Released Aug 2020, Kathy Hoopmann’s new edition of All Dogs Have ADHD is updated with all new images and language that reflects a modern understanding of ADHD.
Back in 2006, I had just released All Cats Have Asperger Syndrome, and people kept saying to me, that if cats had Aspergers, then surely dogs had ADHD. It did not take me long to realize how apt that comparison was, and how special a book could come from that comparison. So, through a snapshot of a dog’s frenzied activities, I tried to capture the essence of the highs and lows of life with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and thus, All Dogs Have ADHD was born.
Have you ever owned a dog? All through my childhood, we had dogs and I loved playing tug-of-war and fetch and taking them on long walks and giving them hugs and knowing I was unconditionally loved. Their frantic tails and faithful loyalty are all treasured memories of days past. A more recent memory of dogs is not as rosy. I was visiting my son who happened to have two Alsatians as house pets. At dawn, around 5.30am, on my first morning as a guest, I heard a frantic scrabble at my closed door. Suddenly the door was flung open and two 30kg monstrosities were jumping all over my bed. They took my screams as their own personal love language and slobbered their delight all over my face. Definitely dogs with ADHD!
Fast forward 13 years and although All Dogs Have ADHD was still selling well, the layout was dated and some of the text needing tweaking to represent current views and terminology. The biggest criticism I had was that it was written with male pronouns, and as many girls also have ADHD, they also wanted to see themselves on the page. With these things in mind, I took the opportunity to freshen up the entire book, and revitalized it with all new images as well. Choosing the photos was challenge and joy all of itself. I get the images from Shutterstock.com and every time I create a photo book, I look at hundreds of thousands of animal snapshots. It’s not a bad way to spend your creative time! Try it sometime. Each picture has to be the perfect mix of stunning photography, perfectly matched with the concept I need to portray, and has to have an ‘awww’ factor of 10 out of 10. I narrowed my selection down to around 750 of my favourites, then whittled those down until finally 65 were chosen.
The result is fun and vibrant. Enjoy!
Find out more about All Dogs Have ADHD and order your copy on the JKP website today!
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