Smorgasbord Book Reviews – #Children’s #GreatDanes Joyful Trouble by Patricia Furstenberg

I enjoyed reading Silent Heroes by Patricia Furstenberg and I needed some canine therapy as I wait to be allowed to roam free again, and picked up one of her children’s books, Joyful Trouble.

This turned into a trip down memory lane, as much of the action takes place in Simon’s Town Naval Station where my father was based 1963 -1965 and where I went to Saturday morning cinema each week and to Christmas Children’s Parties. Including the excitement of seeing Father Christmas arrive by helicopter.

About the book

A humorous read about an incredible dog and how he found his true, yet unexpected calling.
A dog. A friendship. A purpose.

Proven to warm your heart, “Joyful Trouble” is a fast-paced, engaging and funny story.

Patricia Furstenberg paints a charming portrait of the bond between a small girl and boy and their much-loved Grandad. This book takes readers on an unbelievable journey, tackling universal themes and voicing animal rights and the importance of fighting for what is right.

When a Great Dane arrives in a Navy base nobody expects him to win everybody’s hearts, although breaking some rules along the way. But things soon turn sour as somebody threatens to put him to sleep. Who will stand up for this four-legged gentle giant?

A charming celebration of innocence.

My review for Joyful Trouble

This is a lovely book for all ages, but particularly for children as they are introduced to not just Joyful Trouble and his extraordinary story, but also dogs in general with their amazing abilities and their special bond with humans. This involves some valuable lessons on how best to treat man’s best friend with kindness and respect with the wider view as to how we as humans should behave towards each other.

Great Danes are massive dogs and when they get into trouble, it is difficult not to miss it. Joyful has already bonded with a little boy who goes to boarding school, leaving his best friend behind, which leads to the dog wandering the town and connecting with sailors from the naval base and accompanying them on their trips into Cape Town on the train when off duty. Clearly not appreciated by everyone including grumpy ticket inspectors.

However, a high ranking naval officer sees a solution and this leads to the true story of the enlistment of Joyful Trouble into the Royal Navy. There are several escapades that follow, and it is a wonderful story of how animals and humans find companionship and solace in a time of war, when young men leave home and find themselves in a very rigid and unfamiliar environment. Anyone who has ever been owned by a dog will love the book as well as the characters of Grandad,Tommy and Ana, who are the delightful recipients of his stories of this wonderful dog he was given responsibility for.

At the end of the book, as an added treat, there are some recipes for Vetoek a traditional fried dough bread and some delicious sounding lemon and cinnamon cookies. There is also an introduction to the poem Jock of the Bushveld that will delight any child as they sample the cookies.

Read the reviews and buy the book: Amazon US

And: Amazon UK

A small selection of other books (some in Afrikaans) by Patricia Furstenberg

Read the reviews and buy the books: Amazon US

And: Amazon UK

Read more reviews and follow Patricia: Goodreads

About Patricia

Patricia Furstenberg is a multi-genre author, poetess and mother. With a medical degree behind her, Patricia is passionate about history, art, dogs and the human mind. “Silent Heroes” is her 13th book and her first contemporary fiction novel. So far Patricia wrote historical fiction, poetry and children’s books. All her books have one common denominator, dogs.

What fuels her is her fascination with words and coffee. She is the author of the bestseller Joyful Trouble and a prolific writer working on her next novel already, a historical fiction. Will it feature a dog as well? Only tme will tell. Patricia lives happily with her husband, children and dogs in sunny South Africa.

Connect to Patricia.

Blog: Alluring Creations
Twitter: @PatFurstenberg
Facebook: Patricia Furstenberg Author
LinkedIn: Patricia Furstenberg Author
Pinterest: Pat Furstenberg

I hope that you have enjoyed my review of Joyful Trouble and I can recommend it as a wonderful story for all ages, but particularly the younger members of the family.