Richard Halliday’s interest in creative writing was sparked by his bachelor’s in college. With a B.A. in English Literature and Creative Writing, he was always on the lookout for a story that would inspire him to start writing. His life changed
when Jasper made an entry into his life. Jasper had a story to tell, and Halliday wanted to tell it!
Jasper’s antics deserved a novella, but Halliday had to settle for a book. Co-authoring with a dog was a hard feat to accomplish. Jasper would often get distracted by the clicking of the keys and slobber all over the keyboard. Many pages (and laptops) later, “Jasper the Wonder Dog” was finished. Halliday’s fresh take on a serious topic was received with open arms by the dog fiction community. The creativity behind the words can be easily noted in the voice that Halliday gives to his dog. The illustrations are the icing on the cake, walking young readers through the many stages of a dog’s life.

The author’s explanation of three instances encourages a reader to adopt a dog for themselves. The first is the description of a dog’s feelings post-abandonment, the second is its joy upon finding a forever home, and the third is dealing with the death of a beloved pet. Parents often look for books that illustrate, in a simple manner, concepts that are hard to explain to young children. If you want to prepare your child for the passing away of a pet, this book is the one to go for! The author currently resides in Rancho Polos Verdes, CA, enjoying his retirement with his wife Sherrill, Bella the puppy, and Shadow the kitty.