My Nicholas, you are… RIDICULOUS books arrived today! I ordered two; one for a friend and one for me.
There are several reasons why I love this book. First are the illustrations. Olena Kassian has fully captured the antics of a Shiba puppy – the expressions, the body language… everything just screams Shiba (no pun intended).
The other main reason I like this book is that, without losing momentum in lecturing or heavy handed this-story-has-a-moral writing, Kassian presents the Shiba as it truly is. Nicholas digs, he chews, he runs away and he gets dirty. More importantly, his puppy antics are treated by the narrator as a natural part of owning a Shiba puppy; something to be expected.
Kassian has also included a short homage to the Shiba for more advanced readers at the end of the book. While her writing there is spot-on, I believe that it is the book itself that most effectively introduces both adults and children to the elusive charm of the Shiba.
(I’m also thrilled that Olena Kassian is Canadian!)
The Nicholas website at http://www.nicholasyouareridiculous.ca/ is not loading, but you can order the book from Amazon
