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The Adventures of Zelda: A Pug Tale

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Have you ever wondered what your dog is thinking?

Zelda is a curly-tailed, wrinkly, stubborn pug. But, she isn't an ordinary pug content to eat and sleep her days away. Zelda is always searching for a new adventure, mystery to solve, or squirrel to catch, and her unexpected reactions cause readers to smile and laugh.


The thirteen short stories in this book connect and build into a story arc creating an exciting chapter book for young readers, providing a glimpse into the mind of a curious canine.


But no matter your age, pug fanatics and dog lovers will enjoy the adventures of this enchanting pug who grabs life like a bone and won't let go.

77 pages, Paperback

First published July 23, 2013

881 people are currently reading
546 people want to read

About the author

Kristen Otte

16 books35 followers
Kristen Otte is an author who calls Cincinnati, Ohio, her home. Her mission is to bring joy and laughter to people young and old with stories. She writes books for children, teens, and adults. In her free time, she can be found running, reading, coaching basketball, playing board games with her husband, or walking her crazy dogs, Zelda the Pug and Peach the Boston Terrier.

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5 stars
642 (69%)
4 stars
151 (16%)
3 stars
69 (7%)
2 stars
26 (2%)
1 star
36 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
Profile Image for Barbara Ann.
Author 22 books187 followers
August 16, 2015
Thirteen adventures told in first person by an adorable little pug named Zelda. Poor Zelda begins her life in a kennel and stays there for two years until Hannah and Nate adopt her. Once at home with her two owners and their children, Ben and Lucy, life becomes so much more interesting.

Zelda makes the reader laugh and cry. She relates her struggles and triumphs. Readers learn how she manipulates her owners into rewarding her with treats, how she rescues her family from the mean vacuum cleaner, and tackling the skateboard ramps at the park. As one reads on, Zelda takes us to obedience school, and her lonely experience in pet boarding when her family takes a vacation. I laughed at Zelda’s attempt to make friends with Squeaky, the squirrel, and how she discovered what snowmen and leaf piles really contain. Anyone who has a pet knows what an adventure Christmas decorations and trees can be for pets and their owners. Zelda, like most pets, does not relish a trip to the vet, but she learns an important lesson about herself and her owners from her visit.

This book is a perfect choice for animal lovers. Thirteen tales present a first person fictional mix of humor, adventure, family fun, and seasonal cheer. They can be broken up into short chapters for a bedtime story, class read aloud or used as a beginning reader. Recommended for ages seven and up; great choice for a family read aloud share on a weekend afternoon.
Profile Image for Sterlingcindysu.
1,661 reviews78 followers
October 27, 2020
I'll need to check further when I download a free Kindle. I thought this would be a graphic novel due to the cute drawing on the front, but no. This is a children's book, for ages 7 on up. (But to be honest, my grandson just turned 7 (first grade) and I can't see him reading something this long for a couple years.)

Since I'm unfamiliar with children's chapter books, I'll give it three stars. However I was tempted to remove a star because Zelda's
Profile Image for Randy Shaffer.
Author 6 books13 followers
November 18, 2013
The Adventures of Zelda: A Pug Tale, is a wonderfully enjoyable, light read. The book is filled with cute, amusing and adorable stories that are sure to appeal to dog lovers, especially those with a fondness for pugs (of which I am a fan). The dogs-eye perspective was rather inventive and I loved the alternative insight from the pug (the vacuum story is a real highlight). This one is great for bedtime stories with the kids, but it's also great for adults. Looking forward to more adventures with Zelda, and more from this author!
Profile Image for Lexi.
2 reviews
March 2, 2015
The Adventures of Zelda: A Pug Tale is a very cute and funny book. I am a huge animal fan and I am in love with dogs. The way you made Zelda describe each of her adventures pulled me into the book the moment I started to read it. You can definitely see how much Zelda grows closer to her new owners, and how she reacts to new things. It's interesting how you made her act and think as a dog would. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends and family. I am looking forward to reading The Adventures of Zelda: The Second Saga, to see how Zelda is still doing.
2 reviews
September 17, 2013
Kristen Otte has written a delightful book for all ages. Ever wonder what your dog is thinking? Kristen has captured Zelda's personality, thoughts and perceptions in several short stories. Zelda's struggle with trust issues are handled with care by her loving rescue family. Her thoughts about her Christmas tree, doggie school and the skate park are most likely spot on! Dog lover or not, I believe you will thoroughly enjoy Zelda's antics and zest for adventure in life. Kristen's creative writing keeps you smiling and turning the pages to see what is next. I hope this becomes a series!
Profile Image for Becca Andre.
Author 29 books242 followers
May 24, 2014
My nine-year-old daughter wrote the following review. While reading, she laughed out loud on several occasions and often stopped to read me the especially entertaining parts. I highly recommend this book to any child who loves dogs and great stories about them!

