Customer Reviews

The Adventures of the Poodle Posse, (The Princess & the Frenchmen/No Dogs Allowed!)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Princess and the Frenchmen

It had always been Mrs. Flout and her two little Frenchmen, Woody and Archie, but there was a new addition to the poodle family. When Princess Daisy, as she was dubbed by Mrs. Flout, arrived on the scene, the two men of the family felt out of place with all the attention she was getting. Woody, who used to love to sit in his "comfy, green chair, found himself on the floor when Daisy took over his spot. When it was time for bed, the both of them were very uncomfortable when she gave them a most "unladylike" snarl when she decided that the pillow was *the* best spot for a princess.

It was obvious that "Mrs. Flout fell totally in love with Princess Daisy" and she was going to spoil her rotten. It just didn't seem the same and when anything was "broken, torn, misplaced or eaten," guess who was to blame? Yep, it was Woody and Archie. Woody said, "I must come up with a plan," but what would it be? Very soon the plan was forgotten when `the guys,' Topsy, Freckles, Potsy, and Big Benny showed up. Before you know it they began pulling up the flowers. Now this was double trouble, indeed! What would they tell Mrs. Flout about her precious garden? Were they ever going to get along with that spoiled Princess Daisy?


No Dogs Allowed!

It was going to be a great vacation because Mrs. Flout was bringing her "posse," Woody, Archie, and Princess Daisy for a special time at the beach. Everyone was really excited, but when they got to the beach there was a sign that said, "No Dogs Allowed!" It was a no, no, no day because when she continued to read to them it was "No biking. No roller skating. No loud music. No dogs." Of course the dog part was the worst because Woody really wanted a beach vacation. Princess Daisy wasn't at all dismayed because it was simply going to be a matter of pointing "to the lovely rhinestone crown on her head" and they'd be on that beach in no time. Wrong.

It was truly going to be a disappointing vacation, but things started to look up when Mrs. Flout had a conversation with Mayor Sandpiper. It seems there was a dog park in town where everyone would be welcome and they could have loads of fun. Woody, who started to mope around plopped himself at the mayor's feet to sulk. Naturally, Princess Daisy was all for it because, as she claimed, "You never know when a camera crew might be filming a movie and might just need a good looking dog." Woody had really counted on "romping in the sand" and "strolling through the surf." Were they going to be disappointed with this park? Was this "beach" vacation going to be a total bomb?


This is a charming set of stories with Mrs. Flout and her "posse" of poodles that youngsters will fall in love with. These adventures are perfect for the young dog lover as the dogs cavort through these pages. Woody, Archie, and Princess Daisy are well developed, interesting critter characters. I especially enjoyed the introduction of the slightly prissy Princess Daisy who annoys her "new" brothers, but delights her new mom. This series is an excellent one for the confident reader. Each story covers approximately twenty pages and most of the words can be easily deciphered. The artwork is fit for a princess and meshes perfectly with the stories. The stories could use the light touch of an editor's hand to bring them to perfection. For example, when dog's breeds are mentioned there are capitalization errors (Yellow Lab, the Bulldog). If you want some exciting, fun poodle posse adventures, this is one series you might want to take a look at!


This book courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review.

Meet Woody, Archie and Daisy three small poodles with big hearts that will steal yours in these two new adventures of the Poodle Posse.

In The Princess and the Frenchmen, the three poodles realize that living together doesn't make a family but their willingness to share.

In No Dogs Allowed, Woody makes his own discovery: Having fun is possible in the most unlikely place.
Pat Achiles's enchanting illustrations bring an old-fashion charm that perfectly fit the mood of the stories.

Give yourself a treat and purchase this universally appealing book to share with your loved ones! Boys and girls alike (and parents, too) will giggle from cover to cover at the antics of this adorably illustrated posse. Don't tell the children, but they may also pick up a life lesson or two during the fun!

Great children's mystery! My second graders loved it. The engaging canine characters and story held the interest of all students. The dog park was their favorite part. As a teacher, I loved the discussion questions at the end of the book. Definitely a Good Read for kids!

I encountered the Poodle Posse Adventures when it was first released, and, charmed myself by the adorable poodles and wonderful illustrations, purchased a copy each for my two older grandchildren. As much as I like the book, the best 'reviewers' are, of course, the children for whom it was written. I've read it to cousins Gwen and Jimmy many times, and they love it. Now I'm reading it to their younger brothers, who also love those funny little dogs. Kudos to the author and illustrator.

"The Adventures of the Poodle Posse" is a book with two stories about Chrysa Smith's beloved poodles. The caretaker of the animals in the book is called Mrs. Flout, but the author tells us in her introduction that "these stories are based on true tales"; so one can only surmise Mrs. Flout is really Chrysa Smith.

We are introduced to the main characters, Archie, a black-haired poodle, and Woody, an apricot-colored one, in the first story. Being the older of the two, Woody is the "head dog" of the household. He tolerates Archie's presence in the household. Both stories chronicle the mischievous adventures of these two loveable pooches. Chrysa Smith talks about them like they are human and you can almost believe that is true when you read the stories.

The poodles are charming, and the stories are heart-warming and funny. But, the stories are not written for readers in grades 2-4, as suggested on the front cover of the book. This age group would enjoy the stories if they were read to them, but the stories are not presented in a manner that would appealing as a reading book to this age group. There are too many words on each page and there are not enough pictures to satisfy such young readers (although the pictures are appropriate for the stories). Also, many of the words are too advanced for this reading level.

I also found several punctuation errors in the book. As both an author and an editor, I feel they distract readers from the actual story line.

Even though I enjoyed reading about the adventures of "the poodle posse" I can give this book only 3 stars because of the problems I found with it. I wish I could give it 3 ½ stars as I believe it deserves a higher rating than simply 3 stars, but this rating system won't allow me to give it the extra ½ star.

Christine M. Irvin