What do you think?
Rate this book
Zip & Milly: Big Water #1-7
Dear Human,
My Human, the Old Lady (that’s her name) is a Russian scientist. Old Lady made a big scientific discovery: found the key to my eternal youth. Or even to immortality, if we like.
Old Lady made herself immortal first. I don’t blame her. Next, Martha-the-White-Rat. Then, me and my sister Milly—we trace our pedigree through the purest blood lines of Bavarian-born Spaniels. But then she stopped.
My other siblings look all aged by now.
But at my 17, I look no more than three or four. My sister Milly got stuck at puppy age.
We watch the photos of our relatives on Facebook, and we are saddened that Old Lady did not make them immortal too. That she keeps it a secret. And I am so worried about my friend Fox Theodore. He is at the hight of his financial and physical might now, but I know he will age. My best friend.
I once tried to unlock the Secret. Me and Raccoon. (Raccoon’s a human, but he is sort of my buddy.) That turned out to be my big mistake. Lots other Humans came coveting the Secret too, which resulted in a lot of unpleasant and funny stories. More unpleasant.
In the aftermath, Old Lady had to flee and I got misplaced. All my own fault. Now I’m trying to get found.
Have you seen my Old Lady? You’d recognize her: her hands and face are way too young, plus she always clips on her amber brooch. If you see her, tell her where I stay:
7 White Goose Lane,
Ducklingburg, South Duck
United States of America
P.S. Tell her from me that she is the very finest Human in the whole world and that I am very lonely here without her.
Zip, the Spaniel Dog
My Human, the Old Lady (that’s her name) is a Russian scientist. Old Lady made a big scientific discovery: found the key to my eternal youth. Or even to immortality, if we like.
Old Lady made herself immortal first. I don’t blame her. Next, Martha-the-White-Rat. Then, me and my sister Milly—we trace our pedigree through the purest blood lines of Bavarian-born Spaniels. But then she stopped.
My other siblings look all aged by now.
But at my 17, I look no more than three or four. My sister Milly got stuck at puppy age.
We watch the photos of our relatives on Facebook, and we are saddened that Old Lady did not make them immortal too. That she keeps it a secret. And I am so worried about my friend Fox Theodore. He is at the hight of his financial and physical might now, but I know he will age. My best friend.
I once tried to unlock the Secret. Me and Raccoon. (Raccoon’s a human, but he is sort of my buddy.) That turned out to be my big mistake. Lots other Humans came coveting the Secret too, which resulted in a lot of unpleasant and funny stories. More unpleasant.
In the aftermath, Old Lady had to flee and I got misplaced. All my own fault. Now I’m trying to get found.
Have you seen my Old Lady? You’d recognize her: her hands and face are way too young, plus she always clips on her amber brooch. If you see her, tell her where I stay:
7 White Goose Lane,
Ducklingburg, South Duck
United States of America
P.S. Tell her from me that she is the very finest Human in the whole world and that I am very lonely here without her.
Zip, the Spaniel Dog
- GenresDogsCozy Mystery
638 pages, Paperback
Published June 15, 2018
26 people are currently reading
85 people want to read
About the author
Alex Valentine
8 books9 followersDr. Alex Valentine writes what she knows: a little about law, a little about science, a little about love, greed, jealousy and other human conditions — and a lot about Spaniels, Foxes, Boxers and Cats — both black and ginger.
Dr. Valentine's education includes Master's in Journalism, Ph.D. in literature and humanities, and a law degree. Her experience includes twenty-five years as a journalist, working for newspapers and TV, and seventeen years as a lawyer-litigator. Alex is not one person.
ZIP & MILLY: Big Water (Cheetah Press, Spring 2018) is the first book of the trilogy, followed by
ZIP & MILLY: Siberian Adventure (Cheetah Press, forthcoming 2019)
ZIP & MILLY: Amber Rush (forthcoming, 2019).
Dr. Valentine's education includes Master's in Journalism, Ph.D. in literature and humanities, and a law degree. Her experience includes twenty-five years as a journalist, working for newspapers and TV, and seventeen years as a lawyer-litigator. Alex is not one person.
ZIP & MILLY: Big Water (Cheetah Press, Spring 2018) is the first book of the trilogy, followed by
ZIP & MILLY: Siberian Adventure (Cheetah Press, forthcoming 2019)
ZIP & MILLY: Amber Rush (forthcoming, 2019).
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
July 22, 2018
Loved the story as told from Zip and Milly’s voices!
September 15, 2018
I Want More
I really enjoyed this book! In the beginning I wasn't sure what genre or age group it was directed at. The story is told by the dogs which had me thinking it was middle school. But then it changes and becomes a mystery thriller. It is, in my opinion, a multi generational book. There is nothing in it that I found objectionable for older children. It is interesting enough for adults. It was a fun book to read. I am looking forward to the next book. It does end with a lot of questions. The mystery is not completely solved. If you are the type of reader who needs clear endings, I would suggest you wait for the next book to be released to read this.
I really enjoyed this book! In the beginning I wasn't sure what genre or age group it was directed at. The story is told by the dogs which had me thinking it was middle school. But then it changes and becomes a mystery thriller. It is, in my opinion, a multi generational book. There is nothing in it that I found objectionable for older children. It is interesting enough for adults. It was a fun book to read. I am looking forward to the next book. It does end with a lot of questions. The mystery is not completely solved. If you are the type of reader who needs clear endings, I would suggest you wait for the next book to be released to read this.
June 17, 2019
I quite enjoyed this charming book as did my 10-year-old granddaughter. She especially loved that the animals are doing the narration as they try to help their human, Old Lady (that's her name). I really liked the mystery aspect of the book. Wonderfully charming. Now we are hoping for another Zip and Milly book to be released soon.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 29, 2018
THE WISHING SHELF BOOK AWARDS
26th August, 2018
TITLE: Zip and Milly
AUTHOR: Alex Valentine
Star Rating: 3
CATCHY QUOTE
‘‘A vividly-written story packed full of fun characters and amusing plot twists.’ The Wishing Shelf
REVIEW
I very much enjoyed this animal story which follows two dogs on a fun adventure. The writing style is wonderful; in fact, I’d go as far as to say, this author has a gold-tipped pen. Although he enjoys the ‘short’ sentence, the rhythm is always there, and the vocabulary is far-ranging. In fact, the vocab is often so complex, I was a little surprised.
The thing is, when I saw the cover, I thought, ‘This is a book for kids.’ Then I had a look at the blurb and I thought, ‘This is a book for kids.’ Then I opened the book, saw the size of the font and the length of the chapters, and I thought, ‘Yes, it’s for kids.’ Then I started reading it and I thought, ‘Hold on! The language is for YA or even adults.’
All very confusing!
For example, ‘In moments like this one, Fox Theo refused to comprehend the motive driving wildlife from his woods to accept Human friendship. How could one give up this excitement, this passion, the urgent imperatives of an empty stomach that knows not exactly how it will next be filled?’
Now, to be honest, this paragraph is a little clumsy, particularly towards the end. But it’s also very complex with a number of words children would find difficult to comprehend. One of them being the word ‘comprehend’; the other being ‘imperative’. So, you see the problem. Everything about the packaging of this book is yelling, ‘I’m for 7 year olds!’ But the writing style is too complex.
So, I decided to experiment a little. I asked three children, aged 8, 11 and 13 to all read it. As I suspected, they all thought from the look of the cover I showed them, and the look of the text, that it was perfect for them. The 8 and 11 year olds had problems following it; basically, the language was too complex for them. Below is an example they picked out of a paragraph they had problems with:
Under the late Uncle’s ownership, the Forest was kept fastidiously clean; aggressive vegetation was held back, the underbrush cleaned out; even dead and sick trees were helped along. The Uncle was a proud, conscientious Forest owner.
As for the 13 year old, although she followed approx. 50% of it, she felt the story was way too ‘young’ for her. Her words, ‘Animal characters are for toddlers.’
I then passed it to two adults. Both of them agreed from the ‘packaging’ – cover image, title, chapter lengths, font size, animal characters, blurb – that it was probably for 7 – 11 year olds, and not for them. But, when they read it, they discovered many aspects of the story would probably fit YA better, and much of the language was adult level. It was for them! They picked out this as an example:
The schadenfreude of the forest dwellers was in no way dampened by Steve’s blatant cutbacks of his ownership duties.
So, there we have it. This is – for the most part – a well-written book packed full of interesting characters. The pacing is even, the settings well-described, and the speech is vivid and helps to keep the story moving. But who is it for? If an adult sees it (cover, blurb, etc.), they will buy it for a 7 year old child, but the child will be totally lost – schadenfreude!!! But a YA or adult who is looking for a book to enjoy, on seeing the book (cover, blurb, animal characters, etc.) would think it is for a child and wouldn’t buy it.
I see from the author bio on Amazon that he has a ‘Master’s in Journalism; a Ph.D. in literature’. I would think that, if he turned his considerable writing talents to writing a book for adults, and packaged it accordingly, he would do an amazing job. But, at present, he is writing books without a home.
I always like to end by telling who I think a book is for. In this case, it’s almost impossible. I guess if you enjoy children’s adventure with animal characters but with a YA plot – of sorts – but written for adults who understand words like ‘schadenfreude’, then this is for you.
All very confusing.
A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review
www.thewsa.co.uk
P.S.
‘Schadenfreude’ - Pleasure derived by someone from another person's misfortune.
26th August, 2018
TITLE: Zip and Milly
AUTHOR: Alex Valentine
Star Rating: 3
CATCHY QUOTE
‘‘A vividly-written story packed full of fun characters and amusing plot twists.’ The Wishing Shelf
REVIEW
I very much enjoyed this animal story which follows two dogs on a fun adventure. The writing style is wonderful; in fact, I’d go as far as to say, this author has a gold-tipped pen. Although he enjoys the ‘short’ sentence, the rhythm is always there, and the vocabulary is far-ranging. In fact, the vocab is often so complex, I was a little surprised.
The thing is, when I saw the cover, I thought, ‘This is a book for kids.’ Then I had a look at the blurb and I thought, ‘This is a book for kids.’ Then I opened the book, saw the size of the font and the length of the chapters, and I thought, ‘Yes, it’s for kids.’ Then I started reading it and I thought, ‘Hold on! The language is for YA or even adults.’
All very confusing!
For example, ‘In moments like this one, Fox Theo refused to comprehend the motive driving wildlife from his woods to accept Human friendship. How could one give up this excitement, this passion, the urgent imperatives of an empty stomach that knows not exactly how it will next be filled?’
Now, to be honest, this paragraph is a little clumsy, particularly towards the end. But it’s also very complex with a number of words children would find difficult to comprehend. One of them being the word ‘comprehend’; the other being ‘imperative’. So, you see the problem. Everything about the packaging of this book is yelling, ‘I’m for 7 year olds!’ But the writing style is too complex.
So, I decided to experiment a little. I asked three children, aged 8, 11 and 13 to all read it. As I suspected, they all thought from the look of the cover I showed them, and the look of the text, that it was perfect for them. The 8 and 11 year olds had problems following it; basically, the language was too complex for them. Below is an example they picked out of a paragraph they had problems with:
Under the late Uncle’s ownership, the Forest was kept fastidiously clean; aggressive vegetation was held back, the underbrush cleaned out; even dead and sick trees were helped along. The Uncle was a proud, conscientious Forest owner.
As for the 13 year old, although she followed approx. 50% of it, she felt the story was way too ‘young’ for her. Her words, ‘Animal characters are for toddlers.’
I then passed it to two adults. Both of them agreed from the ‘packaging’ – cover image, title, chapter lengths, font size, animal characters, blurb – that it was probably for 7 – 11 year olds, and not for them. But, when they read it, they discovered many aspects of the story would probably fit YA better, and much of the language was adult level. It was for them! They picked out this as an example:
The schadenfreude of the forest dwellers was in no way dampened by Steve’s blatant cutbacks of his ownership duties.
