Kids Books: Catie Copley

I found out about these books via Melissa's blog - she recently stayed in Boston at the Copley and blogged about Catie. So cute!

Catie Copley has a very special job - she is canine ambassador at a big, beautiful hotel in Boston. She lives with Jim, who also works at the hotel, and spends her days in the lobby sleeping, eating, greeting people, chasing balls, and sleeping some more.

People are always coming and going and sometimes they need her special skills - such as a really great sense of smell and a dog's-eye view of the hotel - to help them out. When Tess, a guest at the hotel, loses her favorite bear, Catie knows that her moment of canine glory has come. Not only must she cheer up Tess, but she also has to sneak away to find the bear, lost somewhere in the maze of back rooms, before Tess has to go home.

The adventures of Catie Copley are based on the real-life experiences of a small black labrador, originally trained as a guide dog. She had a career change and is now a member of the guest services team at the storied Fairmont Copley Plaza, where she shares her unique brand of hospitality daily. A portion of the proceeds from this book benefits the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind.

Catie Copley's Great Escape

Catie Copley is a black Labrador retriever who lives an unusual life as Canine Ambassador at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel in Boston. Her job includes welcoming guests, taking them for walks, and helping Jim at his job as the hotel's Chief Concierge. Santol, who trained as a guide dog, just like Catie, is her canine counterpart at the Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City, Canada.

Catie, a very lady-like dog, is surprised when, one day, a large, furry, black-and-white intruder snatches her toy lobster and runs away with it. She is taken aback, but once she gets to know the rambunctious Santol they become firm friends. When Jim drives Santol back to Canada, Catie is very excited to go too.

This is Catie's first vacation and her first time in a strange city where they speak a different language. Santol introduces her to a famous goat, a friendly horse, a clumsy juggler, and intriguing new foods and smells. Catie finds that there is a lot of opportunity for adventure... maybe a little too much adventure.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book in America will be donated to NEADS / Dogs for Deaf and Disabled Americans, based in Princeton, Massachusetts. Since 1976, NEADS has trained more than 1,000 service dogs to assist deaf or physically disabled individuals. For more information, please visit the NEADs website. A portion of the Canadian proceeds will be donated to mira, based near Montreal, Canada. The mira Foundation trains more than 150 guide dogs each year to help people with visual, auditory, and physical disabilities.