Truman the Dog is an early reader chapter book that was a great choice for our grade school aged children. They enjoyed this book which is the first in a new series called My Furry Foster family. It was a great introduction to what fostering a dog can look like, for both the family that is fostering and the challenges that the dog may encounter during this process.

Florence did a wonderful job of sharing the triumphs and struggles of both fostering and also the process of finding a forever home for the animal which can feel bittersweet in many ways. I appreciated that it showed that not every family is the right fit for a foster dog and how important a decision choosing a forever family, and forever pet really is.

This story was engaging and also educational and our kids found it very enjoyable to read. The glossary at the end of the book was an extra bonus and we especially enjoyed learning more about the real-life Kaita who fosters animals with her family. We look forward to reading the next book in the Furry Foster Family series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Capstone Publishing for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I chose this book because last year I became a foster mother for the first time. Of course, my husband and I failed right off the bat. We were too sad to think of her leaving us and after about 3 weeks we made the decision to keep Donut. We THOUGHT we would be able to continue fostering but she decided she didn't want any other animals around. One day we will have to have the aggression trained out of her but right now, I help the shelter by walking dogs and running their Instagram. I loved this book because it shows children the importance of helping animals at a young age. It showed the steps that are taken and what could potentially happen. Hopefully it gets through to many kids out there who grow up to be responsible adults.

A lovely early read for children. Akita and family adopted a dog previously and have been asked to foster Trumanuntil he gets his forever home. A wonderful story about the escapades Truman gets up to and letting go of a pet so he can be happy with his new family. A great book to teach children about responsibility with animals, the art is lovely and fits in perfectly to keep young readers interested. Little ones will love this and be eager for the next.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Truman the Dog is the first in The My Furry Foster Family series of young reader books,

Truman is a black Labrador who needs a new home. The Happy Tails Rescue have asked Kaita’s family to foster him while a new home is found.

He is shy at first, but Kaita and Ollie The dachshund son make him feel at home. After a few little escapades, where Truman found trouble, he settles down and Kaita learns all his little foibles so they can find a perfect family for Truman. This is an absolutely charming tale all about showing love to animals and the love they give back.

The illustrations are so cute and fit the story perfectly. I loved the extras included after the story itself, there is the background to the tale, a glossary and activities to complete. Perfect for young readers around 5-7 years old.

I would like to thank the Author/the Publishers/NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book for free in exchange for a fair and honest review

The newest series by Debbi Michiko Florence is perfect for young readers. My Furry Foster Family tells the story of how Kaita and her family decide to foster pets instead of adopt a new one. Truman the Dog is the first in the series and it addresses the highs and lows of fostering a dog. Kaita and her family learn that while fostering can bring great joy, it also brings a fair bit of trouble.
We love Kaita and her family and friends and it wasn't hard to fall in love with Truman either. Already looking forward to the next!

This is a nice early chapter book for kids about a girl and her family who foster a dog named Truman. It's well written and has an interesting premise. I think my main complaint is that it seems very young. The main character is eight, which I suppose gives you an idea of the book's audience, but even so, I thought the story was a little simplistic. Compared to, say, Kate DiCamillo's Mercy Watson series of chapter books, this one wasn't really challenging (the glossary of unfamiliar words in the back might be helpful for kids... but only if they don't know what words like "adopt" and "veterinarian" mean). I also didn't entirely buy the ease with which Kaita was able to give up Truman when it came time for him to go to his forever home; I have my doubts as to whether an eight-year-old would be able to let go so easily, without any tears. (Kaita is inspired by a real-life little girl, so perhaps the fictional Kaita's reaction was based on real life. Still, I would've liked to see the characters face a little more difficulty with this part of the story, since such a book might inspire a kid to want to foster an animal and they need to be prepared to have to give it up at some point.)

The illustrations are colourful and cute. I just wish there were more of them. There are only about two per chapter (and each chapter is around ten pages), so it made the book seem quite heavy on the text. Despite the simplicity of the story, the high text-to-picture ratio might be intimidating for some early readers.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by the writing (even though it was simple, it was done well) and the interesting topic of fostering animals. The illustrations are fun, too. I'm not sure if I'd recommend it or not (I foresee whines of, "Can we foster a dog? Please?") but maybe this book would work for kids who already have pets and/or already have experience with fostering.