Gidget the Surfing Dog: Catching Waves with a Small but Mighty Pug

by Elizabeth Rusch

Overview

Meet Gidget, a small but mighty pug who overcame a life-threatening illness to become a world-champion surfing dog. Her story is told with beautiful, eye-catching photography that features adorable canines on and in the water.

This is the inspiring true story of Gidget, a world-champion surfing pug, who grew from a hyperactive handful of a pup to a poised and impressive surfer whose efforts are devoted to charity.

As she and her owner Alecia find their way through challenges including a life-threatening illness, Gidget's story becomes not only about a dog learning to surf and compete in dog surfing competitions but also about making the most of the life you are given and giving back to your community.

Gidget the Surfing Dog is filled with fun and informative science sidebars that help kids understand how waves are formed, how to identify different types of waves, and other aspects of the science of surfing. The book also covers the problem of trash in the ocean—an issue that Gidget and Alecia work together to address.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781632172716
Publisher:	Blue Star Press
Publication date:	04/07/2020
Pages:	48
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 10.90(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	910L (what's this?)
Age Range:	7 - 10 Years

About the Author

ELIZABETH RUSCH has published more than 100 magazine articles for children and adults and 10 award-winning books for young readers, including Ready, Set . . . Baby!; Volcano Rising; Eruption!: Volcanoes and the Science of Saving Lives; and Electrical Wizard: How Nikola Tesla Lit Up the World. Her work has been honored by the Junior Library Guild, ALA, School Library Journal, Kirkus, NBC News, the Oregon Book Award, Washington Reads, and the New York Public Library. She lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband, two terrific kids, and one very funny, quirky dog named Reba.

Editorial Reviews

"Overall the book’s vibe is energetic and peppy, just like its protagonist."—Kirkus Reviews

"The photography showing Gidget and her surfing competitions is charming and dynamic. . . . Readers can’t go wrong with the sheer kid-appeal of a surfing pug."—School Library Journal

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From the Publisher

03/27/2020

Gr 2–4—Gidget is a feisty pug; her owner Alecia tried to keep Gidget from destroying the furniture. Her methods included goat playmates and agility training. After watching a competition at the beach in Del Mar, CA, Alecia decided to attempt the sport of dog surfing. With a little practice, Gidget was ready to compete. Unfortunately, after her first competition, an underlying health condition prevented the pug from returning to her surfboard. Gidget received a diagnosis, began treatment for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, and made a full recovery. She went on to become a world champion dog surfer. The narrative is interspersed with information about surfing, the mechanics of waves, explanations of surfing jargon, tips for introducing one's dog to surfing, and cartoon-like illustrations. The photography showing Gidget and her surfing competitions is charming and dynamic. The story of Gidget is quite simple and concludes with an environmental message to help keep the oceans clean, as well as a list of Gidget's dog-surfing accolades and a brief note about Team Gidget's new focus on charity. VERDICT The storytelling is unsophisticated, but the photography is exciting. Readers can't go wrong with the sheer kid-appeal of a surfing pug.—Kelly Topita, Anne Arundel County Public Library, MD

School Library Journal

2019-12-08
An energetic pug named Gidget learns to surf and goes on to become a champion at canine surfing competitions in this true-life story.

Gidget was an intelligent puppy with boundless energy, so her owner took her to agility classes and then on to training in surfboard riding. The dog's training regime with her owner, Alecia, is described in detail as well as the specifics of one competition. Gidget's story is illustrated with photographs of the pug in her bright pink life jacket atop her pink surfboard along with other canine competitors and their owners. Interspersed throughout the story are sidebars and a few full pages with additional information about surfing, wind and waves, competition rules, and Gidget's list of surfing competition wins. The sidebars are illustrated by Ryan with cartoon-style details, with a cartoon pug character adding levity. Gidget's owner and most other dog trainers present white; one trainer presents Asian. Two surfer boys with physical disabilities are included in one internal photograph, repeated on the back cover. The book's design is a bit fragmented, toggling back and forth between story and informational interludes, and Gidget's appearance in her photographs can be confusing as she doesn't always look like the same dog due to different lighting conditions and wet fur.

Overall the book's vibe is energetic and peppy, just like its protagonist. (resources, author's note) (Informational picture book. 7-10)

Kirkus Reviews