Review: Miss Olive Finds Her Furever Friends by Susan Marie

 

MISS OLIVE FINDS HER FUREVER FRIENDS
The Doggy Diva Diaries

by Susan Mare and Miss Olive

Illustrated by Kim Ranson and Rebekah Phillips

Doggie Diva Show

Picture Book

32 pages

ages 4 to 8

Miss Olive Finds Her "Furever" Friends is the second book in the heartwarming and inspirational series The Doggy Diva Diaries. When rescue pup Miss Olive is faced with a bullying situation, she learns valuable life lessons: that her superpower is kindness, and that it doesn't matter what you look like on the outside. It's the kindness and love you have on the inside that counts. 

      

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MY TIDBITS

This is the second book in The Doggy Diva Diaries series, but it can easily be read as a stand-alone.

Miss Olive now has a family to call her very own, one that loves her dearly. When her 'mom' wakes her up one morning, telling her that it's a very special day, Miss Olive is excited. It's her birthday! Together, they go to the park and soon, Miss Olive meets many dogs...some are nice. Others quite mean. But Miss Olive can handle anything with finesse.

Miss Olive is a super sweet dog with just the right pinch of diva and heart. Now, that she has a family, it's time for her to learn how to meet and make friends. But making friends isn't always easy, and that's something young readers/listeners will understand. It's hard not to feel for her when the mean dogs act so bitter, and easy to root for her and hope she finds a way to get past that front to discover real friends. The message is something young listeners can take away with them and use themselves in life...while wishing they would have a dog just like Miss Olive to call their very own.

This is a book made with love. The illustrations are lovely and the care taken to create them is obvious. The colors are bright and bold, and Miss Olive is even sweet to watch as she meets the other dogs. The text is written at a level the audience will understand with only a slightly more difficult word every now and then (which I find strengthens vocabulary). The entire thing is written in rhyme, though, and in this case, I think it would have been better if it hadn't. It makes the wording come across forced and not flow quite as well as it could.

Still, it's a cute book for little dog lovers and has a nice message.

And here they are...

For over fifteen years, Susan Marie has been spreading the word about puppy love through her nationally syndicated weekly radio show, The Doggy Diva Show. On her show, Susan interviews pet care experts, dog trainers, authors and representatives from animal rescue organizations.Past guests include Bob Barker, Dean Koontz, Julia Cameron, Alison Eastwood, and America Veterinarian, Dr. Marty Becker. The Doggy Diva Show can be heard on Pet Life Radio, iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Speak Up Talk Radio.

She is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators as well as the Dog Writer's Association of America and the Florida Writers Association. A devoted champion of animals, Susan donates a portion of the proceeds from Miss Olive books to animal rescue organizations. She's passionate about passing along the love of animals to future generations.

Miss Olive-

Miss Olive Finds Her Furever Home and Miss Olive Finds Her Furever Friends are the first and second books in a trilogy about the adventures of Miss Olive, an Italian Greyhound rescue. The real Miss Olive was adopted in 2015 by author Susan Marie from Italian Greyhound Rescue Gulf Coast. Miss Olive was a victim of neglect and health issues, having lost her teeth due to lack of medical attention and one of her legs to cancer. The neglect and illness that she experienced has never affected her loving, gentle spirit; she is always ready for a snuggle. Miss Olive joins Susan Marie at the microphone each week as the co-host of radio show The Doggy Diva Show on Pet life Radio.