living with her - he could look after it (she was very disabled). When he had died, she always had two chihuahas (spelling?). Penelope Lively once wrote about how they used to yap around visitors (see blog below). My children were terrified of these little yapping beasts and I had to escort them (and their mother) down the long corridors of her bungalow home.<br /><br />She also later in her life wrote a little story about dogs (Little Hound Found)<br /><br />May I extract the part of your article about Rosemary for the blog I do about her, with the proper acknowledgements and inks of course?<br /><br />Anthony Lawton<br />see www.rosemarysutcliff.wordpress.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-90946990958048650702010-03-11T15:02:42.543-08:002010-03-11T15:02:42.543-08:00Speaking of wanting and not being allowed a dog, T...Speaking of wanting and not being allowed a dog, The Kidnappers is a b&w film about a couple of kids who find a baby and look after that instead. I know it's a film but the subject is longing, as discussed above, and the end is very touching.<br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Kidnappers <br /><br />Some, but not all, cats love you back.Judithnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-73969629456108220322010-03-11T13:33:08.187-08:002010-03-11T13:33:08.187-08:00I've just remembered Phyllis Reynolds Naylor&#...I've just remembered Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's 'Shiloh', which my daughter read aged about 8, when we lived in the US. I was waiting all the way through that book for something awful to happen to the dog, but as far as I recall, there's a happy ending. It was a 'boy meets dog' story. And I suppose there's Sharon Creech's 'Love That Dog' too. But they all tug at the heartstrings, even when the dog survives. I confess I did once consider killing off one of my fictional dogs, but I went and asked my daughters and they were horrified, and I didn't do it. (And I'm glad.)Katherine Langrishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12529700103932422873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-51312969012898590272010-03-11T13:13:20.512-08:002010-03-11T13:13:20.512-08:00my word verification was 'bonest' which so...my word verification was 'bonest' which sounds like a new dog word.Jo Treggiarihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02417288480274268189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-86354342010807217642010-03-11T13:12:43.880-08:002010-03-11T13:12:43.880-08:00Love this post but could not for the life of me th...Love this post but could not for the life of me think of any book with a dog in it.<br />Have just now thought of The story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski, a book which was flawed but had some wonderful dog characters, and as wolves are canine ancestors, I put in another enthusiastic vote for Michelle Paver's wolf. I love Wolf even more than I love her MC Torak.Jo Treggiarihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02417288480274268189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-11091728339089481012010-03-11T12:47:16.836-08:002010-03-11T12:47:16.836-08:00After having been permanently traumatized by "...After having been permanently traumatized by "Old Yeller" (and I'm not exaggerating) I avoid dogs in books like the plague unless its safety is guaranteed because I always suspect the author will kill it thus making me suffer even more. One of my New Year's resolutions this year was, in fact, "no more dead dog books" and I'm sticking by it far better than any of the others. <br /><br />I wish I knew why there weren't more dogs in books for kids - I just checked google and the Humane Society is reporting for 2009-10 77.5 million dog owners in the U.S. (39% of all households). Those are pretty decent numbers and I think could be better reflected in books.<br /><br />I have had at least one dog nearly my entire life. The current dog is an 89 pound shelter dog that is a mix of rottweiler/lab/shepherd/husky....something big AND furry. His name is Hondo and we all adore him and yes, he is asleep at my feet this very second.Colleenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18380722344521975869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-45695433308917543502010-03-11T12:02:54.573-08:002010-03-11T12:02:54.573-08:00Lawks, I wish my puppy would go to sleep on my fee...Lawks, I wish my puppy would go to sleep on my feet... some day, I guess! I'm interested in your comments because, guess what, I haven't read any of these books! I never quite got into the Chalet School (my sister did) and though I remember reading Monica Edwards' pony books, I never ead one about a shepdog. Will look up Sharon Penman. Good title!Katherine Langrishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12529700103932422873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-22342548240624434362010-03-11T11:20:37.408-08:002010-03-11T11:20:37.408-08:00I think that there is a lack of dogs featuring in ...I think that there is a lack of dogs featuring in a lot of young adult modern fiction - but that does seem to be a reflection of real life, fewer and fewer families with children now also have a dog.<br /><br />Favourite dogs in fiction for me include, in children's fiction Rufus and Bruno the St Bernards in the Chalet School series by Elinor M Brent-Dyer. (Also her book Kennelmaid Nan is a wonderful reflection of life in a show/breeding kennel in the early/mid 20th Century). My other favourite has to be Meg, from A Wind is Blowing by Monical Edwards. She is a failed sheepdog who is taken on by Meryon to train as a guide dog when he looses his sight.<br /><br />I also have a soft spot for what the author Sharon Penman calls Norwegian Dyrehunds (actually they are Elkhounds) in Whilst Christ & His Saints Slept.<br /><br />(sorry rambling too long - dogs are a pet subject of mine as I have three asleep at my feet as I work)Katehttp://twitter.com/Polipetlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-89172974879453572692010-03-11T10:41:50.984-08:002010-03-11T10:41:50.984-08:00Runner Bean in the Charlie Bone books? Shall have...Runner Bean in the Charlie Bone books? Shall have to go away and rack my brains now for more. But I agree with everyone about the Disreputable Dog. A memorable modern creation. Polly is squidgeable. Enjoy the puppymadness while it lasts.Lucy Coatshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16774389681477698245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-76775507779343040152010-03-11T09:00:51.036-08:002010-03-11T09:00:51.036-08:00Others have beaten me to it. Just finished Nix'...Others have beaten me to it. Just finished Nix's Lirael and Abhorsen and loved the Disreputable Dog. But my favorite has got to be Sirius in Diana Wynne Jone's Dogsbody. Both the dog and cat characters are beautifully portrayed - without sentiment.Ellen Rennerhttp://www.ellenrenner.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-88884246241206670292010-03-11T08:34:51.968-08:002010-03-11T08:34:51.968-08:00"Dogsbody", of course! I love that book..."Dogsbody", of course! I love that book. Judith, that's one of Rumer Godden's I haven't read - I must find it. <br /><br />Incidentally Polly has just met the vacuum cleaner, and has come off best! Jumped all over it!Katherine Langrishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12529700103932422873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-70582228813293257442010-03-11T08:23:24.811-08:002010-03-11T08:23:24.811-08:00The dog in Rumer Godden's Breakfast with the N...The dog in Rumer Godden's Breakfast with the Nicolaides is more powerful dead than alive. A child uses the imaginary dog to tell her mother that she knows she's been lied to about his death. It's an awesome story but can take your life to places from which it is hard to return.Judithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01222238421273392904noreply@blogger.com