Title: Corky Tails – Tales of Tailless Dog Named Sagebrush – Sagebrush and the Smoke Jumper
Author: Joni Franks
Illustrated by: Raquel Rodriguez
Publisher: XlibrisUS
Pages: 38
ISBN: 978-1-6439-5414-4
Genre: Juvenile Fiction / Animals / Pets
Reviewed by: Beth Adams
Pacific Book Review
In Sagebrush and the Smoke Jumper, the second of a series of Corky Tails – Tales of Tailless Dog Named Sagebrush, author Joni Franks brings the devastation and destruction of a forest fire to the lives of the characters introduced in the first episode, Sagebrush Meets the Shuns.
Apparently a real fire in Colorado sparked the imagination of Joni Franks to write a lovely children’s story about the time a forest fire broke out in the Rocky Mountains, nearby to the cattle ranch of the Little Miss, the owner of Sagebrush, a tailless Welch Corgi puppy and the best friend any little girl could ever have. As Sage alerted the Little Miss to the smoke, they were busy preparing the cattle to be led to safer pastures when they noticed a man parachuting into the thick of the fire – he was a smoke jumper.

While fighting the fire, a little tiny girl Shun names Juniper Berry was forced out of her tree hollow and was frantically seeking safety and a new home when she came across the campsite of the smoke jumper. There she cuddled up inside a backpack with a soft flannel shirt, only to be discovered when the man returned to eat. After being properly introduced and without any fear, they both were enjoying each other’s company and discussing the tragic cause of the fire, which could have been prevented.
The story progresses on and eventually all came to a happy ending, which is characteristic of Joni Frank’s books. The moral of having good things come from even the worst of tragedies provides a foundation of hope and demonstrates kindness in a memorable theme. This book is a clever and enjoyable bedtime type of story. The Shuns, a tiny race of people only inches tall, received a new member for their village. The Little Miss’ cattle ranch escaped danger, all the animals were okay and Sagebrush had come to the rescue of everyone. One illustration in particular caused me to pause and admire the skill of coloration, as on page 14 artist Raquel Rodriguez painted the orange and black of a fire in the distance so realistically it reminded me of what I witnessed just a few weeks prior to writing this review with the fires in Northern California. These illustrations, along with the skill of wordsmith Joni Franks create this engaging children’s story, making this episode of Tales of Tailless Dog Names Sagebrush to once again become an excellent addition to any youngster’s library. For a puppy without a tail, Sagebrush now has two published tales, and looks as if there are more to come.
