Book Nook: Cole's Perfect Puppy

The first in a forthcoming series, Cole’s Perfect Puppy, by Frances Crossno, tells the heartwarming tale of a young boy and the four-legged “love of his life.” I recently had a chance to read this cute book, targeted towards middle grade readers.

Cole meets Scarlet, an energetic young golden retriever, after she escapes from the shop on Christmas Eve. Cole is hopeful that he'll see her under the tree, but instead, he gets a pot-bellied. He's determined to have Scarlet, so he keeps trying to figure out how to get the pup on his own.

It's a nice story, with a satisfying happy ending. There are some twists along the way that are perfectly appropriate for middle-grade readers, and overall, it shares some great lessons about determination and perseverance to succeed in goals.

The book does incorporate Crossno's Christian faith in a way that is natural and appropriate. It's also a very family-friendly book that parents don't have to worry about their kids reading. My daughter loves dogs, even though we don't have one, so this made a great story for her, and I look forward to seeing what the author writes next!

Ms. Crossno is originally from the "piney woods" of East Texas. She has a Bachelor of Science degree from Stephen F. Austin State University, in Biology, with a minor in Computer Science. She has worked in information technology for over 30 years. She recently retired from Texas Instruments, and now works for the American Heart Association. Her goal in writing is to share her Christian faith - and love of God's creatures, especially dogs. She lives in the Dallas area with her husband Bill, and her two golden retrievers "Beautiful Bear" and "Lad of Lochinvar" otherwise known as "Laddie".