Frankie, the Walk 'N Roll Dog (Perfect Paperback)

~ Barbara Gail Techel (Author, Editor), Victoria Kay Lieffring (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

A true, inspirational story about a dachshund whose life started out just like any other dog, walking on all four paws until a spinal injury leaves her paralyzed. Frankie is custom fit for a wheelchair and learns to keep on rolling. Her zest for life will have you cheering and she will give you hope that all things are possible.

About the Author

Barbara wrote Frankie, The Walk 'N Roll Dog to give hope and inspiration to all who face challenges. Her life time love of animals lead her to realize that Frankie s paralysis was an opportunity to spread a positive message. Barbara receives constant compassionate reactions when she is out with Frankie in her local town. People are fascinated by the little dog with tires, frequently asking her what happened to Frankie. The warmth, kindness and encouragement from strangers, as well as family and friends, lead Barbara to writing this, her first children s book. Since 2005 Barbara s column, For the Love of Animals has appeared in the Depot Dispatch. Her column shares stories of the daily antics and lives of her four-legged companions as well as other furry friends she has met. Barbara hopes Frankie s story will help anyone facing a challenge to realize they always have a choice as to how they will overcome a challenge and that hope is all you need to move forward.

Product Details

• Perfect Paperback: 52 pages
• Publisher: Joyful Paw Prints (January 11, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0980005205
• ISBN-13: 978-0980005202
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 8.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #867,064 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Uplifting and inspiring!, July 9, 2008

By	Mayra Calvani "author/reviewer" (Brussels, Belgium) - See all my reviews

This is a beautiful, uplifting story about hope and overcoming challenges. It is also a brightly illustrated picture book that will touch and delight young readers.

Frankie is a miniature dachshund who lives a happy life with his beloved human parents and dog sister, a gentle chocolate lab named Cassie. Frankie spends his days learning to go potty, taking long bicycle rides with Mom, and visiting his favorite market, where he enjoys baked goods and flowers. He's the center of attention wherever he goes and kids love him. He also has two doggie friends, Olive and Baci.

For Frankie, life is beautiful, playing with his friends and soaking up the warm sun on the grass.

Sadness eventually knocks on the door: Cassie, his doggie sister, falls ill and passes away. But as it's often the case, the bad thing brings up a good thing, and soon Kylie, a labrador retriever puppy, comes into their lives. All seems perfect for a while...

Then the unthinkable happens: Frankie has a terrible accident. He suffers a spinal injury. Will Frankie walk again? Will he overcome his handicap? Will he be happy again?

Frankie's story is uplifting and inspiring! It is the perfect book to read to children in order to teach them not only how to overcome challenges, but also about compassion and the handicap. I found the illustrations, which appear to be computer enhanced, original and delightful in a simple, very modern way. The colors are bright and cheerful. This is the kind of story that may be enjoyed by both children and adults alike, especially by those people who love dogs. The book is longer than your standard picture book and has lots of text, so while you may not be able to finish it in one sitting as a bedtime story, you can read it to kids in short installments.

--Mayra Calvani, Mayra's Secret Bookcase

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great way to expose children to animals with handicaps!, September 29, 2008

By	Reader Views "www.readerviews.com" (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews

Reviewed by Sophia McElroy (age 5.5) for Reader Views (9/08)

This is a funny book! Frankie is so cute. My favorite part of the story is when Frankie rides in the basket on her human mom's bike. They ride to the farmer's market to see their friends. This book was a little tricky to read for me. I think kids my age will need a parent to help them with all the words. It was a little long for me.

Parent note: Great way to expose children to animals with handicaps. My children (5.5 and 7) had no idea that dogs had such a device to get around after an injury. They were so interested they "Googled" Frankie to see what else would come up. They also found some "You Tube" videos of other animals as well. "Frankie, the Walk 'N Roll Dog" by Barbara Gail Techel definitely got them thinking.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, wonderful, June 30, 2008

By	armchairinterviews.com (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

Frankie is like any other dachshund or wiener dog. She loves her new home, enjoys playing in the yard, going to the market and sleeping. But tragedy strikes when she is six years old and her owners are out of town.

Frankie survives a horrible accident but is left unable to use her back legs. Though she attempts physical therapy, it becomes clear that her legs will never work again. Frankie and her owners overcome this obstacle as well and purchase a customized cart for Frankie's back legs. Through hard work, pain and dedication, Frankie learns to walk using the cart and wheels attached to her little body.

Inspiring, refreshing and extremely kid-friendly, this book is a great book to introduce children to disability in a friendly, non-threatening way. The illustrations are beautiful and yet simple. Parents can enjoy sitting down to read this to their younger children and upper elementary school can read the book alone without much difficulty.

Armchair Interviews says: Frankie, The Walk `N Roll Dog is a wonderful book.