Book Review: Digger the Hero Dog
Author Kilee Brookbank Illustrator Lucia Benito
Book Description:
Digger the Hero Dog is a true story of the bond between humans and their pets with a happy ending and an important fire-safety message. Just as Digger did, kids will learn that even the littlest among them can make a huge difference in the life of a friend.
Find out more here: https://kicamprojects.com/shop/digger-hero-dog/
About the Author:
Before she was an award-winning author, Kilee Brookbank nearly died in a fire that destroyed her home and burned Kilee on nearly half her body. Just 16 at the time, Kilee was saved by her courageous pet, Digger, who barked until Kilee came to after the initial gas explosion. In honor of Digger, Kilee, who won a Benjamin Franklin Award for her memoir, Beautiful Scars, has written her first children’s book: Digger the Hero Dog. Kilee hopes to educate children on the importance of knowing which smells, sights and sounds might signal a dangerous situation.
My Review:
The story of Digger the Hero Dog is written in rhyme which makes it enjoyable to read and be heard by listeners. The story is appropriate for children ages 3-10.My older daughter really connected to the fact that this was based on a true story and she had a lot of questions about why Kilee was in the hospital for such a long time. She also asked about why Kilee wore special gloves on her hands. The story opens up a lot of discussion. In the back of the book, there is a section of Safety Tips along with Gas Safety Tips. There is information about where the proceeds of the book will go. We enjoyed hearing how Kilee started a foundation that has raised more than $200k for Shriner’s Cinncinnati, the treatment center where she received care for her burns.
For durability in a library or classroom setting where many little hands will be on the book, I would highly recommend the book be printed in a heavier weight paper and cover with some lamination.
May’s National Pet Month (7th-13th) observance: Did you know that this week in May is the monthly observance for pets? It’s a perfect time to get people talking about the impact of pets on their lives.
Maria also said that the Empowering Kids With Character Facebook page is going to have some new things coming! Be sure to like the page so you don’t miss a thing!