Media Backgrounder
History of DreamDog Press and Jazz the DreamDog®

Rhyming Life Lessons for Your Children
- A Message from Rainey

Working with children, both as an attorney/advocate and as a teacher in the classroom, I find myself wondering who is teaching our young children the lessons that will remain with them the rest of their lives. When I was young, Captain Kangaroo and Mr. Rodgers taught my generation to be kind, how to share, and how to be a good friend. Sesame Street, invented a funny vampire puppet to teach generations to "Count." Ernie and Bert taught friendship lessons. And, for years, children have learned from zany characters created by Dr. Seuss. But today, who fills these roles?

The next generation learned from Barney, whose huge success in the early '90's with teaching toddlers and young children relates to the fact that kids believe they are playing while they are also learning. By making up songs and dances, Barney conveys his message. But who picks up the lesson when children reach ages 4 to 5 and begin to tire of the big purple dinosaur? Who will take these children through their next crucial stage of development?

There is currently a gap for young children who need to learn the ways of the world. Children today need new characters for a new age. The teachers I grew up with seem dated, tough to relate to, yet they are still around (except Dr. Seuss, who is timeless). Who will teach our young children life lessons? Our children need and deserve a new teacher. Get ready for the way our next generation will be learning...

Jazz the Dream Dog® and The DreamDog Kids

As with Barney, children will learn without even knowing they are. But, The Rainbow Kids experience all the joys and traumas of the average kid, no sugar coating, just real life lessons. Sometimes, when they get stuck, they talk to Jazz, the magical neighborhood doggy who speaks to them with a touch of a paw, a knowing nuzzle or quick lick. Jazz has the ability to communicate with children and to help them figure out the often complicated world they are just beginning to discover. When things just don't make sense, Jazz steps in and gently gives the kids clues to figure out the solution.

Does Jazz represent the child's emerging conscience in a growing, developing child struggling to learn right from wrong in a crazy, confusing world? Perhaps, but for now, it's enough that she is a cuddly, irresistible dog that children can relate to, a self-esteem builder that always shows children that the answer and the strength to solve anything lies within themselves. Jazz merely mirrors back the child's own instincts and shows them what they already know. Jazz helps children learn: "The Magic is in You!"™

How DreamDog Got Started:

"Hmmm…thought Jazz, that must be it.
The reason the haunting and moaning won't quit.
Those monsters you see have no place to roam;
all that they need is their very own home.
And, you found them a new place to live,
that was the best gift you could possibly give."

"Then she heard a hiss from the silvery snake,
the same noise that used to make Angie shake.
But, she waived good-bye and blew him a kiss
and said to herself, "Oh I can do this!"

So, DreamDog books will instill important life lessons, social lessons but most importantly a sense of self worth, self-esteem and confidence that today's children so desperately need.

But, all that said, each DreamDog book in the series donates 25% of the profits to organizations that promote the social issues addressed in each book.