Jo-ann D. Lefner

You Are Who You Are Jo-ann D. Lefner

Puppies are like children and need to be loved and accepted. For all those children who feel awkward, or for those children who make fun of awkward children, You Are Who You Are,the story of Cooper the English Bull Dog, is a charming reminder about the importance of kindness and acceptance. Cooper is an ungainly puppy who not only trips over his own paws, but is decidedly larger than the other puppies in the litter. Despite his mother's promises that he will one day grow as tall and strong as the oak tree, he feels awkward and alone. When Cooper goes to his new home, he makes a brave effort to befriend the wild animals who share his yard. Sadly, none of them can see beyond the big feet and stumbling gait. Cooper seeks solace in the lap of his new mother who, sensitive to his unhappiness,echoes the message of his first mother: that he will someday grow to be like the majestic oak. But Cooper's isolation continues. That is, until the oak tree in his yard speaks to him and takes him under his branches.