Jake the Growling Dog: A Children’s Book Series about Kindness, Diversity and Friendship
Jake’s fun-loving tales introduce social-emotional topics for children in a fun and gentle way. Jake’s stories include gentle messages of Loving-Kindness, Diversity, Mindfulness, Gratitude, New Experiences, Comfort, & Acceptance
Where Can I Find "Jake the Growling Dog Series?"
You can find Jake the Growling Dog Series by Samantha Shannon on Amazon.
Books in the Jake the Growling Dog Series
Find out about these books HERE.
Book 1: Jake the Growling Dog
Samantha Shannon’s children’s book series: Jake the Growling Dog is a fun and cute book to read with your kids; that is all about kindness, celebrating diversity, and friendships. Jake is a happy, friendly, and fun-loving dog that loves to run and play just like any other dog loves to do.
But there is something different about Jake, he growls. He is not angry when he growls; that is just the way he expresses his excitement. At first, Jake doesn’t realize that his growling is scaring everyone away, but when he does, all he wants to do is fix it. Jake wants everyone to see how fun, kind, and loving he is.
In Book 1 of Jake the Growling Dog, readers follow Jake as he learns that he is perfect just the way he is and that his differences make him unique. This children’s book does a beautiful job sharing essential lessons of kindness, diversity, and friendships. It is also full of ideas to help readers learn to accept others’ differences and their own.
Kerrie Joyce did a superb job illustrating the book. Jake the Growling Dog pops with color, and the illustrations will keep your children entertained and smiling. The illustrations, coupled with cleverly used rhymes, catch and engage children’s attention throughout the book.
At the end of this children’s book, an interactive section outlines how kids can be friendly and kind, just like Jake. There’s even an activity called Jake’s Loving-Kindness Activity. A fun read for the entire family, this book is filled with wonderful lessons about kindness and love that anyone can learn from, even adults!
Book 2: Jake the Growling Dog Goes to Doggy Daycare
With everything going on in our world, it’s no wonder that many children struggle with worry and anxiety — plenty of adults do too! We worry about new situations, new experiences, and of course, new environments.
However, while anxiety may be a normal response to many everyday stressors, it’s essential for all of us, including children, to learn how to handle our worries to feel in control, think clearly, and make healthy choices.
In book 2 of Jake the Growling Dog Series, Jake is worried about going to Doggy Daycare while his family goes on vacation. Jake is not only worried because he has never been there, but he is worried because he is afraid that other dogs at the doggy daycare won’t like him or will be scared because of his growling.
Samantha Shannon’s children’s book, Jake the Growling Dog Goes to Doggy Daycare, will teach children important lessons about friendship, comfort, and kindness. Book 2 of the Jake the Growling Dog Series grabs children’s attention with fun, rhyming verses and colorful and beautiful illustrations.
At the end of the book, children’s book author Samantha Shannon also provides some interactive Jake-inspired exercises to help readers deal with their fears, anxiety, and mindfulness.
Children’s books like Jake the Growling Dog Goes to Doggy Daycare is a great book to help your children understand their feelings, give them strategies to help them stay calm, keep focused, and feel empowered to take on the challenges ahead. Worry will always be with us, but kids and parents will feel ready to meet them head-on with this book.
About the Author, Samantha Shannon
“Samantha Shannon is a best-selling author and licensed educational counselor who uses her background in education, love for nature and animals, and experience aiding in the emotional social development of children to create fun and impactful books. Samantha has also published multiple books under her pen name, Parker Sinclair, in the fantasy and YA genres.
Samantha’s love for creatures great and small has led her to incorporate animals in all of the books, from eagles to cheetahs! Throughout her life, Samantha’s family has always included a dog, and they’ve always been more than pets. They were fur-brothers, sisters, and babies.
When Samantha had her first child in 2009, she wanted to write a picture book based on her sister’s dog, Jake. While visiting her sister in the Pacific Northwest, Samantha realized that Jake growled all the time. He growled while playing frisbee, getting an ear rub, running, and even when he was sleeping! Despite his unusual choice of noisemaking, Jake is a sweet dog, which makes him the perfect character for a children’s picture book.
With Samantha’s background in educational counseling, Jake’s first story includes a character education & loving-kindness activity for families, schools, & counselors. Jake’s story speaks to all of us about accepting, and appreciating, the differences in others–both caring attitudes we need in our diverse and beautiful world.
