Gracie Comes Home
by Diane Dike
This charming work, based on a true story, is the first installment of the children's book series, "The Adventures of Gracie & Diane" by Dr. Diane Dike. In Gracie Comes Home, the readers are first introduced to Gracie-a pup who is in a hospital after an accident. Her first owner abandoned the dog after the accident because it was too much trouble to keep a "Broken" dog. Although Gracie's spirit is broken along with her front legs, Rusty, the Old Bloodhound encourages her. Because that is what friends do. Across town, Diane is lonely and sick with an incurable disease. She prays for a puppy, who needs her, two days later, her prayer is answered. She meets Gracie and falls in love with her. Although the dog is not ready to go home, Diane assures her that she will be back every day. True to her word, she visits the hospital daily and gives Gracie her name. When Gracie is released, She finally comes home. Diane rescues Gracie but soon Gracie rescues Diane right back. This touching story is a wonderful tale of acceptance, love and friendship. This will appeal to young readers and their parents. "You'll find that Diane's words match her life: energetic, hopeful and crammed with vibrancy. She is one of my favorite people, I'm thinking her readers will say the same." Max Lucado The illustrator, Craig Grasso, is well-respected in the animation world. He worked at Disney and then helped visually develop Ice Age 2 for Blue Sky. Now he is working at Pixar as a storyboard artist. Among some of his most popular works are Lion King, Mulan, Lilo and Stitch, Brother Bear, Emperors New Groove, and Ice Age II. He is currently working with Pixar on a top-secret film in California. His talented daughter, Samantha, works for Hallmark and is the co-illustrator. Craig and Samantha decided to join this project because they really believe in the message of hope, faith, and love, even in brokenness.
- Published
- 2007
- ISBN
- 9781932738452
- Pages
- 32
- Publisher
- Western Reflections Publishing Company
- Listed at
- $14.95
Publication details from Open Library. The price shown is the last one on record and is historic, not a current offer.
- Direct from us info@westernreflectionspublishing.com or (336) 565-6915. We pack and post from Lake City.
- Amazon Buy from Amazon.
- Any bookshop Quote ISBN 9781932738452 and your local bookseller can order it.
About this book
Gracie Comes Home is a children's picture book, the first in the series The Adventures of Gracie & Diane by Dr. Diane Dike. It is based on a true story. Readers meet Gracie, a pup in a hospital after an accident, whose first owner abandoned her.
A press release from 2008 describes Gracie as an Italian greyhound and says the book covers her origins, her time homeless and her surgery at a Colorado animal hospital. The same release says Diane adopted her about five years earlier. The catalogue lists the subjects as dog rescue, dogs, therapeutic use, and Italian greyhound, and the book is 32 pages in our catalogue.
It was published by Western Reflections in 2007 according to the catalogue, and the press release says it has also been released in Spanish.
Who it is for
This is a book for children and the adults who read to them, especially families thinking about rescue animals or kids who are facing a hospital stay. Teachers and librarians can use a true dog rescue story to start a conversation about kindness to animals. At 32 pages it is short enough for a single sitting.
Ways to use this book
Before a child's hospital or vet visit
The catalogue says Gracie is a pup in a hospital after an accident. If a child faces something similar, read it yourself first and decide whether it fits, then let the child's questions set the pace of the conversation.
Weighing a small rescue hound
Start with the breed history and the rescue foundation's adoption information, then ask any rescue what it expects from a home. A short list of questions beats a quick decision.
Looking for the Spanish edition
A 2008 press release says the book was also released in Spanish. If you need that edition for a classroom or a family, ask us through the contact page at /contact-us/ and we will check what we can supply.
Go deeper
Gracie Comes Home is catalogued under dog rescue and Italian greyhounds, so these pages suit a reader who wants to know more about the breed or about what adopting a rescue dog involves.
Italian Greyhound Rescue Foundation
Its site lists adoption information, care topics and a find rescue by state page for Italian greyhounds, the breed named in this book's catalogue entry.
Italian Greyhound Club of America: breed history
The parent breed club's history page says these small hounds were bred as companions some 2,000 years ago and became fashionable in Renaissance Italy.
ASPCA adoption page
A national animal welfare group's page where you can look at adoptable dogs and cats and complete its adoption survey.
Good to know
Is Gracie a real dog?
Is this a series?
How long is it?
Is there a Spanish edition?
Have a book of your own?
This is the kind of book the house publishes: regional history, biography, memoir and the stories that belong to a place. Send us yours and a person will read it.