Love Poor Teddy? So Do Our Readers!

I had an instant affinity to Teddy’s story as Ciaran, my Labrador retriever, had a similar story. He was found hiding in the bushes outside the animal shelter when he was a few months old, and he was still too frightened to even leave his cage when we tried to meet him. We brought in our other dog to meet him, and he finally felt safe enough with her to come home with us. I’ve always wondered what it must feel like for a dog to wonder how bad they could have been to be cast off like that. Teddy’s story is a marvelous one, especially because it’s a true story with a very happy ending. Ignacio G.’s illustrations are wonderful, especially the ones that show Teddy beginning to smile and learning to be a happy dog again. Poor Teddy is a great story to share with kids who are about to adopt a furry friend. It helps them understand the fears and insecurity a rescue dog may feel, but above all, it shows how a rescue dog's loving nature is just waiting for a chance to come out and show itself. Poor Teddy: The True Story of a Poodle Named After a Noodle is most highly recommended.

An adorable children's picture book about a shelter dog learning how to love again. This book is a beautifully illustrated story about love, patience, and compassion, reminding us that love comes in many forms, and in many surprising ways. The story is upbeat and engaging, with a lyrical voice that makes reading the book aloud entertaining. I appreciated the underlying message of hope and enjoyed watching Teddy blossom as the story progressed. This book is perfect for the whole family, but especially little children as it is written for a younger audience. I would recommend this story to those readers contemplating adopting a shelter animal.

It presents a problem at the beginning of the story after which characters are introduced that try to solve the problem, with a solution ultimately reached at the end. Not only does Poor Teddy teach young readers about problem solving, but it also teaches them about acceptance and that every living thing is worthy of kindness and attention. DePriest also teaches children – and adults – about the intuitiveness of animals – no easy feat considering she’s doing it in rhyming narrative. The purpose of an illustration is to clarify and, in some cases, to elaborate on the narrative. Ignacio’s colorful illustrations have a life of their own. The illustrations, especially those of Teddy, express emotions brilliantly. As each illustration unfolds, the reader can see Teddy get better until he begins to blossom into an active and healthy little dog. Sometimes, illustrations also have the ability to elevate a relatively simple story to one that is fascinating, and such is the case in Poor Teddy. Poor Teddy is the perfect bedtime story. Engrossing and educational, it teaches young children some solid life lessons.

Having worked as a Vet Tech for the RSPCA, I was able to connect with the words on each page, and truly felt the sadness Lisa DePriest expressed – so much so that it reduced me to tears. It is always shocking to see how emotionally and physically abused animals often are when they are brought to the shelter by the inspectors – and we are all too aware that these are the lucky ones which are actually rescued from their situation before it is too late. Teddy had sustained injuries which left him unwilling to trust new people, but the love, patience and dedication of Lisa, as well as the non-judgmental welcome Teddy received by the other animals in Lisa’s home quickly taught Teddy that not all people are monsters. Happy endings in animal abuse cases are always the endings I look forward to and I am so happy that Teddy got his well-deserved happy ending. I absolutely loved reading Poor Teddy: The True Story of a Poodle Named After a Noodle and wholeheartedly recommend this book to readers of all ages, especially those who have an interest in being parents, guardians or foster parents of animals in need.

The story deals with animal abandonment on a child's level allowing the young reader to sympathize with lost, stray and sick animals. It carefully builds the case of caring for another animal, even though it doesn’t belong to anyone. What I found interesting was that this was not a quick fix type of tale. Rather, it unfolded relatively slowly, bringing about a more realistic feel—sometimes animals have to wait a long time before they are finally adopted. But then the ending brings happy feelings and so all is well. The art was colorful and bright, detailed and well presented. The poetic style fitted the story well, allowing the words to carry the engaged reader from one page to the next. I think that Poor Teddy: The True Story of a Poodle Named After a Noodle, by Lisa DePriest, would be suitable for children wanting a pet of their own. This could help them to understand the possible background of any animal they may choose to adopt. And by carefully thinking about the animal they want, it could lead to the best choice of all. Highly recommended.