One morning in September 2011, a large crowd gathered at the shore in Huntington Beach, California. The people had come to watch dozens of surfers ride the rolling ocean waves. This wasn’t just any surfing competition, however—the surfers were dogs! With more than a thousand fans cheering the competitors on, an English bulldog named Sir Hollywood rode a long wave and was declared one of the winners. Surf dog competitions are fairly new, but dogs have been riding surfboards with their owners for fun since the 1920s. In Surf Dog Miracles, kids will meet the talented dogs that learn to balance on a surfboard, recover if they almost fall off the board, and even surf backward. Some surf dogs raise money for charity, while others can help people with disabilities ride a wave. Packed with real-life stories and full-color photos of these special animals, this book is sure to be a favorite of dog lovers everywhere.

Everyone knows that dogs are man’s best friends. But the stories in this collection prove that canines can go beyond best friend—to four legged angels. Whether thwarting muggers, rescuing entire families from life-threatening fires, roaming over hundreds of miles and perilous conditions to return home, or communicating—and connecting—with their owners beyond the physical world, dogs are truly miraculous creatures. These amazing stories will delight and inspire dog lovers everywhere. Each of the extraordinary dogs truly demonstrates the meaning of love, as their devotion and good deeds illustrate the very real bond between dogs and people.

The Sunday Times bestseller ’Are you ready, Max? If anyone’s going to help me do this, it’s you.’ The heart-warming tale of a life-saving friendship.

Heartwarming true stories of lost dogs finding the way back home, relying entirely on amazing canine intelligence and instincts Four-Legged Miracles is a collection of wondrous lost-and-found canine sagas—actual Lassie, Come Home tales—that highlight dogs' remarkable abilities to return home despite almost unbelievable odds. Brad and Sherry Steiger have collected dramatic, carefully documented true-life anecdotes that showcase canines' amazing intelligence, courage, and sometimes seemingly supernatural powers. Often, there are no sensible explanations for how the dogs overcome obstacles like natural disasters and fierce wilderness areas, predators, grievous injuries, and more to find their human families. These fascinating reunion stories include: --Mason, the white terrier who crawled home on two broken legs to what remained of his family's tornado-ravaged house --Buca, who sat on a hill over Utah's Rte. I-15 for two months waiting for the car he knew would bring him home --Eddie, the beagle, who walked 450 miles over four months to reunite with disabled four-year-old Jimmy, inspiring the boy to work harder on his own recovery. Four-Legged Miracles will tug on readers' heartstrings, but it will also discuss common reasons dogs disappear, how to get a missing dog back faster, the dog-human bond, and the science behind some of the amazing journeys these dogs endure. Chock-full of happy endings, Four-Legged Miracles lends insight into dogs' hearts and minds, and is a treat for any animal lover.

A moving collection of amazing stories that will make you laugh and cry, show just how much dogs bring to our lives.

One of the warmest, funniest, and most delightful Christmas stories ever—from Pulitzer Prize-winning author Dave Barry. With fond nostalgia, Dave Barry takes readers back to a simpler time: The year is 1960, and young Doug Barnes is playing a shepherd in the Christmas pageant at St. John’s Episcopal Church—which is a very big deal. But there are problems everywhere. His fellow shepherds are misbehaving, which makes their director, Mrs. Elkins, yell at all of them; the girl he likes is playing Mary opposite a Joseph who is depressingly smart, athletic, and cute; the family dog is doing very poorly, and they have no idea what they’re going to tell Doug’s little sister, Becky, who’s playing one of the Host of Angels and who loves the dog more than anything; and his dad’s just gotten a flat tire, which means they might not even get to the pageant after all. But Christmas is a time of miracles. And for Doug and his family, this will be the most miraculous Christmas of all.

A heartwarming look at the spiritual bond between animals and humans.

Puppies are well known for being furry, cuddly bundles of joy. But some of these tiny four-legged friends are miracle workers, too. Puppy Miracles tells the story of fifty amazing puppies, including a Labrador retriever who rescues a woman from an icy river, a German shepherd puppy who saves a baby from a fall down a steep flight of stairs, and a Border collie who runs for help after his owner suffers a near fatal injury.The heroic deeds in this remarkable collection prove that these extraordinary animals are capable of touching the soul, healing the heart, and achieving miracles.

Contains fifty true stories of ordinary animals that have performed extraordinary feats, including rescues, acts of heroism, and interventions.

This true story of Ruuxa the cheetah and his best friend, Raina the Rhodesian Ridgeback, will leave readers moved and forever changed. Ruuxa, born with front legs that grew crooked, and Raina, diagnosed with terminal cancer, have a friendship like no other. They prove that miracles can and do happen when you have a best buddy by your side. This book from San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Press is one of the award-winning Hope & Inspiration Series and received an Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) Benjamin Franklin Gold Award for Young Reader Nonfiction.