My daughter's review:

This was a good book. I love the fact that it was about your dog named Zelda. I started early in the morning and ended at 9:30 PM. I already started book two, The Adventures Of Zelda: The Second Saga. Can't wait for book three!!!!
Profile Image for Ellen.
46 reviews2 followers
March 17, 2016
Sometimes it's really hard to pick a book or think about reading when depressed. The Adventures of Zelda: A Pug Tale is the perfect pick me up! It really is beyond adorable. You can't help but fall in love with Zelda, her new family, and all the adventures she has.

Only one downside: It'll make you want a pug of your own. Fair warning!
Profile Image for Rebecca.
2,756 reviews36 followers
February 13, 2015
This was a light, cute tale. I think kids would like it, but there's nothing that makes it particularly stand out. Zelda is a cute protagonist and I think it does a decent job of getting into a dog's head.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
857 reviews26 followers
May 24, 2022
Zelda is a pug, complete with the wrinkles, the smooshed-up face, and the sneezes. Zelda is adopted by her new family, parents, Nate and Hannah and children, Ben and Lucy. Zelda's new family soon realizes that Zelda isn't a normal pug and begins to record her stories. Zelda, on the other hand, knows she has a big job - to protect her family from danger - which includes Vacuum, the occasional snowman, and maybe piles of leaves. At least until the safety of such things can be assured.

This was such a cute book, finally revealing the mysteries of the canine mind to her humans. Through the stories in each chapter, which can be read as separate short stories or as a connected whole, we get to experience Zelda's feelings of joy, confusion, and sometimes terror, at the various things in her life. I think my favorite story is when Zelda begins collecting acorns for her new friend Squeaks the squirrel, even though Squeaks doesn't know Zelda is doing it, or that Zelda is a friend.

This is definitely a fun read for anyone who has ever had a pet, whether that pet was of the canine variety or not.
Profile Image for Riski Oktavian.
462 reviews
March 29, 2022
"When I wished for a better life, I never imagined my dream would come true, but my new life comes with challenges." -hal. 2

Buku ini sudah pernah aku masukin ke list TBR di tahun lalu sebenernya terus nggak tahu kenapa moodnya ilang. Dan akhirnya sekarang memutuskan untuk membaca judul yang ini. Dan aku suka karena menghibur dan bisa jadi bacaan yang ringan.

POV nya diambil dari anjing pug (pug itu anjing apa ya kalau di Indonesia, aku kurang tahu juga hahaha). Jadi cerita ini membawa keunikan tersendiri lah dan ceritanya juga fresh. Bagaimana kehidupan ini dipandang dari sudut pandang seekor anjing.
Profile Image for Freda Mans-Labianca.
1,294 reviews123 followers
February 10, 2017
What a cute read!
Zelda is a Pug, and while reading her story, I felt my Pug, Bella, and Zelda could've been related. The stubborn nature, the snoring and the sneezing too, are all traits my Pug has as well. The laughs I got from reading about this Pug were because of the familiarity of my own.
Plus there was a story about where Zelda came from, how her owners came to own her and how she lived, generally-speaking.
Anyone who reads this book is really going to enjoy it.
Profile Image for Linda Galella.
1,039 reviews100 followers
March 1, 2024
Fun for middle readers and families, Kristen Otte’s, THE ADVENTURES OF ZELDA: A PUG TALE, is 13 chapters of puppy love and shenanigans.

