A Lucky Dog: Owney, U.S. Rail Mail Mascot [Hardcover]

Dirk Wales (Author), Diane Kenna (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Owney was a friend of the mail. He loved the smell of railroad mail bags. He slept on them and rode with them to the train station in Albany, New York. One day he got a chance to ride a Mail Train. That was the beginning of Owney's travels on Mail Trains all over the country and his chance to make hundreds of new friends.

As he traveled, "baggage tags" were fixed to his collar by faraway Post Offices. Then, U.S. Postmaster General John Wanamaker presented Owney with a special blanket for all his "baggage tags".

Toward the end of his career, Owney traveled on mail boats and trains around the world. Owney was one Lucky Dog!

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Gr. 1-4. Wales' account of the U.S. Postal Service's first, and probably only, canine mascot will strike a chord with animal lovers and inspire inquiries into history and geography. In 1887, on a cold, rainy night in Albany, New York, a postal worker takes pity on a shivering dog that has taken shelter in the depot. Although it's against the rules, the supervisor allows "Owney" to stay. One day, the dog jumps aboard a mail train and discovers he likes riding the rails. News of his adventures, which ultimately include a trip around the world, spreads as he travels, and people give him baggage tags from the places he visits. The overuse of exclamation points aside, the narrative is clear and straightforward, and the scratchy, earth-toned illustrations aptly convey both the scraggliness of the stray and the nineteenth-century backdrop of the story. A satisfying tale, all the more pleasing for being true. Diane Foote
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

A Lucky Dog passes plesantly riding on the strength of Diane Kennas's illustrations and the quirkikness of the story. -- Chicago Tribune, Children's Book Reviews, November, 2003

A satisfying tale, all the more pleasing for being ture. -- Diane Foote, American Library Association, Booklist, Chicago, Illinois, November, 2003Diane Foote

This is a must have to for every picture book or history collection for children -- Jill Walker, Baker & Taylor, July 12, 2005

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Great Plains Pr (September 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0963245902
• ISBN-13: 978-0963245908
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 12.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #362,247 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The story of Owney is a fascinating true tale., March 9, 2005

By 

M. Treese "IPMHGPB" (TN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Lucky Dog: Owney, U.S. Rail Mail Mascot (Hardcover)

Children should be fascianted by this story of a stray dog that eventually make his way around the world. Students have been inspired to learn geography by Owney's adventures. Classes across the country actually mail a symbolic stuffed Owney to other classes and follow Owney on his journey. All in all a delightful story.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great children's Tale, wonderfully presented, January 7, 2006

By 

sandra freas "s freas" (far hills, nj United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Lucky Dog: Owney, U.S. Rail Mail Mascot (Hardcover)

This is a compelling true story about a small homeless dog who became the US rail mail mascot and a world traveller. Its style is concise and simple yet thorough enough to share the many lessons it has to offer us all. Owney is a triumphant uplifting tale told just the way a child wants to hear it. We read it often and give it as gifts as well. Hightly recommended by this mother of ywo young boys.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A book about a book???, March 3, 2010

By 

J. Mitchell "-James & Lynn Mitchell" (Arizona) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Lucky Dog: Owney, U.S. Rail Mail Mascot (Hardcover)

I bought this book thinking it was actually 'Owney, the Mail-Pouch Pooch', which we originally checked-out from the local library. Unfortunately, this book only features part of Owney's fascinating and almost unbelievable travels...and the pictures are only sketches of the original photographs that are in the other book. Over all, I was really disapointed in this re-telling about Owney. The details are just not there, especially after reading the other book. This edition might be good for little ones, like maybe three and up, who can't sit still through a more detailed version, but 'Owney, the Mail-Pouch Pooch' offers the listener a richer version of the story with REAL photographs of who is assumed to be Owney. This book, in my opinion, just doesn't cut-it. Consider the other book instead.