Rapid Fire with Samantha Shannon
Q. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
Samantha: The more I read as a kid, the more I wanted to write. I have journals, short stories, and poems from grade school on. In my high school years, I tried to start my first book but didn’t get the confidence to move forward until more female writers started to pave the way for me in the early 2000s.
Q. What does your family think of your writing?
Samantha: My family is super supportive, and my kids are my best fans and give me a ton of encouragement. My sister has been there with me from the start with Jake. He’s based on her dog Jake, the sweetest glowing dog ever.
My mother was my first editor and would have been so happy to see the books. We lost her in 2010 to cancer, but she’s within my children and in my sister and her daughter. She’s with us every day, and I know she would be so proud of me.
My husband has seen my little spark grow into a flame and is astonished at my perseverance as an indie author. He isn’t as much as a reader as I am, but he loves Jake’s books.
Q. Tell us about your plans for the future? Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Samantha: My goal is to keep getting my Jake series into more school districts as part of their counseling program goals for social, emotional education and to see Jake and future books on best-selling lists, and in the hands of more families, teachers, and counselors Jake has at least three more books mapped out for the series, and I am confident that many more ideas will come about for Jake.
For my other books, mainly fantasy based and romance written under my pen name Parker Sinclair, I plan on closing my Alex Conner series, finish my sci-fi fantasy Synced which is supposed to be in the hands of two agents I met, and do a prequel and sequel to my Young Adult fantasy Eve of the Exceptionals.
Q. How did you become involved in the subject or theme of your book?
Samantha: As a school counselor, I am drawn towards stories to help kiddos learn how to lead happy and healthy lives. Although I was a high school counselor, I always felt that impacts at an earlier age would help in the long run. As for Jake, he’s based on my sister’s dog and became the perfect character to depict the diversity in our world that leads to teaching acceptance, tolerance, and friendship.
Q. What inspires you as a writer?
Samantha: I get most inspired by listening to other people’s stories, adventuring to new places, my past, lots of reading.
Q. What type of books do you write?
Samantha: I write children’s picture books, YA fantasy books, and NA fantasy, Sci-fi, and romance.
Q. Can you tell us about one of the most rewarding moments you have had as an author?
Samantha: I am having many of them right now as I interact with teachers, professionals, and parents about Jake. I’ve had many contacting me during this tough time and asking about doing live readings of Jake for their kids, families, Books, and Barks, and more! Jake is making a positive impact around the world and has been added to many social-emotional school counseling programs.
With my fantasy and romance books, it was when someone asks me when the next one is coming out or when I see them at signings and hear about how inspired they were by my characters and stories.
Q. What do you hope your readers take away from this book?
Samantha: Jake is a story about being different and of celebrating diversity and friendship. I hope readers think about someone different that they’ve met and realize that, even though they aren’t the same, differences are something to be accepted and celebrated. When they review the conversation starters and activities, I hope they find something that works for them in relieving worries and stress while strengthening bonds with family, friends, teachers, etc.
Q. What real-life inspirations did you draw from for the worldbuilding within your book?
Samantha: I’m deeply inspired by nature, animals, memories, and the people I meet. My childhood consisted of backpacking, camping, and traveling all over North America and parts of Mexico. We didn’t go to the busier, well-known places, though; instead, we were in the most out-of-the-way spots that reflected the immense beauty of nature and led to a great deal of story-building and games with either just my sister or when we met others from all walks of life.
In all of my books, I create a backdrop form these memories within nature and those I keep creating. Whenever I feel down, a walk, hike, swim, or trip through memory lane of these wonderful spots I visited with my family bring a smile back to my face.
Q. Is there a message in your novel that you hope readers will grasp?
Samantha: To find the good in others and yourself and to be kind. We need to show ourselves more self-love in healthy ways. I try to create activities that can bring that about for kids and adults.
It took some serious soul searching before I decided to leave counseling and become a writer. I didn’t want to leave my students, but I also needed to pursue my dream. When I see many out and about in my area, they are doing so well, and they are also encouraged by what I have accomplished, so, in a way, I’m still impacting their lives.
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All in all, my family and I have really enjoyed this book and we know you will too! Please feel free to leave me any comments or questions about this review. I look forward to hearing from you!
* This book was kindly sent to me by Author, Samantha Shannon in exchange for an honest review.
