James Beverly is a modern day Aesop with his endearing short stories of Seamus the kind and gentle Sheltie who guides children into the learning of life’s difficult lessons. In the Book More Tales (Tails) of Seamus the Sheltie, with the help of Seamus, children are exposed to topics such as, how t... more

James Beverly is a modern day Aesop with his endearing short stories of Seamus the kind and gentle Sheltie who guides children into the learning of life’s difficult lessons. In the Book More Tales (Tails) of Seamus the Sheltie, with the help of Seamus, children are exposed to topics such as, how to handle a bully, the illness and death of a loved one, stealing and its consequences, dealing with strangers, keeping yourself safe, and how to handle feeling different. Many of the topics addressed within these short stories are difficult ones for adults to approach with children but James Beverly uses Seamus as an ambassador to understanding. The stories are filled with Seamus’s friends, creatures, children are sure to come to love. The creature’s language, unique to the Tales of Seamus is sure to be loved by children, as they will feel Seamus and his friends come to life. Children will learn while listening to their family read the stories. This book is sure to increase the bond between parent and child or reader and child. The beautifully detailed drawings by Anita Miles bring the characters to life. The drawings help young children visualize the story to a greater degree. A perfect addition to the book! Included in this book are discussion questions for each story. These questions will help the reader guide children to a deeper understanding of the story and lesson. These questions encourage the reader and the child to talk about the topic(s) embedded in the story in a gentle way. Talking about difficult topics will make the child more comfortable and lead to them asking their own questions. Beverly also includes a summary of each story and the Life Lessons and Values each story addresses. This makes it easy for the reader to pinpoint the topics addressed and allows the reader to select the stories as needed. It is not necessary to read the book from cover to cover but allows you the reader to select stories appropriate for the child or children you are reading to. Children will certainly want to hear more, but this book gives you options. I loved that Beverly included this section! It is very reader/user friendly! As a teacher I will be able to share these Life Lessons and Values with my students, through Seamus’ Tales. Many children often times don’t get this level of conversation at home. If every parent had this book, children would learn through Seamus how to be kinder and gentler to each other, the world would be a far better place.

James Beverly has created a wonderful book for both children and parents with his new book “More Tales of Seamus the Sheltie”, a follow-up to his first book The Adventures of Seamus the Sheltie. Not only has Beverly created a lovely book, he has created a way for parents to bond with their chi... more

James Beverly has created a wonderful book for both children and parents with his new book “More Tales of Seamus the Sheltie”, a follow-up to his first book The Adventures of Seamus the Sheltie. Not only has Beverly created a lovely book, he has created a way for parents to bond with their children and become more involved in their lives. Each of the adventures we share with Seamus a life lesson is brought to light. With topics ranging from adoption, stealing, bullies, to behaving, illness, and death each teaching the child invaluable lessons that will help them through out their life. “More Tales of Seamus the Sheltie” is as charming as it is educational, with adorable illustrations by Anita Miles of the much loved lead character the one and only Seamus. James Beverly has added a wonderful cast of critters from his own backyard that complement each of the exciting adventures that Seamus encounters. James Beverly also has carefully created a language just for Seamus and his friends and has included the translations in the back of the book. “More Tales of Seamus the Sheltie” is truly a book that all parents should own and read to their children. With questions and discussions included in the back of the book, “More Tales of Seamus the Sheltie”, is an amazing book that will help you to understand how your child is feeling. With each story only being about ten pages long it’s the perfect book for young readers. “More Tales of Seamus the Sheltie”, teaches so many wonderful life lessons and helps to installs morals that no parent should be without copy. Kudos to James Beverly for creating a book that teaches children to do right.

As a follow-up to his first book, The Adventures of Seamus the Sheltie, James Beverly has created another wonderful way for parents to connect with their children and also provide them with important life lessons. Beverly is obviously well qualified and experienced in knowing the scary challeng... more

As a follow-up to his first book, The Adventures of Seamus the Sheltie, James Beverly has created another wonderful way for parents to connect with their children and also provide them with important life lessons. Beverly is obviously well qualified and experienced in knowing the scary challenges of childhood and has paved a compassionate way for learning and encouragement. The very act of reading out loud is a bonding experience for parent and child and the stories of Seamus are rooted in the realities of life tempered with great imagination and fun. Beverly also exhibits an obvious love of dogs and an uncommon understanding of their behavior and what they add to our lives. The basis of the stories in Beverly’s new book, More Adventures of Seamus the Sheltie, come from parents who, no doubt, have struggled with the issues, values and lessons that lie at the heart of each story. The focus of both books is that understanding is an antidote for fear and leads to a kinder world. The wise parent will recognize that their children will encounter many and perhaps all of the challenges and value issues found in the books. The Seamus stories allow the imaginative parent to be proactive in preparing their children and giving them tools to deal with these challenges and make right decisions. James Beverly uses a dialect for his hero, Seamus, which is endearing and fun. Dialect in a book can be an obstacle but Beverly’s is easy to master by the adventurous parent or even older sibling or grandparent. The discussion guide at the end of the book is concise but complete enough to guide a parent in a discussion. He achieves the right balance between explanation and brevity. John C. New, Jr., DVM, MPH, DACVPM Professor and Head Department of Comparative Medicine College of Veterinary Medicine University of Tennessee