Scruff the Pup and the Cracking of the Cocoa Pod by Katherine Udovicich (Spotlight, review, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

 

Scruff the Pup and the Cracking of the Cocoa Pod

by 

Katherine Udovicich

 

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GENRE:   Children's

 

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BLURB:

 

Hippity hoppity, Easter's on its way! Scruff the pup is drooling in anticipation. But what will Scruff discover about chocolate eggs when a-hunting he will go? Find out in this gratifying wag of a tale.

 

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EXCERPT

Scruff is beginning to think that getting his paws on even a teeny-tiny Easter egg might be too difficult.

Then he remembers something—Mum and Dad encouraging the children always to take on a good challenge.

Suddenly, Scruff has an idea about how to score an Easter egg from the kids. The pup knows he will be the underdog and, therefore, hatches a plan—now ready to unleash!

First, Scruff engages the children in a game of chase ... and lets them win.

Next, he performs all the tricks they’ve taught him, plus one of his own: Scruff’s slick, quick ball-balancing trick.

Then Scruff and the kids start a game of ruff and tumble, and Scruff goes easy on them.

Afterwards, the pup sits uncomplainingly as his messy hair is brushed smooth; Scruff no longer feels like himself.

Eventually, Scruff allows the children to dress him up as the Easter Bunny! Such a cliché, he thinks, putting on a brave face.

Despite jumping through hoop after hoop and working like a dog, Scruff does not get a single Easter egg.

From afar, he watches the kids enjoying mini chocolate eggs filled with caramel. Fine, rub my nose in it, thinks Scruff. See if I care.

But he does care. And he doesn’t understand why the children won’t share with him. They usually always share food with him under the table. So, what is it about Easter eggs?

 

Purchase links:

Amazon

Amazon.CA

Booktopia

Indigo Chapters

Barnes & Noble

Walmart

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Katherine Udovicich has a background in primary teaching and education. She is from Melbourne, Australia, where she completed a bachelor's degree in science and a master's in teaching. Katherine's greatest joy is being a mum, and she is passionate about promoting literacy development for all children.

 

CONNECT WITH Katherine

 

Website

 

INSTAGRAM: Coming soon

 

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GIVEAWAY

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

The tour dates can be found here

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My review:

4.5 stars

Scruff the Pup and the Cracking of the Cocoa Pod, written by Katherine Udovicich and illustrated by Madeleine Mae B. Migallos, follows young Scruff as he tries his best to join his humans in enjoying chocolate Easter eggs. He doesn’t understand why the senior dog in the family, Frog, keeps mentioning the cocoa pod until Dad, the human, finally explains and makes both Frog and Scruff happy with their own Easter treats.

 

This sweet children’s book is beautifully illustrated and teaches a very important lesson about keeping dogs safe, no matter how persuasive they’re being. I was worried at first, because I was afraid Scruff would find a way to share in the children’s treats, but I enjoyed reading about his antics and his reasoning. I think it’s great that the explanation for not sharing chocolate with dogs is given at both a level that children will understand and at a more scientific level and I love the puns at the end of the story. This is a great book for teaching and for just enjoying the cute illustrations, and I think it would be useful as an educational tool throughout the year, although it is centered on Easter.

 

A copy of this title was provided for review