Mr. Bob & his Magic Ride

Bob (Varazs Summer Solstice) born August 22, 1995 is the inspiration and model for a children's book called, Mr. Bob's Magic Ride in the Sky, written and sketched by his owner, Karen Johnston. It was published in 2002. The book is now sold out although there are some used copies still available. I thought it would be nice to repeat the promotional information about the book and especially about Bob since he recently turned 13.

Reprinted from Chapters.Indigo.ca:

From the Publisher

"You don''t have to call him Mr. Bob, some people just call him Bob the Dog. But no matter what you call him, you''ll want to join him in his magical ride in the sky. Mr. Bob loves to spend his days watching the world around him. He loves to wonder what it must be like to be one of the other animals that he sees and how the world must look to them. One day, Mr. Bob makes some new winged friends who carry him into the sky to see what the world around him looks like from up above. Young readers will love this sweet tale about he amazingly detailed pencil illustrations that accompany it."

From the Jacket

"Meet. Bob.

Bob the dog to some,

Mr. Bob to others.

Here is his story and the tale of how his dream took flight.

Bob had a dream. He dreamed of flying. And one day, with the magical help of some friendly birds, his dream came true."

"Through incredibly detailed illustrations, the story of a dog with a dream takes shape. Karen Johnston has captured the essence of an endearing canine as he stares out the window of his home, gazes out of the car, always looking up at the sky. Both children and adults will be captivated by the artwork and enchanting tale of this wistful dog."

"About the Author

Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, Karen Johnston attended the Ontario College of Art before becoming a graphic artist and art director. When she became a stay-at-home mother, she dreamed of writing and illustrating a children''s book. When she is not drawing, she creates mosaic frames and clocks. She has lived in Nova Scotia for the past six years but has recently moved back to Ontario. Karen loves taking long walks with her husband Doug, daughters, and her two Viszlas, Bob and Rita."

Recently I wrote that Bob turned a lucky 13 years old and I asked Karen to send me some photos since I haven't seen Bob since he attended Sasha's 12th birthday party 3 years ago. Bob has become much whiter but is still as sweet and handsome as ever.