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Meet the Dogs of Bedlam Farm

Four dogs live on the Katz farm in Upstate New York, and all have important and unique jobs to do. Each dog is introduced in turn as the text describes a bit about its history, personality, and work. Rose herds sheep, Izzy visits sick people, and Frieda guards the farm. At the end of each animal’s section, readers are asked “What is Lenore’s job?” Eventually Lenore takes center stage: she “looks for disgusting things to eat, mud to roll in, and people and animals to love.” Lenore may not have traditional work in the same way as her canine companions, but she does have a job of “loving and accepting and having patience. And that may be the greatest work of all.” The personality of each dog shines through the excellent color photographs in a book that celebrates the value of all contributions to a society. Honor Book, 2012 Charlotte Zolotow Award ©2012 Cooperative Children's Book Center

CCBC Age Recommendation: Ages 4-9
Age Range: PreK-Early Elementary (Ages 4-7) Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10)
Format: Picture book
Subjects: Animals (Informational) Community Farming and Farmers Pets Work and Labor

Publisher: Henry Holt
Publish Year: 2011
Pages: 32
ISBN: 9780805092196

CCBC Location: Non-Fiction, 636 Katz

Meet the Dogs of Bedlam Farm