Steve Schneider’s new book, The Doodles and the Legend of Tall Bear, is a heartwarming and thrilling story about two abandoned doodle dogs who are rescued from a bear’s cave and join a struggling middle school baseball team with their puppies, bringing hope and happiness to the worst team in the world.
This is an outstanding book for children ages 8-12, teenagers, young adults and all readers who love dogs and enjoy inspirational sports fiction, exciting adventure stories, and books about hope, happiness and heroes. It’s a real page-turner!
The Doodles and the Legend of Tall Bear is available HERE —>
Read this dramatic excerpt from the beginning of the book.
CHAPTER ONE — Abandoned
December
The doodles were lost and afraid, battling for their lives in a blinding snowstorm that had shut down the entire region.
One dog was black, and the other was brown. They were abandoned at dawn by a stranger in a wilderness they had never seen before, in weather they had never encountered.
It had been a long ride. Neither dog liked traveling in a car, and they were happy when it came to a stop. But without warning they were yanked out the back door and onto the cold, snowy ground. Then the driver sped away into the distance without saying a word.
The black dog was a five-year-old goldendoodle named Haley; the brown dog was a three-year-old labradoodle named Summit. Half-sisters by birth, they shared the same mother, who was a loving black poodle.
Dogs instinctively know when something is wrong. Haley’s sixth sense for trouble was better than most. Naturally skittish, she jumped when a leaf fell nearby. Haley turned to Summit with a look of despair. At this moment, they needed something to eat and drink. It had been more than 24 hours since they were given those essentials.
Haley and Summit were dropped in a farmer’s field near a dense forest. They were surrounded by a curtain of white that felt like an impenetrable wall, and struggled to see beyond their noses. The rising sun was barely perceptible on the horizon. Not knowing which way to go, they decided to move in the only direction that made sense—forward.
They arrived at the tree line after a long walk, and then started their climb to the top of a large hill, unaware that their target was the highest point of a long mountain ridge. Visibility was poor during their three-mile ascent, and the swirling snow made it difficult to navigate the rocky landscape. They were exhausted as they reached the summit, and took a break for a much-needed rest.
Dusk was approaching and the temperature was dropping. Haley and Summit had to find shelter for the night, and luckily discovered a small alcove carved in a rock face a few yards away. That little space would provide some protection from the elements. They cuddled up together to stay warm, and fell asleep quickly. Almost two days without food and water was taking its toll.
Unfortunately, they were unaware of a new threat rapidly advancing from afar.
Here are the author’s favorite quotes in the book:
1. “You make your own magic when you believe in yourself,” Coach Luke told his son, Juan, when Juan was wishing for some magic on the baseball diamond.
2. “If dogs and baseball do not lift the American spirit, then I don’t know what does!” exclaimed the Waltham, Massachusetts, mayor at one of Juan’s baseball games.
3. “Mileposts in motion do lead you to someplace special,” Juan realized after he saved Haley and Summit from a bear’s cave a long way from home.
4. “The Doodles have always been the wonders of our world,” Juan said to a reporter after a big game. “I’m sure you and your teammates are the wonders of their world, too,” replied the reporter.
5. “Help the Needy, Rescue the Abandoned, and Preserve the Peace.” When you find this phrase in the book, you’ll understand its importance to the storyline.