From personal experience, composer, songwriter and scriptwriter Paul A. Kreiling knows that living with a furry VIP (very important pet) creates a magic that conjures memories to last indefinitely. Relying on such pleasant, sometimes bitter-sweet memories, Kreiling has written Chronicles of a Yella' Dog (2012, Right Brain Productions, Topanga, California, illustrated by Akiva Levi, US$14.95, 112 pages).
“The stories of Yella' Dog are all true,” Kreiling says. “The inspiration is from a remarkable animal who brought great joy to our lives and was instrumental in helping me to recover from brain surgery. Moose was his name, but he is really every dog.”
Now deceased, Moose was a big, yellow Labrador retriever. In early 2010, he died, just shy of age 13. “What a wonderful and rich life of inspiration he's given us.”
Full of nostalgia and affection, the book presents a collection of 48 two-page episodes (anecdotes) in back-woods-style slang. The words “came out in this country voice”, the author said. “I don't know where that came from except that I was a country boy born in Oklahoma and grew up in Arizona.”
Sparsely written, richly illustrated and well designed, the book has instant appeal to young readers. A closer look shows that Kreiling makes every word count, so much that the results should please pet-friendly readers of all ages.
Moose taught Kreiling plenty, including lessons that grasp at what's important in life: “You can learn a lot 'bout how t’git thru life by watchin' yer animule. The only time t'git real serious is if somethin' threatens you or yer kin. The rest of the time, it's jus' s'posed t'be Fun!”
The big dog also shared insights about the value of tolerance, modest expectations and a simple life. “I asked ole Moose t'nite, 'jus' what is the purpose of us livin' here on this planet an' going thru life?' He couldn't tell me o'course, but I do try t'read between the licks....
He said, ‘Well... we gits biskits once'd in a while an' you an' the wife always scratch me ev'ry nite. We sit an' watch the fire an' we gets t’ride in the car.... It cain't get much better'n that.'
I said, 'I reckin yer right, ole dog. I guess it's jus' 'bout livin' life an' enjoyin' it.' "
Other lessons, while useful, may be less crucial. “I could throw the ball or stick or rope an' he would ketch it... an' sit down... an' not move... until I came t'fetch it. He would put it down, I would take the ball or stick or rope an' throw it again... an' agin... Yes, sireebob, I learnt how t'fetch real good!”
What sealed the author's friendship with Moose? In 2007, Kreiling collapsed with a huge seizure, leading to the discovery of an abscess on his brain. After surgery, he had lost most cognitive abilities, was blind in one eye and had broken an arm in a tumble.
“The only thing that brought me back to reality was Moose,” he says. “My wife brought him to the hospital every day. He would come up on the bed and lick my hand.”
After Kreiling returned home, Moose “brought me his toys and would get my cane if I dropped it and bring it close enough for me to pick it up”.
A slick design presents Kreiling's words on left-side pages and Levi's relevant artwork on the right. Cartoon-like, yet realistic, the artwork nicely suits a cunning-canine theme.
Even some anecdote titles will cause dog-lovers to smile. They include “Bring Me the Ball.... Bring Me the Damn Ball!!!!”, “A Hard Drinker” (about lapping up toilet water), “TOO Damn Smart”, “Don't Ya Come Near Me”, “Yella Dreams”, “Moose Gets Hosed” and “Critter Games”.
For such an impressive, mutt-savvy book, the author must share credit – with Moose for inspiration, with Levi for illustrations and with Bud Linschoten for design.
There's cause for criticism too. Readers will wince, grumbling in annoyance, when forced to wade through four pages of “kind words from folks”, testimonials about the book's merits, even before the title page and table of contents. Such hard-sell isn't necessary or desirable.
As sometimes happens, at least one apparent inconsistency appears. Early on, four-month-old Moose “barked an' he sassed us like a mockin' bird at matin' time”. So the author hired a dog-trainer lady named Sara to act as a “drill sergeant jus' t'git'm under control”. But the adjacent artwork shows a decidedly male-looking figure in a “Fido Boot Camp” T-shirt and clenching a leash.
As with most pet biographies, the sad part comes last. “We buried Moose today. We put his ashes around his fav'rite apple tree. Even the squirrels were quiet. Great memories. Say hi t' the big Dog up there, old friend.”
For both Kreiling and Levi, this represents a first book, one that turned out remarkably well. Kreiling is a 30-year veteran of California's film-and-TV industry. Much younger, California-born Levi holds an art degree from the University of California at Santa Cruz. A specialist in bronze or steel three-dimensional mediums, he also loves to draw.
Long before the final page, readers will lose interest in the author and the illustrator. They'll be busy wishing they could have met old Moose before he romped off to join “that Big Dog in Heaven”.
Approval rating: 77 per cent.
For more information: www.chroniclesofayelladog.com
(January 15, 2012)
ARCHIVES |
|
