Calling all dog lovers! Happy Dog Therapy Appreciation Day! Please welcome Wendy Goldstein to Frog on a Blog! It’s a real treat to have Wendy here today to talk about her picture book Oscar’s Blue Bandana, which she both wrote and illustrated. The book stars her very own adorable dog Oscar, a Havanese, who is a real-life therapy dog. Wendy and Oscar visit kids at a cancer treatment center in New York City and a home for children and their families who receive care at New York City hospitals. Oscar’s story melts my heart, and I know it will warm yours as well. Let’s hear more from Wendy!

Congratulations on the publication of your adorable picture book Oscar’s Blue Bandana! Tell us a bit about the story and what inspired it.

WG: Oscar is a playful and talented Havanese dog. He loves to make people smile by showing off his many tricks. When Oscar and I were given the chance to become a therapy dog team, we were so excited. After all, Oscar proved he would be a great therapy dog during his visits to my father when he was in the hospital. But on therapy dog test day, Oscar froze! You will need to read Oscar’s Blue Bandana to find out what happened next.

Oscar’s Blue Bandana was inspired by Oscar’s journey to become a therapy dog. Although the book is fiction, it is based on fact. I became inspired to write the book after realizing that once you tell a story over and over, it should be written down and shared widely.

Why do you believe Havanese dogs make great therapy dogs?

WG: Any breed can be a therapy dog, but the dog must be well-trained, calm, friendly, and comfortable with new places and people. The Havanese traits tend to match these requirements. The breed is often described as happy, loving, playful, and social. They are also known to be highly intelligent, easy to train, and eager to please. Oscar fits this description. I also believe that Havanese likely have a genetic disposition to being therapy dogs as, historically, they were used as circus dogs who entertained Cuban royalty.

What route did you take to publish your book—traditional, self-published, hybrid—and why?

WG: I chose to self-publish Oscar’s Blue Bandana for two main reasons. First, it was very important to me that I was able to write and illustrate the story. Second, I wanted to control the timeline. My goal was to publish the story now while Oscar is fully engaged as a therapy dog.

How did you decide to illustrate the book yourself?

WG: As I was writing and editing the manuscript, it became clear that I would need to illustrate the book to ensure that the pictures depicted the actual events. I did not want the illustrations to fictionalize Oscar’s true journey. Oscar’s Blue Bandana is narrated in the first person by Oscar. The colorful, whimsical art reflects Oscar’s playful, childlike voice and is designed to bring joy to the reader.

What do you hope kids will take away from reading Oscar’s Blue Bandana?

WG: My hope is that this book will encourage kids to follow their dreams, act from the heart, and never give up.

Are you working on any more books? Will we see Oscar again in future picture books?

WG: My intent is that Oscar’s Blue Bandana is the first book in a series known as The Oscar Tales.

Where can people go to connect with you online or learn more about your books, about Oscar, and about therapy dogs?

WG: People can connect with me through my author website at www.Oscartales.com. The website includes fun information about Oscar, his habits, and personal favorites. The website also has activities for readers, such as coloring pages, word scrambles, word searches, and bookmarks. It also includes great videos of Oscar performing some of his tricks. Information about therapy dogs and how to register with a local therapy dog organization also is provided on Oscartales.com.

You can also follow Oscar’s adventures and his work as a therapy dog on Instagram at Oscar_myhavanese.