Book Nook: Luna Howls at the Moon

 Every dog has its day—and Luna is so, so close to hers! She’s a whisker away from her dream: officially

becoming a therapy dog at Therapy Dogs Worldwide. The empathetic lab is just what each child in her therapy group needs, but she worries she can’t be there for all of them at once. Her training is put to the test when one of her clients doesn’t show up to his session, so Luna joins the other kids on their quest to find him. This is gonna’ be ruff.

Luna Howls at the Moon is a middle grade novel through the point-of-view of a Labrador therapy dog in Austin, Texas, and a reflection of O’Donnell Tubb’s own “empathetic superpower” as she calls it in her author letter. 

You can learn more in this interview.

1. Why did you write Luna Howls at the Moon?

I wrote two service dog books prior to Luna: A Dog Like Daisy (about a pit bull mix who assists her human in managing PTSD) and Zeus, Dog of Chaos (about a German shepherd diabetic alert dog). While I was researching service dogs, I kept seeing references to therapy dogs, and how they differ from service dogs. Service dogs serve one person, therapy dogs serve many. I wanted to explore the personality of a dog who was trained that way - to adapt to a variety of situations quickly and calmly. 

 

2. Your backlist also features pup-starring novels! Can you tell us about the inspiration animals bring to your writing?

Sure! My family has five pets - three dogs and two cats. (Yes, our house is a bit of a zoo. We also have fur tumbleweeds EVERYWHERE!) For years, we’ve done goofy voices for our pets. I think most pet owners do this! It occurred to me when I started writing A Dog Like Daisy (in 2015) that I’d been practicing writing “dog voices” for years by doing this. :) 

 

I love stories from an animal’s point of view. As a writer, it gives me to ability to explore topics that might be confusing or difficult for young readers (like PTSD or illness or divorce) in a way that is gentle and loving and supportive. There is a bit of narrative distance when the story is told by a pet that makes the story uniquely compassionate. Telling a story from a dog’s point of view can be a very humane way of showing how we cope with challenges like loss and trauma. 

 

3. How do you think  parents and caregivers can find quality books for kids?

Blogs like yours are a fantastic resource - thank you for spreading the story love! I also recommend asking librarians! School librarians and public librarians are highly trained professionals who LOVE talking about stories they think your reader will adore. (Seriously - they love it!) You can also ask booksellers if you’re lucky enough to have an independent bookstore nearby. Booksellers know what’s popular now, and are great at recommending titles similar to ones you’ve loved. 

 

4. What is your favorite piece of advice for increasing literacy and reading skills in kids?

Model reading for your kids. Read aloud as often as you can, even into the tween years. Be a reader yourself; read the same books as your kids and discuss them - they spark deep conversations like few other things can! Visit the library and/or own books. Make books and stories a regular part of your routine, and your children will absorb them fully! 

 

5. What do you hope readers will take away from Luna Howls at the Moon?

Thank you for asking this! I hope readers will walk away with a full heart, understanding that big feelings are normal and natural. That empathy is a superpower. And that counseling is a positive solution for learning coping and management techniques for a variety of challenges. 

 

6. What’s next? Working on any new writing projects?!

Yes! Right now I’m wrapping up another middle grade novel called THE DECOMPOSITION OF JACK. It tells the story of 12-year-old Jack Acosta, whose mother is a roadkill researcher. It shows how relationships change as family dynamics change, and how healing often happens in nature. It's part Ted Lasso, part Wednesday Addams, and is filled with juicy roadkill research.

Kristin O'Donnell Tubb is the author of The Story Collector and The Story Seeker, the award-winning A Dog Like Daisy, John Lincoln Clem: Civil War Drummer Boy (written as E. F. Abbott), The 13th Sign, Selling Hope, Autumn Winifred Oliver Does Things Different, and Luna Howls at the Moon (one sale June 2021, Katherine Tegan Books). Kristin lives near Nashville, Tennessee, with her bouncy-loud family. Just like her two dogs, she can be bribed with cheese. You can visit her online at www.kristintubb.com.