The Puppa-na-Wuppana Series: Living the Puppa-na-Life

By: Cindy Koebele and Lori Weaver
Illustrated by: Michael LaDuca
Publisher: Koebele Weaver Enterprises
Publication Date: July 2016
ISBN: 978-0990920229
Reviewed by: Holly Connors
Review Date: November 29, 2016

Puppa-na-Wuppana (or just Puppa to those who have trouble pronouncing the full name) is a cute little beagle puppy with a magical nose. That nose is great at smelling all sorts of goodies and often gets him into trouble. Readers are sure to have lots of fun as they tag along with Puppa, who shares his tales in this early-reader chapter book.

Living the Puppa-na-Life is the first in a planned series of books about Puppa-na-Wuppana. In this first book, we meet Puppa and follow along as he learns and grows, gets into all sorts of trouble and is often saved by his loving human family.

The story begins with Puppa being adopted by his new family and then howling the night away in a lonely crate. The crying worked wonders as Puppa is soon sharing a warm bed with his two human brothers. Puppa soon learns about potty training, what he can and can't chew in the house, and how to play "hide and seek" with Keekers, the family cat.

Puppa's nose is very talented at smelling out all sorts of things from where Keekers is hiding, to where a box of chocolates are stored. Frequently that nose gets him into trouble, particularly when he finds various food treats that he is not supposed to eat. How can a puppy resist all those great smells?

Told in the first person by Puppa, this story is a charming read with many fun, and funny, adventures. Children will laugh along with Puppa as he recalls his exploits and they may even be reminded of their own dogs too. Add in the wonderful artwork, some of the best I've seen in a very long time, and young dog lovers will definitely want to check out this book.

Quill says: A perfect early-reader for animal lovers.