MEET CAESAR AN ELDERLY DOG WHO LOVES HIS GARDEN AND THE GNOMES WHO LIVE THERE!

For the last book by Cindy – VOICES IN MY HEAD – this review wrote, ‘There are many as kinds of poetry as there are those who write poems and Cindy J. Smith is an example. Not trained as a writer she simply shares her musings that have found special places in her memory as she has traveled through many jobs and many experiences. According to her biography on the books cover, `Cindy Smith was raised in upstate New York. She has worked a variety of jobs during her life–waitress, store associate, certified electronic technician. She is currently employed as an over-the-road truck driver. Cindy has lived is many states from Maine to Florida. She now resides in Indiana. Through all her experiences, she had voices in her head dictating poems. The voices would not relent until Cindy wrote the poems down. She invites you to eavesdrop.’ Now Cindy turns to children’s poetry and succeeds quite well with a fine assist from illustrator Erika M Szabo.

The rhyming is charming and allows her story about Caesar and Lori and the fairies unfold at a comfortable pace.

I’m an old retriever named Caesar
Lori Simpleton is my owner
We live in Ohio on a farm
It is my job to keep all from harm

When not working, I run, hunt and play
My favorite time is early May
‘Cause that is when the sweet bluebells bloom
Delicate end to Winter’s
deep gloom.

So begins the adventure, summarized as follows; ‘Caesar lives on a farm with his owner, Lori. Caesar is a retriever who loves playing in the field of bluebells while protecting the farm. Lori puts two gnomes in her garden for decoration. Caesar thinks something is not right about them. The next May when Lori and Caesar visit their bluebell field, it is destroyed. The fairies are worried. Their queen is missing! Caesar knows the gnomes are involved. Can Caesar find the Queen and fix the mess?’ Well, of course he can – and does and that is the fun of this dear little story. Grady Harp, July 16

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