Bullmina the Courageous Bulldog

By Lita Eitner-England and Lita England

Book Overview

Lita Eitner-England's first children's novel about Bulldogs takes place in England during the 1830's. Taken away from an ideal life on the Duke of Chathamworthshire's estate, Bullmina is forced to breed champions for the greedy Fortie Billingsley. When Fortie's head trainer, Andrew Cameron is ordered to kill the Bulldog, he makes a heart-wrenching decision and sets her free. Abandoned in London, Bullmina learns to live by her instincts. Bloody and near death, she is rescued by eleven-year old Lisette St. Germaine. Lisette falls in love with Bullmina only to have her heart broken when Bullmina is stolen by greedy thieves and forced to fight in the dogfight pits. Bullmina's triumph becomes the triumph of dogs everywhere because they will never be forced to fight in the dogfight pits again. With rich, complex characters, Eitner-England paints a realistic picture of the miserable conditions dogs had to endure. The book is also about the decisions people make and the consequences of those decisions. Realizing that owning a dog can be expensive and time-consuming, Eitner-England has included a section at the end of the book with thoughtful questions about ownership and rescue should any of her readers decide to rescue a dog themselves.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1418445096
• ISBN13: 9781418445096
• Release Date: July 2004
• Publisher: Authorhouse
• Length: 312 Pages
• Weight: 1.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.0" x 9.0"
• Age Range: 9 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 7

Customer Reviews

A must for all bulldog lovers!!

I know this is titled a "children's book," but I bought two copies for adult bulldog friends of mine. They love the book and are already asking when Lita plans to write a sequel. I understand that her next book will soon be in production, and I definitely plan to be first in line. This is a wonderful book, and I highly recommend it.

Reviewer: Nancy Morris, Allbooks Reviews

Genre: Youth Title: Bullmina the Courageous Bulldog AUTHOR: Lita Eitner-England The Duke of Chathamworthshire was very proud of his Bulldogs, both for their fighting skill in the bull-baiting ring, and for their innate beauty and breeding potential. But on the night his prize dog gave birth to a litter of five healthy pups, his heart overflowed with pride. The most beautiful of the pups was the strong and determined Bullmina. The only female of the litter, Bullmina was loyal to her master and protective of her brothers. She was adored by the whole family, from the Duchess to the many young nieces and nephews that would visit the estate. Bullmina was so handsome and strong; the Duke looked forward to breeding her, but in a foolish night of drinking and gambling, he bets his precious pet and loses, to a far less scrupulous dog breeder than himself. From then on, Bullmina's life becomes a battle to survive, going from the safety of one home to the despair of homelessness or worse: struggling to live in the heinous underground world of dog fighting. The spirited Bullmina wins friends wherever she goes, but will she ever find her way home? This is a very well written novel for the young reader that maintains a sense of maturity and responsibility often missing from books meant for this age group. The characters are vivid and authentic, right down to the feisty Bullmina, for whom the reader will greatly empathize, while not having to endure any over-personification. As an added plus, the book gives the reader both a history lesson as well as a lesson in ethics, with a realistic account of the barbaric ritual of dog fights, followed by a chapter on the history of Bulldogs. There is also a chapter on what to consider when buying your own dog, and how to care for it when you do and some lovely illustrations by Leslie Hoops-Wallace. Lita Eitner-England was born and still resides in California, where she is the proud owner of the Bulldog that inspired the story, Tiffy. She is also a mother and a writer, with degrees in Sociology and Television and Film. She is currently working on a sequel to this novel. This is wonderful book for the 8 to 12 crowd, though perhaps some caution should be given to the very sensitive child, particularly if they are an animal lover. Bullmina is certain to capture their hearts. Reviewer: Nancy Morris, Allbooks Reviews.