Why Dogs Are

About the Book

“Brian” is a composite of the many children who attended the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind (AIDB) in our hometown of Talladega, Alabama. My husband Ken and I had the privilege to know and work with children who had to learn to live life with one or more disabilities, making us intensely aware of some of the difficulties that accompanied eyes that did not see or ears that did not hear. We also wondered how parents of these children dealt with the challenges that the entire family faced while accommodating necessary differences in daily life for their child with disabilities.

For example, how does a parent teach a child about concepts that are difficult to grasp even without disabilities? How can parents share emotions, morals, beliefs and concepts such as patriotism, charity and forgiveness to a child who cannot hear their explanations? As Helen Keller had to learn, once she made the “connection” between flowing, wet water and the sign for water, her learning increased dramatically. But how do you make a “connection” when the topics are intangible or emotional?

The concept of a loving God is one of those “connections” that must be made for an individual to have a fulfilled soul, regardless of their physical abilities. God uses many means to help people to understand His goodness, creation and grace. Why not a dog? Don’t we all deserve to see, hear, feel and experience God in everything around us?

Why Dogs Are is the 1st in a book series aimed at raising awareness for the roles animals play in our lives to enhance and improve our physical well-being.

My Review

This book is a keeper. Why Dogs Are deserves two paws up! If you love Dogs then you will want to read this book. It is quick, informative, a joy to read, and filled with tons of colorful pictures. Illustrator, Marita Gentry really did a great job of drawing the pictures. They added and helped tell the story. Children will love reading this book over and over again. I myself enjoyed reading this book and learning "Why Dogs Are". This book is the first in the Love Unleashed series. I look forward to reading more books in this series.


The lessons that this book taught was wonderful. God telling the Dog to go to Earth and teach Brian these lessons.

Teach him these two things:

First, to love without expecting anything in return.

Second, to forgive those who hurt him-then to forget the hurt and love them even more.

Then God telling the Dog what he shall be named from this day on was great:

"From now on I will call you DOG-that's GOD spelled backwards!"

FYI- The publisher did provide me a complimentary copy of this book through BookCrash.

Tana Thompson spent 30 years teaching in colleges and universities around the south, watching computers go from huge mainframe technological monsters to carry-in-you pocket smart phone equivalents. Now in retirement, she is following her dream of writing, having interests in children’s literature and non-fiction genres such as memoirwriting and regaling unique travel experiences shared with her late husband, Ken, in the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent. She is so committed to using her right brain for a change that she also makes jewelry, stained and fused glass, and delights in photography. She lives on her own heaven-on-earth slice of Lake Logan Martin in beautiful Alabama, with 2 “chosen” dogs, 2 rescued dogs and 4 rescued cats.

Tana Thompson wrote her first story in the sixth grade, was encouraged by her teacher to continue writing, and didn’t. But the desire remained in her heart only to be reawakened later in life. In the interim, she earned a Ph.D. from Georgia State University and taught computer and management information systems in several colleges and universities around the south. Her last career position was the most meaningful, assisting teachers and staff at the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind to integrate computers into their daily job duties. Her late husband Ken was Vice President at the Institute; together they experienced the exceptional love and devotion of parents, family and teachers working with these exceptional children. The Thompsons also participated in a pet therapy program that saw their two Golden Retrievers, Rambeau and Muttley, form a team that visited nursing homes, classrooms and especially the students of AIDB, where the dogs sensed a “special touch” was required. Muttley earned his “Canine Good Citizen” designation, and proudly wore his official bandana and patch when visiting his special friends.


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