Pam Flowers, a Society of Women Geographers’ gold
medalist recipient, a dog-sled musher, an arctic explorer and an Appalachian trailer, is also the
author of Ordinary
Dogs, Extraordinary Friendships - a book of short stories about her
team of dogs demonstrating loyalty, courage, and compassion.
Ordinary
Dogs, Extraordinary Friendships is appropriately
written for kids’ ages 8 to 12 years, and they will appreciate this great read
because there’s a lot to be learned from the loyalty and friendship displayed
here. Readers are taken into the world of arctic dog-sledding expeditions and hiking
on the Appalachian Trail, and one can appreciate the down-to-earth way in which
Flowers recounts her amazing adventures with her amazing team. Adventures of
true courage and fidelity are highlighted in one story after another as Flowers
show how they come to depend on each other in the harsh arctic environment, and the strong bonds and teamwork that exist between her and the dogs, and among the canine themselves. The reader can appreciate too the respectful way
in which Flowers observes her dogs and is able to read their thoughts through
body language and behavior, clearly showing the mutual bond of respect and
loyalty between them. Nothing speaks
loyalty more clearly than when you take a stand for someone against a bully! We
see this in the story “The Bully”, in which Flower’s dog Amy stood her ground and
overcame a bully dog just by standing up (without violence) and refusing to be
intimidated. Readers can be inspired by Amy’s example, and we too can take our
stand for others against bullying.
There are other heart-stopping, cliff-hanging,
adventurous stories in the book which will truly have your kids turning the pages
to see what happens next! The story of a polar bear raiding the camp as Pam,
Kate, and their team of dogs camped in the arctic region is truly a frightening
yet hilarious one! In this story, Flowers provided a refreshing and profound
insight to how some dogs ‘handle’ crises. However, what stood out most in the
story is that we can learn much from our domesticated pets, sometimes taking the
cue from them in frightening situations. Flowers followed the examples of her
dogs and remained calm in what could have been a harrowing moment; but as a
result of their example, the incident took on a hilarious turn and the author
can now look back with humor at the day the curious polar bear visited their
camp!
Ordinary
Dogs, Extraordinary Friendships is informative,
insightful, and refreshing; captivating readers into a world of fierce loyalty,
heartfelt sharing and compassion, extraordinary friendships, and an exciting
new understanding of our canine friends!
Follow Pam Flowers on new expeditions and adventures,
meet her team, and view other books she has authored on her website!
Happy Reading!
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