Poor Teddy: The True Story of a Poodle Named After a Noodle is a children’s animal story book written by Lisa DePriest and illustrated by Ignacio G. Teddy never expected to be tied up outside an animal shelter door, all by himself. It was frightening, and he was hungry and scared. Teddy growled whenever anyone came by, but he was only saying how frightened he was, and he never did try to bite. The shelter workers cleaned Teddy up and gave him lots of food and love, and eventually he was moved to the adoption area. Teddy would get excited whenever people came by and dash furiously around his cage, but no one seemed to want to stay and get to know him. This made Teddy sadder than ever. Then Lisa, who worked at the shelter, came up with an idea. She brought him into her office when she was working. He would sleep peacefully on a chair while she worked. Then the best thing ever happened; one day, Lisa took him home. But would he be able to stay? Lisa already had two rescue dogs and a cat. And Louis wasn’t at all interested in adopting another animal.

Poor Teddy is a heartwarming tale about a neglected dog who was abandoned at an animal shelter. I had an instant affinity to Teddy’s story as Ciaran, my Labrador retriever, had a similar story. He was found hiding in the bushes outside the animal shelter when he was a few months old, and he was still too frightened to even leave his cage when we tried to meet him. We brought in our other dog to meet him, and he finally felt safe enough with her to come home with us. I’ve always wondered what it must feel like for a dog to wonder how bad they could have been to be cast off like that. Teddy’s story is a marvelous one, especially because it’s a true story with a very happy ending. Ignacio G.’s illustrations are wonderful, especially the ones that show Teddy beginning to smile and learning to be a happy dog again. Poor Teddy is a great story to share with kids who are about to adopt a furry friend. It helps them understand the fears and insecurity a rescue dog may feel, but above all, it shows how a rescue dog's loving nature is just waiting for a chance to come out and show itself. Poor Teddy: The True Story of a Poodle Named After a Noodle is most highly recommended.

Poor Teddy: The True Story of a Poodle Named After a Noodle is a heart-warming story written by Lisa DePriest and illustrated by Ignacio G. One day, Teddy is found tied to the shelter door. He’s hungry and malnourished, as well as dirty and missing large patches of hair from his body, looking nothing like the elegant French poodle he’s supposed to be. After feeding and grooming him, the shelter workers put him on the adoption floor, but everyone ignores Teddy as they focus on the cuter dogs instead. After months of trying to have him adopted, without success, one of the shelter workers, Lisa, takes him home for her friends to meet Teddy but they cancel because of bad weather, leaving Teddy to spend the night at Lisa’s house. The only problem is that when morning comes, Teddy doesn’t want to go back to the shelter...

Poor Teddy follows a simple formula in children’s storytelling. It presents a problem at the beginning of the story after which characters are introduced that try to solve the problem, with a solution ultimately reached at the end. Not only does Poor Teddy teach young readers about problem solving, but it also teaches them about acceptance and that every living thing is worthy of kindness and attention. DePriest also teaches children – and adults – about the intuitiveness of animals – no easy feat considering she’s doing it in rhyming narrative.

The purpose of an illustration is to clarify and, in some cases, to elaborate on the narrative. Ignacio’s colorful illustrations have a life of their own. The illustrations, especially those of Teddy, express emotions brilliantly. As each illustration unfolds, the reader can see Teddy get better until he begins to blossom into an active and healthy little dog. Sometimes, illustrations also have the ability to elevate a relatively simple story to one that is fascinating, and such is the case in Poor Teddy. Poor Teddy is the perfect bedtime story. Engrossing and educational, it teaches young children some solid life lessons.

What would you do if you were suddenly abandoned? Left without a home or someone to love you? Poor Teddy: The True Story of a Poodle Named After a Noodle by Lisa DePriest is a heartwarming story of a puppy that learns about unconditional love. When volunteer Lisa met Teddy, he was a lonely little poodle, tied to the door of the shelter. At first, poor Teddy was rather grouchy with his new companions, not ready to trust anyone or make any friends. Scared and covered in mange, Teddy was not the cutest dog at the shelter; he also didn't win any personality awards with the visitors. As time goes on, Teddy begins to wonder if he will ever find a home or someone to love him. Will Teddy ever find a forever home? Can he let go of past hurts to find love for a new family?

Poor Teddy: The True Story of a Poodle Named After a Noodle by Lisa DePriest is an adorable children's picture book about a shelter dog learning how to love again. This book is a beautifully illustrated story about love, patience, and compassion, reminding us that love comes in many forms, and in many surprising ways. The story is upbeat and engaging, with a lyrical voice that makes reading the book aloud entertaining. I appreciated the underlying message of hope and enjoyed watching Teddy blossom as the story progressed. This book is perfect for the whole family, but especially little children as it is written for a younger audience. I would recommend this story to those readers contemplating adopting a shelter animal.

Poor Teddy: The True Story of a Poodle Named After a Noodle, by Lisa DePriest, is a children’s picture story book about a homeless animal who was abandoned and badly treated. Taken to a rescue shelter, Teddy is restored to health, yet no one steps forward to adopt him. Will Teddy stay in the shelter for the rest of his life, or will a kind hearted person take him home?

The story deals with animal abandonment on a child’s level, allowing the young reader to sympathize with lost, stray and sick animals. It carefully builds the case of caring for another animal, even though it doesn’t belong to anyone. What I found interesting was that this was not a quick fix type of tale. Rather, it unfolded relatively slowly, bringing about a more realistic feel—sometimes animals have to wait a long time before they are finally adopted. But then the ending brings happy feelings and so all is well.

The art was colorful and bright, detailed and well presented. The poetic style fitted the story well, allowing the words to carry the engaged reader from one page to the next. I think that Poor Teddy: The True Story of a Poodle Named After a Noodle, by Lisa DePriest, would be suitable for children wanting a pet of their own. This could help them to understand the possible background of any animal they may choose to adopt. And by carefully thinking about the animal they want, it could lead to the best choice of all. Highly recommended.