Bøger af Jennifer Foreman de Grassi Williams

Book number 10 is about an unusual animal, a Yellow-bellied marmot, a rock chuck. Upon adopting such an unusual critter from a houseful of rescued and exotic birds, I knew it was love at first sight. Sunshine looked like a funky brush. Her front legs were wallaby-like, and stubby black legs were buried under her very Buddha-like belly. She looked at me, let out a few chirps, and home we went to begin a life of terrorizing our cats, begging for avocados, squeezing down vents, escaping to the outdoors, and nipping the ankles of anyone that entered her territory. Her shrill whistle was like a fire alarm needing batteries. When she was in the mood, I could cradle her and she would 'purr', kitten-like. I learned so many things from her that I could relate to my life as a teacher: Risk is inherent when you allow yourself to step out of your own comfort zone. The hope is that when you give yourself permission to do it, you are that lifeline to something that really needs you, human or animal.

Book number 13 is my attempt to communicate a more intimate picture of squirrels that share their backyards and forests with us. Not everyone likes squirrels, but hard to find anyone who doesn't think they aren't fun to watch as they play, aren't amazed at how quick and adept they are, and can't at least admit that they are pretty darn cute! If you think that friendships can be forged with these little tricksters, I am here to say yes you can. Their forests are a personal domain they protect, nurture their families, and spend their days having fun. We can learn much by watching these spirited, clever and charming mischief-makers that mostly want to have fun!

This story, done in rhyme, is a testimony to not judging something by its exterior. Otis came to us by accident when a friend mentioned that a sweet potbellied pig baby was forced to live in a small area between two buildings in her apartment complex, and the owners gave permission for Otis to be removed and taken to the Williams home to be adopted. He was resourceful, clever, intelligent, ingenious, and quite resilient in never giving up on trying something over and over again. It was also surprising to me how strangers would comment that he wasn't very pretty, when I thought he was stunning! It seemed unfair to judge him so quickly. And indubitably as the years passed, the adage 'beauty is only skin deep' would not apply to him at all. He continually revealed himself to be a complicated and multifaceted, sentient being. Each layer of his self, from complex calculations for great escapes, to the steadfast loyalty he showed to his family, would confirm just how beautiful he was, layer by layer, and to his very core.

Book number 8 is about our very own pet dragon, an Iguana named Diego. It is funny how animals end up in a household.Sometimes there is a grand scheme and lots of planning, and other times, by luck or chance, an opportunity happens. Iwasn't looking to have an Iguana, though I always admired their very prehistoric good looks. There happened to be anad, in which someone was looking to rehome their very large Iguana, because the husband had his pet banished to thegarage. The man liked his Iguana, and had him since he was 6" long. The now 4 foot lizard intimated his wife. Anyone who knows an Iguana realizes that they can stare at you without blinking an eye. The wife found this unnerving as she never could figure what Diego was really thinking. As a matter of fact, I was sent to the garage to meet Diego by myself, and there he was looking at me from behind his giant glass aquarium. For me, it was instant curiosity, admiration and love. Life with what nature had allowed us to experience in his handsomely primitive beauty, was also witness to how he could weave his innate andinstinctive behaviors, into our lives.

Book number 14 is about two loyal and lovable dogs who were the catalyst that cemented the love of family. Dogs communicate so many things through their trusting and loving eyes. They say I trust you, and you can trust me to be loyal, kind, dutiful, uncomplicated, by your side always and forever, forgiving and loving. Simply put, dogs choose us. While a dog's life is short in comparison to ours, and the pain of losing a dog can be an unbelievably hard journey, anyone who has everloved a dog would do it all over again just to feel that kind of loyalty and love given so freely by nearly all dogs.

This story, in rhyme, is about two very special, quirky, and loving felines, Andy and Spooky, who found their way to the Williams house years ago. Each was a stray that just showed up. The question of where they came from or who they belonged to, initially, was never answered. Andy came first and found himself having to share the house with a number of other cat friends and a surfeit of animals that lived in the Williams menagerie. When Spooky came on the scene it took several years for him to trust the Williams family, until he started shadowing Andy cat everywhere, and saw that Andy liked the Williams'. The day Spooky followed Andy right into the house, we knew he had been initiated into our family. Sometimes it was difficult to allow the five felines that lived with us to roam freely through the neighborhood and down the back hill to the creek where all kinds of raccoons, foxes, and birds of prey journeyed. But this is the autonomy that cats require, as they are free spirits to their core and seek adventure in everything they do. There were few incidents that made us worry about the hours that the cats were out exploring, until the evening Spooky disappeared (forever), and then Andy cat three weeks later. Untold hours of walking, driving, and searching desperately finally yielded only a few clues as to the disappearance of these precious cats. A coyote in the area was the suspected culprit. Searching is one thing. Reconciling the facts is another. Remembering is forever. All animals are special in their own right, but those that become our pets are rarely forgotten. And those that make their way into the center of our hearts leave a terrible void when they cross the rainbow bridge. Andy cat was such a guy. To think of Andy cat is a mix of painful longing to hold and kiss him, and also a joy in knowing that we were lucky enough to of had him in our lives.

The Williams family continues to share their home with a plethora of unwanted, rescued, injured and orphaned animals. Some are kind and soft, while others are smelly and can bite. All of them, quite unconsciously, teaches us invaluable life's lessons. The mostly true stories are done in rhyme, which will be appealing to a younger audience, or to parents/grandparents who continue to give the gift of storytelling to their families. Each of the stories includes a factual guide, veterinarian approved, about how to care for these amazing of nature's sentient beings. Volume 1 includes stories about turtles, tortoises, rats, a piggy, a ferret, cats, and even a beloved doll. The easy-to-read text will bring giggles and some tears. The artwork will lead to its own conversation.