Wooffer is a collection of thirty-three animal adventure stories for children, originally written by Betty Fasig for her family. The central character is Wooffer, a furry dachshund puppy that “Mom,” the author, receives as a surprise Christmas gift from her fun-loving family.
A host of animals grace Wooffer’s pages, including Old Agnes the mouse, thoughtful and protective Margaret the hen, Marygrey the pregnant rabbit, a proud and endearing peacock named Cho Lee who loves to strut and falls in love with a quail. , and best friends Ibie the Ibis and Maudie the horse.
The stories are carefully arranged in chronological order, up to the season. It even includes a Christmas story! This is a book about a puppy who changes the opinions of those around him, wins hearts, and becomes a heroic and trusted friend. Wooffer earns the respect of all animals for miles around and becomes a legend as he grows up.
Generally warm, funny, and upbeat, Wooffer also tackles real-life issues like movement, loneliness, earning respect, discerning the truth of what’s being said, getting lost, beating bullies, and more.
Having spent a few years on a farm in my youth, I see real germs in relationships with animals and I can verify the strange and wonderful links that happen between species. The epilogue provides a pleasant closure by revealing how all the animals still return to the same area annually and spend time with Wooffer and his friends discussing old times and having new adventures.
From time to time various adorable hobbyist drawings of farm life and adventures are inserted that are sure to entertain the kids. The cover is a photograph of the inspiration for the main character, the author’s dog, which gives the book a more realistic feel than a characterization or drawing could have.
The underlying theme of the book is that no matter how small a person may think they are, or how small a thing they can do, they can make a difference in the lives of those around them. And this is an encouraging thought.
Wooffer is an excellent bedtime story book, but is best enjoyed when read to groups of children. Written in such a way that the reader can easily characterize animals and situations with their voice, the book is sure to bring giggles of joy to groups of children. As such, I think Wooffer would make an excellent addition to bookshelves in libraries, schools, nurseries, and the like.
ISBN Number: 1-4137-5587-9
Author: Betty Fasig
Publisher: Publish America