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A new children’s book, co-written by Jeanette Thomas of Red Beach, features her rescue dog, Benny.
Jeanette works at The Breeze radio station and the book, Ernie and the Magic Kennel, is named after the station corgie.
“Ernie is our CHO – chief happiness officer,” she says.
Ernie was the inspiration that got Jeanette and co-author Robert Rakete started on the book.
“We wanted to write a book to raise money for charity and were having a chat about a topic when Ernie waddled in,” Jeanette says. “We just knew he was the answer!”
Jeanette’s family dog Benny, rescued from Silverdale Animal Shelter two years ago, is the other star of the rhyming picture book.
Although Jeanette trained as a journalist, this is her first book and she says she and Robert worked together on the story, bouncing ideas back and forth. “Making it rhyme is harder than it sounds,” she says.
The illustrations, by Kimberly Andrews were the icing on the cake.
The book tells the story of the two dogs going on an adventure in a magic kennel and Jeanette says it’s about family and ‘finding your tribe’.
Publishers Scholastic also publish the popular Wonky Donkey and although Jeanette says she and Robert are not up to that standard yet, they are super excited to see the book published – partly because all author proceeds go to the local dog rescue charity Saving Hope Foundation and Duffy Books in Homes.
Ernie and the Magic Kennel is published on October 1 and will be in all good book stores as well as erniethebook.com
Win this book
Hibiscus Matters and Jeanette Thomas have two copies of Ernie and the Magic Kennel, published by Scholastic NZ, to give away. To go in the draw, ‘like’ Hibiscus Matters on Facebook and message us your name and contact phone number with ‘Ernie and the Magic Kennel draw’ in the message. Or, write your name, address and daytime phone number on the back of an envelope and post to Ernie and the Magic Kennel Giveaway, Hibiscus Matters, 21 Florence Avenue, Orewa 0931. Entries close Friday, October 16.
