Fido and Friend in FIve: Anne Bowen and River!

I Know and Old Teacher

Anne Bowen

I have possibly mentioned once or twice that we have a plethora of talented authors here in Utah! They range from young adult to middle grade to nonfiction to picture book authors. One of my favorite picture book authors (from Utah or anywhere) is my good friend and fellow dog mother, the prolific Anne Bowen. Anne is an inspiration to many of us with her strong work ethic and wicked sense of humor. If you want to know just how "wicked" her humor is, look no further than her book, I Know and Old Teacher, and Tooth Fairy's First Night. And she just loves her dogs and her family, which is reflected in her books, I Loved You Before You Were Born and When You Visit Grandma and Grandpa. Her forth coming picture book, Scooter in the Outside, about an adventurous, lovable dog was inspired by her four-footed friend, River. Let's get to know Anne and River
a little better in today's spotlight!

1. How did you and River find each other?  My son and his wife asked me to take care of River for a few days, then a week, two weeks and soon, River and I became inseparable. As their lives became more involved, my son's family agreed to let me adopt River. It was a good situation for everyone. They could see River whenever they wanted and River and I could see each other all the time!

River

2. What makes River's tail wag?  When River sees me putting on my running shoes, he knows what's going to happen next. He stands at the door, arffing and aaaroooing, which means, "Hurry! Let's go outside now!" The two of us in the outdoors beneath a blue Utah sky makes us both very happy.

3. What' your all-time favorite dog story?  It's not really a story. It's a poem by Mary Oliver, and I think she captures the essence of dog so well. Here's a few lines: "A dog comes to you and lives with you in your own house, but you do not therefore own her, as you do not own the rain, or the trees, or the laws that pertain to them. A dog can never tell you what she knows from smells of the world, but you know, watching her, that you know almost nothing."

Tooth Fairy's First Night

4.  If River could change just one thing about you, what would it be?  It would be that all I ever do is run or hike with him by my side. We's also stop for a bone along the way.

5. In five words, tell us what you and River mean to each other:  I'm River's girl. He's my boy. (sorry, that was six!)

Thanks Anne and River!  To find out more about Anne and her books, visit her website www.annebowenbooks.com  And
watch for her River-inspired book, Scooter in the Outside !