Pups make great read

Brandy and Val are two rescue dogs that found their way into a home in Palatine. The Hurricane Katrina survivors are now the stars of a series of books. The “Real Dogs with Real Tales” stories are compact board books with easy-turn tabs that make the books appeal to toddler, entry-level readers and motor-skill challenged children. The pages are photos of the labradors hanging out around the house, doing the things that dogs do. “Brandy and Val” books, by author Ilene Fine, are available for $14.95 at www.amazon.com.