myweb.tiscali.co.uk/1jodun/bookshop.html Writers Exchange E-Publishing Direct from author Category:  Children Publisher: Writers Exchange E-Publishing ISBN-10:  1920741291 Type: Fiction Pages: 40 Copyright: Dec 2003 Beautifully illustrated children’s picture book with FREE colouring book! A true story showing how, even in kindness, man can damage the delicate balance of the environment in which animals live and how befriending a wild animal can remove the instincts that help it to survive. See http://www.dunningham.be to purchase and get your FREE colouring book. Available as an ebook, CD or print Oliver was a ‘flob-a-lob’ type of dog. He was big and black, with very very long legs, in fact, they were just a bit too long for him. His feet were big with long strong claws and when he walked he just kept falling over them! But Oliver was a happy dog and when he walked he sort of flopped and bounced, tripped and bobbed, all at once, in other words, he just ‘flob-a-lobbed’ along!It was early one morning, before most of us get out of our beds, when Oliver was out walking with his best friend Greg. Oliver had given up hoping for some of Greg’s breakfast bacon roll and was minding his own business, investigating a very interesting clump of reeds just on the edge of a muddy ditch with his huge sniffelly wet nose, when he noticed a low, hissing noise from behind the reeds!

Being Kind To George
Reviewed by Jennifer LB Leese (http://www.geocities.com/ladyjiraff)


Oliver, a dog with long legs, overly large feet, and scared of every little thing, wandered into the reeds he came across a honking noise that caused him to run frantically towards his owner, Greg. Seeing that he was terrified of something, Greg investigated and found that the honking sound was a little scrawny and undernourished white goose. Oliver and Greg befriended the goose and decided to take care of him and feed him since it was winter time and the goose would find little to eat. Every morning, they took food to the goose and watched as he gobbled them all up. In no time, the goose grew stronger and fatter. Greg led his newly named goose George to the clean pond in the park across from his café and hoped that George would be happy there. George was, but as time grew on, spring and summer turned into winter, George noticed that not everyone was like his summer friends, and he grew very sad.

People thought he was a threat…was he? Find out by reading Jo Dunningham’s delightful book BEING KIND TO GEORGE. Based on a true story, this book is a beautiful tribute to wild animals everywhere. Moreover, it is a great tool to teach children the meaning of a goose’s honk and why people shouldn’t try to befriend wild animals. The story is well written, and children any age will enjoy the charming goose and his friends. It teaches children the importance of kindness, friendship, and helping your environment to thrive.

Jo Dunningham is the author and illustrator of this wonderful children’s book. She has been telling stories and drawing pictures to amuse her children for over twenty years. With a fresh approach to life, she now finds the time for the things she most enjoys—her family, and her writing. Dunningham lives in Wiltshire, England with her husband, three of their five children, and their youngest granddaughter.

BEING KIND TO GEORGE by Jo Dunningham comes highly recommended by this reviewer and her children. Look for more of her work, “Why Does the Tooth Fairy Want My Teeth?” which she is currently working on. You can check out her personal website at http://www.dunningham.be and view “real-life” pictures of George. Readers will also be able to download George’s illustrations from the actual book to color.



Being Kind To George
Review By Christina Lewis (http://www.kidsbookshelf.com/ebooks.asp?title=b&ebook=true)


One morning Oliver, the big black dog, was out walking with his best friend Greg when he heard some strange noises in a patch of tall grass. Oliver was frightened when out popped a scrawny goose covered in seaweed. From then on Greg and Oliver would walk down to the park and feed the hungry goose, who Greg named George. They went to visit him every day, and soon other people in the park began to visit George too. George loved all of the attention, until the park ranger told Greg that taking care of a wild animal is not always a good thing to do because George might forget how to take care of himself. Greg knew that the park ranger was right, so he decided to spend less time with George, even though it made him sad. George became lonely, until one day he spotted two boys at the park. He waddled after them honking loudly, but the boys were frightened and tried to scare George away. George got scared and started running all over, people were chasing him and someone tried to grab him. Hurt and frightened George slowly made his way to Greg's café. Greg called the park ranger and together they found a new home for George, a place where George could be himself with other geese. "Being Kind to George" is a wonderful story about friendship and doing what's right, even though it may be difficult. The warm and colorful illustrations bring the story to life. (Ages 4-8)



Being Kind To George
Review by M.J Hollingshead (aka Molly Martin, 20+ years classroom teacher)(http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewarticle.asp?AuthorID=84&id=13227)


Happy to Recommend", "Pleasing Read Highly Recommended 5 stars"



Oliver a ‘flob a lob dog’ has big feet, an ungainly lope and lots of curiosity. Out on an early morning walk Oliver and Greg a strange hissing sound coming from the grasses along the side of the path. Oliver hides behind Greg as he peers into some reeds to find a round head, dark, beady eyes and a funny green something covered in water slime. George is a goose. Greg who owns a café likes to take fennel seed to feed to the birds he meets on his walks. One day the goose follows Greg to the lake. Soon there is no more green slime covering George’s feathers. He is white and lovely, eats more seed spends his summer swimming in the lake and waiting for Ollie and Greg. When Ranger Sue explains to Greg that feeding wild creatures can cause the animal to come to depend on humans and forget to look for food on their own Greg does not go to visit his feathered friend so much.

George loved all the attention he received from visitors to the lake. In the fall when the children go back to school George learns that not all people are kind or good when some rowdies chase, yell and grab at him. Afraid, hurt and lonely George comes to Greg’s café. Ranger Sue comes and she and Greg take George to a refuge for water birds who have forgotten how to live in the wild.

Being Kind To George is set in a lovely Park in Wiltshire, England. The poignant tale helps children realize that what may be kindness in fact can also harm wild critters as they begin to lose the instincts helping them survive on their own. When wild critters come to depend on people for food and help they are no longer the free creatures they were, but are helpless to those who would cause them harm.

Writer Dunningham has produced an excellent teaching/pleasure reading work covering 41 pages in Being Kind To George. Filled with wonderful illustrations the easily navigated eBook is sure to please the target audience of early to mid readers. A visit to the author’s website will take readers to color book pages suitable for download, pictures of George and insight into the writer and her work.

Being Kind To George will fit nicely in the classroom science program as well as free reading time. This is a good book for evening ‘read to me’ cuddle time with the 3-4 set, read with some help for the 6-8 and read alone for many 8-9s. This is a book I would use in my own K-1 classroom, happy to recommend.