Getting Home: For Some Dogs, It Just Isn’t Easy
Written by Kim Manuelides
Creative Team: Matt Galeone, Lauren Lowther, Jen Katz, Makenzie Rustin, Beth Williams
Imagine being young and vulnerable and removed from everything and everyone you know. Imagine trying to cope in a brand new place, surrounded by strangers who have unknown rules and expectations. Now imagine you are a young dog in that situation.
This is the reality of so many rescued animals. Particularly for dogs with a difficult past, it is not as simple as walking away and transforming into a perfect, trusting, obedient companion. Thrust into the unknown the dog may not feel instant gratitude for the improvement in their situation. A dog’s love may be unconditional, but a dog’s respect and trust are not. And to adopt a dog with the mistaken belief that the dog will immediately recover from whatever past ordeal the dog has been through and bond with the adoptive family sets both the dog and the family up for heartbreak and potential failure.
Written from the dogs’ point of view, this book explores the struggle of three very different dogs who each had to make their own transition and evolve from their pasts. It examines the concept of home and what home might mean to the dog if they could tell us directly what they think and feel. And, finally, it lays bare the pain, struggle and ultimate triumph of the humans as their dogs transform from being “special needs” dogs to family dogs.
Into the Heat: Fighting Fires in Baltimore City
Written by Ray Lockett
Creative Team: Matt Galeone, Katherine Gray, Amy Beth Leasure, Beth Williams
A gripping and intriguing glimpse into the life of a career firefighter. Pull on your turn-out boots and join 29-year veteran, Ray Lockett, as he recalls the most memorable experiences working in some of the busiest firehouses in Baltimore spanning the last three decades of the 20th century.
Have you ever wondered what firefighters think and experience as they crawl down a smoke filled hallway or scale a 35-foot ladder to the roof of a burning building? In this memoir you will experience the heartbreak of unsuccessful rescues along with the elation of bringing a civilian back from the brink of death. Vividly written, this book brings to life the sights, sounds and smells of working in the most turbulent neighborhoods in West Baltimore and will help the reader appreciate the challenges that confront firefighters every day at work. And you will feel the pride as the book progresses and Ray’s two sons become third generation firefighters.
Into The Heat features not only the dramatic moments of fighting fires and saving lives, but also gives the reader a glimpse into the firehouse antics and range of personalities that coexist there. The pride and bravery of these heroes will inspire, inform, and awe both enthusiasts and readers who thought they knew what a firefighter’s job is.
Ray Lockett was born and raised in Baltimore City. He joined the Fire Department in 1972 and was assigned to one of the busiest companies in the city. He spent 29 years fighting fires in some of the worst neighborhoods in Baltimore. This book looks back on his career from a Firefighter’s perspective.
Want to browse some more? Check out our publications in other genres: