Eoin Colfer is an Irish Children's Laureate. His new book, The Dog Who Lost His Bark, is a poignant, uplifting story of a young boy, his new puppy, and the power of music to heal.
This short novel boasts beautiful hand-drawn, emotive and detailed illustrations which bring the story to life for young readers.
These pencil drawings are the work of Irish illustrator, PJ Lynch who is the fourth Laureate na nÓg, Ireland’s laureate for children’s literature.

An Irish Middle Grade Illustrated Novel
Today I'm delighted to introduce you to this new children's book by Eoin Colfer, which has recently been released in the United States, and is a collaboration between these two Children's Laureates. Plus I have a copy of the book for one lucky reader to win.
But before I share details of how to enter the giveaway, let's first learn more about the little puppy who lost his bark and the creators of this beautiful book.

About The Dog Who Lost His Bark By Eoin Colfer:
This is a sweet story of a young puppy and a boy who eventually find each other. Before they can be friends for life, they must first learn to trust one another, and overcome their loneliness together.
Here is a story told from the point of view of both main characters.
Oz, the little puppy has a difficult first few months of life. The people he meets are very unkind, from the man who bred him, to the lady and her husband who bought him as a Christmas present for their selfish son. It was here that poor Oz lost his bark. He learned that if he made any noise, he would not get fed.
Eventually these terrible people abandon him, leaving him alone in a strange place. Oz ends up in an animal shelter, feeling sad, scared and all alone.

Excerpt from The Dog Who Lost His Bark courtesy of Candlewick Press
Oz remembers his mother's words...
"Don't worry, she said, Someday your boy or girl will come. A human who is right for you. And that human will take you to the wonderful outside. That is the best thing for a dog".
Patrick, a young boy who is longing for a dog of his own, finds Oz at an animal shelter. He's staying with his mother and grandfather while his father is away for the summer, playing music with a traditional Irish band in Australia. The young boy misses his father and feels lonely and confused.

This is the story of a puppy who endures abuse at the hands of nasty people and of Patrick, a young boy who longs for a dog for all the right reasons. Is he the perfect boy for Oz and will he help this quiet puppy find his bark again?
Music is the powerful tool which helps bond these two friends together. I love how this story underpins the importance of music in all our lives.
An Uplifting Story:
The illustrations in this book are beautiful. They are emotive and help convey the challenging reality of a discarded puppy.
They enhance the story narrative and help illustrate the important message for children, that puppies are for life and not just for Christmas.
This may be a difficult topic for readers younger than nine, but I believe it is important for children to learn about the commitment involved in owning a dog.
This story affirms the power of love between a boy and his dog.

We learn how this little puppy becomes frightened of barking and afraid of humans. He must relearn to trust so that he can grow to love the boy who he was meant to be with. Together they embark on a journey of discovery, hope and love.
This truly is a heartwarming read for any animal lover, and especially for older children thinking about asking for a new puppy.
This book is a quick read, and a touching story about the bond between a boy and his dog, who truly do need one another.

Where You Can Find This Book:
This book is available on Amazon, and Author's Website
You can learn about Eoin Colfer's work on his website.
And PJ Lynch's work can be seen here.

