The Great Adventures of Nina Puppalina and Lizzy Lou
Nina Finds Her Home
A puppy’s story gives children the opportunity to see the world through a pet’s eyes, and maybe become better pet owners in the process.
The Great Adventures of Nina Puppalina and Lizzy Lou: Nina Finds Her Home, by Danielle Wilkinson Steiner, is the sweet story of a little girl adopting a new puppy. Related from the perspective of the dog, the book provides young children with helpful insights into the needs of a pet.
A young puppy finds herself on the journey of a lifetime as she leaves the farm where she was born to find her forever home. In the city, she is excited by all of the sights, sounds, and smells around her, and is anxious to meet her new family. When Lizzy Lou and her parents take her back to their house, the puppy is thrilled. Lizzy Lou names her Nina Puppalina, and the two spend their first day playing together. Both are overjoyed.
The Great Adventures of Nina Puppalina and Lizzy Lou is thoroughly entertaining, but it is also thoughtfully written. Because the story is related from Nina’s point of view, young children are given the opportunity to see the world through the eyes of a pet, and to learn more about how to take care of an animal. For example, the author writes: “She picks me up and almost drops me. That scares me! She sits on the floor and I jump into her lap.” Without stating outright how to properly hold a dog, the author explains that Lizzy must sit down to safely and comfortably hold Nina.
Beautiful full-color illustrations by Sarah Ashmun bring this sweet story to life, and are just as thoughtful as the text. They are also drawn with the puppy’s perspective in mind, and include a rich panoramic viewpoint and the vivid blues, purples, and greens that dogs see best.
The Great Adventures of Nina Puppalina and Lizzy Lou is a highly enjoyable and helpfully educational book for children ages three to eight. Parents and children alike will delight in the simple emotions of a girl and her new dog, and may even become better pet owners as they read.
Reviewed by
Catherine Thureson
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
