Owney, the Mail-Pouch Pooch

OWNEY THE MAIL-POUCH POOCH by Mona Kerby, illustrated by Lynne Barasch. A great book for dog lovers and American history buffs. This slice of Americana is a fascinating storybook for kids who are not quite ready to make the jump to have a novel read to them but want a meatier story than just a 300 word picture book. A recommended read.

In 1888 in Albany, New York a small terrier type dog was caught out in a storm and decided that the post office would be a nice place to get out of the rain. It was night time and he just went in the back door as someone had left it ajar. The next day when the postal workers arrived they found him curled up on some mail sacks. He growled at them but, didn't bite. He was a skinny mutt that no one claimed so they decided to keep him. Owney was now a supervisor at the post office. No rat nor cat would get past him! The men took him home, thinking he'd like a family, but no way. Owney was a postman. One time a sack of mail went missing, right along with Owney, and no one could touch it save a man in a blue wool uniform. He "was not about to turn over government property to just anybody." Owney was into postal trains too and off he went to New York City, making the postal men very sad. Several months later he came home. The men put a note on him that said: Dear Railway Postmen: Owney guards the U.S. Mail. Will you let us know where he has been? Please attach your depot tag to his collar." Across the states and around the world ... in this book you'll find out just where Owney went! This is an unusual biography of a dog who loved the men in the blue wool postal uniforms and became their beloved mascot. This is a heartwarming tale of a dog that will appeal to many. It is well written and researched and the watercolors are as appealing as the tale. There is a brief biography and a couple of pictures of the real life Owney included. This is a marvelous read alone or read aloud story that will thrill everyone. All aboard, here comes Owney!

This is a wonderful, wonderful book. You will not be disappointed that you bought this book and I am sure it will be read again and again and again. Based on a real dog with all sorts of cantankerous characteristics, this is an amazing story. Please don't pass this one by!

Mona Kerby is a friend of mine and it is always great make purchases that friends have created or composed. I bought three copies of Owney as Christmas gifts for young readers and they arrived in time for me to get them signed. Thanks...Jan Knight

By chance one rainy night back in 1888, a starving stray dog found his way into the Albany, NY post office through an open door in the back. Although somewhat perplexed to discover a sleeping dog on top of the mail pouches the following morning, the postal workers let the dog stay, cared for him, and named him Owney. Owney really liked the various smells and activities of the post office, and he became the workers' faithful mail guard, rat catcher, and companion. Not content to just rest on his mailbags, Owney also had an unusual habit of chasing after trains and leaping into the mail cars. He traveled all over the country, and thanks to a clever system with dog tags and a growing national reputation, he always returned to Albany. This appealing and informative story, based on historical records, offers teachers and parents an excellent vehicle for teaching about a subject that children may otherwise find abstract or uninteresting: the economic role of government. The book may even inspire children to take a field trip to the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum, which houses Owney's preserved body and displays a bronze statue of Owney at the front door with a sign to rub Owney for good luck. Motivating children to learn about public sector workers and services doesn't get much better than this.