The Giveaway:
One lucky reader will win a copy of the book, The Dog Who Lost His Bark by Eoin Colfer and illutrated by PJ Lynch.
To enter just leave a comment on this blog post by noon ET on Sunday, October 27th, 2019.
Any comment will do. What you write does not affect your chance of winning, but if you need inspiration why not tell us about your favorite pet or if you are an animal lover.
A winning comment will be chosen randomly. Remember to leave your e-mail so that I can contact you should you win. Your e-mail won’t be published, just used to contact our lucky contestant for mailing of the prize.
The winner will be announced on Sunday, October 27th, 2019, at the bottom of this blog post.
You may check out Irish American Mom’s complete terms and conditions for sweepstakes’ entries by clicking here.
Many thanks to everyone for stopping by to check out this book giveaway.
Feel free to share this little raffle with family and friends.
And many, many thanks to Eoin Colfer, PJ Lynch and Candlewick Press for sharing this charming Irish children's book with us today.
Update – Winner Chosen On October 27th, 2019:
Our lucky winner has been randomly chosen using the Pick Giveaway Winner Plug-in for WordPress.
And the lucky reader is ….
Joan
I’ll send Joan an email to help coordinate mailing of her book.
A big thank you to everyone for supporting this Irish American Mom giveaway by leaving comments. And many thanks to the good folks from Candlewick Press for sponsoring this prize.
Here are some other children's books you might enjoy:
Books by Boystown Press
Kelcie Murphy and the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts
Irish Children's Books
The Greenest Wind
The Hadley Academy for the Improbably Gifted
Slán agus beannacht,
(Goodbye and blessings)
Irish American Mom
Disclosure: I received a free, advanced copy of this book for review purposes. This post reflects my honest and unbiased thoughts about this work, The Dog Who Lost His Bark.
Text copyright 2018 by Eoin Colfer.
Illustrations copyright 2018 by P.J. Lynch.
Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, Mass., on behalf of Walker Books, London.
Other posts you might enjoy ....
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- An Irish Tour Following in the Footsteps of Saint Brigid
- Did You Know These 7 Authors Were Irish?
- Kelcie Murphy And The Academy For The Unbreakable Arts
- In Memory Of An Irish Dad
- Roots and Wings By Brendan J Nangle
- Learn How To Cook With Guinness
- Oliver Goldsmith - Anglo Irish Poet
Marilyn
Sounds like a beautiful story. Thank You for the giveaway.
Marilyn
Joan
Thank You for this giveaway. This book looks like a lovely story.
Joan
Marion
What a great story to read for young and old. Thank You for this generous giveaway.
Marion
Sheila McTeague
How wonderful are the drawings and story. Would be perfect for my grandchildren since their best friend is their dog Cassie! Thank you for this opportunity .
Susan Hagen
A touching perspective; lovely written; very well done
Michele
Would love to win a copy of the book for my granddaughter. She loves all animals great and small!
Geraldine McGovern
So cute! I would love to read this to my grandchildren. If I don't win I will buy the book.
Evelyn Edwards
Looks like a great book!
Rachel Brown
Looks like a cute book.
Jeff
I can identify with Patrick and his desire for a friend. I also know how important music can be in bridging gaps in life. The artwork also looks very good!
Kathleen Maxwell
We recently had our daughter’s dog for 6 months, a Frenchie rescue, while they lived in China. He was not a barker. The book illustrations are beautiful. Thank you for the giveaway.
Judith Pete
"The Dog Who Lost His Bark" looks like a charming book for my little grandson. He has two big dogs who love him very much and are much loved by him. I intend to look for other books by this author, Eoin Colfer. Thank you for making us aware of his work.
Julia Thompson
What an inspirational book for all ages. So, sad animals have to endure this type of treatment at any age. Glad he found his forever home.
Maureen Koebel
A sad, but heartwarming story. If I win, I will give it to my daughter who teaches fifth grade.
Thank you for passing along the potato soup recipe. It looks delicious. I'll be printing it out for my binder. Now I'll be sure to buy an immersion blender; I've been putting it off. I so enjoyed the puréed soups on my last visit to Ireland. I made sure to order soup almost every day for lunch 🙂
Veronica Koebel
I teach elementary school. This book would make a lovely addtion to our classroom library 🙂
Also, thank you for the Traditional Irish Potato Soup recipe!
Karen
I am familiar with Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl books, but did not know he wrote for younger readers. Can't wait to read this story. Thank you for your review.
Lorraine Bunker
Sweet book ❤️
Bob Moore
Great theme! Adorable illustrations!
Jean Mahoney
This sounds like a lovely book. Thanks for offering it.
Maurice
Looks great.
Kathleen M Griffis
This would be a wonderful book for my six year old grandson. He is now wanting a puppy.
Terri May
Thanks for providing information on this lovely book.
Maureen Harrington
Sounds like a terrfiic story for our granddaughter Thank you
Susanna James
Beautiful illustration! Would enjoy seeing more from illustrator!
Mary Asaki
This lovely book combines my two non-people loves- Children’s Literature and books of, about, and by Ireland.
Joe Cullen
Would love to win this! We have an adorable little dog named Lucy who lights up our home!
Nancy McTernan
Looks like a good book. The illustrations are beautiful.
Deirdre OBrien
Sounds like a wonderful story. Great to read to the grand kids!
Lynn
Thank you for this book recommendation; I'll definitely check it out. I'm always on the lookout for a good book about kindness and hope to read to my students, especially those in need of social skills. I missed seeing the giveaway, but I'm interested in buying the book, so I'm glad it will be available in America.
During the summer, I volunteer at a day camp for children in foster care, where animals are brought in and the children are taught how to treat them with kindness. It's amazing to see how the children, who have not always been treated with kindness in their past, are so tender with the animals. It gives us hope that cycles of generational abuse and neglect may be broken with those experiences. I can't imagine a world without animals, and am so glad God blessed us with them, in so many varieties. They are blessings in so many ways.
Irish American Mom
Hi Lynn - What wonderful work you do during the summer, volunteering to help children in foster care. It's lovely to learn they get to interact with amazing animals during their time at camp. Animals definitely give us so much love and attention, and it's wonderful to see how an animal can awaken our tender, loving side. I worked in nursing homes for many years, and pet therapy day was always a big hit with our residents. It's amazing how a friendly dog can bring a smile to our faces. Even those with severe dementia smiled when a dog with a wagging tail approached.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Kiera
Thanks for meaningful sharing about this book. I will find it for my son to read.