Zelda is the star of the book and she’s the narrator, only occasionally reliable but always loveable. After spending her first two years in an unhappy home, she’s rescued by a new family that has 2 kids and loves her very much. Zelda’s life goes from sad and scary to happy and healthy.

Each chapter is about 8 pages long and there are no pictures. This is an actual chapter book with places to take a break within each chapter, if readers cannot complete the whole thing. The chapters are short stories or episodes rather than one continuous story broken down into character POV’s or some other storytelling technique.

Good information about handling, feeding, vet visits, exercise, training and so much more. Young readers will be educated and entertained while reading. Highly recommended 📚
Profile Image for Marc Echstein.
2 reviews
October 11, 2023
I am re-reading this book for the third time! (Lily, 9)

I think this book is very funny. I read it for the first time when I was 8 when I first got my Kindle. My gran and grandpa used to have a pug and Zelda's character reminded me of him. His name was Elvis! I loved the part when Zelda thought that the vacuum was a living creature that was trying to hurt her family and she pulled off the arm to protect them. Zelda is a really clever little pug. It is funny to read the story from Zelda's point of view, it makes us think about our pets differently!

60 reviews
July 15, 2021
I liked this more than I thought I would.
There's not a lot in these stories, but that's okay. I liked the way they were written from the dog's point of view and actually used the dog's perspective in action and interaction - such as slipping off the window sill into the Christmas Tree.
I particularly liked Vacuum. I have that same interaction and I could see it all over my loungeroom, bedrooms and every other room in my house!
Profile Image for Dorothy  Scott.
412 reviews
May 23, 2021
Zelda the Pug

I like the way the author writes about life with Zelda. Zelda is always treated with kindness, which teaches children reading her books the importance of never hurting an animal. This is a nicely written book coming directly from the dog’s view.
Profile Image for Sandra Lopez.
Author 3 books348 followers
November 21, 2021
Meet Zelda, one lucky pug.

In this cute, little tale, we follow the hair-raising adventures of Zelda as she battles a vacuum, goes through dog training, spends a week without her family, and encounters a family cat. All told from the voice of Zelda.

What a nice story!
Profile Image for Dalene Davies.
Author 3 books9 followers
January 15, 2022
I loved this book!

I enjoyed the lively interaction between Zelda and her adopted family. The new world that Zelda explores takes me back when my cats first met snow, leaves, and dogs. This is a great read, highly recommend it!
1 review
January 8, 2024
Whimsical tale from a dog’s perspective

I read this story out loud to my 8 year old boy and he loved it. Gentle plot that allowed us to imagine our own dog and the things it might be doing and thinking. He enjoyed the references to Zelda games. A great slice of life read.
Profile Image for Sandra kulik.
12 reviews3 followers
August 10, 2024
Excellent Book

Maybe you wrote this book for children, but I absolutely loved this book. I'm 76 years old and I really enjoyed Zelda. I laughed so much at Vacuum (the robot) that I actually had tears in my eyes. You are a very entertaining Author. I will recommend your books to everyone. Old and young. Thanks so very much for writing. Can't wait to read anything by you!!
Profile Image for Esperanza.
1 review
September 18, 2017
Best book ever!

Best book ever! I love how it shows Zelda's point of view, and I love dog books. I also love the drawing on the cover
198 reviews6 followers
October 1, 2017
Emma rated a 5. I haven't read to verify this rating.
Profile Image for Heidi.
289 reviews9 followers
October 13, 2020
I read this to my son and he loved it. He loves dog, especially pugs and he love legend of Zelda so this series is perfect. He rated it 5 stars🖤
4,418 reviews37 followers
March 22, 2021
Reminds me of my pug.

Author freebie. Suitable for all ages. Pugs are extremely loyal and devoted dogs. Zelda would be a fairly typical representative of this breed.
1 review
May 24, 2022
This book is amazing! Zelda is so funny.
1 review
Read
January 17, 2023
Amazing

I can't wait for the series to come out! The book was so good that I didn't want it to end!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews

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