So, there we have it. This is – for the most part – a well-written book packed full of interesting characters. The pacing is even, the settings well-described, and the speech is vivid and helps to keep the story moving. But who is it for? If an adult sees it (cover, blurb, etc.), they will buy it for a 7 year old child, but the child will be totally lost – schadenfreude!!! But a YA or adult who is looking for a book to enjoy, on seeing the book (cover, blurb, animal characters, etc.) would think it is for a child and wouldn’t buy it.
I see from the author bio on Amazon that he has a ‘Master’s in Journalism; a Ph.D. in literature’. I would think that, if he turned his considerable writing talents to writing a book for adults, and packaged it accordingly, he would do an amazing job. But, at present, he is writing books without a home.
I always like to end by telling who I think a book is for. In this case, it’s almost impossible. I guess if you enjoy children’s adventure with animal characters but with a YA plot – of sorts – but written for adults who understand words like ‘schadenfreude’, then this is for you.
All very confusing.
A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review
www.thewsa.co.uk
P.S.
‘Schadenfreude’ - Pleasure derived by someone from another person's misfortune.
December 29, 2018
I liked the book a lot! The characters are adorable and the plot is intriguing. I am looking forward to reading the next books!
June 13, 2019
Zip and Milly – It takes a while to read, but it’s worth the time. My 8, 9, and 13-year-olds read this story as I did. English Springer Spaniels Zip and Milly are siblings and share the stage with Theo the fox and his daughter Freckle, and Rosie, a cat. The human is an 84-year-old scientist that Zip protects every minute of the day.
I like that the vocabulary was a higher level. My kids read their books with dictionaries nearby, which is mandatory in our family, and did not have a problem with adult words. I was reading the Classics already by age eight, so a larger range in vocabulary is not a problem in my eyes.
While this book is for children, it reads well for all ages. I enjoyed the book just as much as the rugrats did and we give the book 5stars. I found this book on Booksprout. 5*
I like that the vocabulary was a higher level. My kids read their books with dictionaries nearby, which is mandatory in our family, and did not have a problem with adult words. I was reading the Classics already by age eight, so a larger range in vocabulary is not a problem in my eyes.
While this book is for children, it reads well for all ages. I enjoyed the book just as much as the rugrats did and we give the book 5stars. I found this book on Booksprout. 5*
February 14, 2020
Seeing the world through an animal's eyes is confusing, misleading, and oftentimes frustrating but Zippy and Milly do their best to guard Old Lady.
I found this book to be enjoyable but I also kept trying to figure out what age reader it was geared for because the wordage used by the author suggested an older young-adult reader, but the book's animal characters felt like something from Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit.
The book is worth the price, but keep a dictionary handy for young readers.
I found this book to be enjoyable but I also kept trying to figure out what age reader it was geared for because the wordage used by the author suggested an older young-adult reader, but the book's animal characters felt like something from Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit.
The book is worth the price, but keep a dictionary handy for young readers.
May 20, 2019
I enjoyed the book! The story is cute, with mystery and humor. Zip is a true character! And to write a story from a dog’s perspective is a funny approach that firs, by the way, very much modern mentality, I mean ecology, flexible point of view etc. The book is good for kids or for reading it all together at ease :)
June 8, 2019
Such a great book with an awesome story. I can NOT wait for more from this author with these characters. Such an incredible story, I recommend this highly.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 26, 2020
I stumbled upon this book while looking for a change in what I have been reading. This book was just what I was looking for!
The animals were so much fun to get to know and follow through the adventure. I think this is the first time that I've read a book narrated through the POV of animals. It made me chuckle to think about what my pups would say about me.
Like some of the other reviewers, I found the vocabulary and writing style to be geared more towards adults than children or teens. I did question the intended audience.
Well-written and polished. I did notice a few stray typos, but it did not get in the way of my enjoyment!
The animals were so much fun to get to know and follow through the adventure. I think this is the first time that I've read a book narrated through the POV of animals. It made me chuckle to think about what my pups would say about me.
Like some of the other reviewers, I found the vocabulary and writing style to be geared more towards adults than children or teens. I did question the intended audience.
Well-written and polished. I did notice a few stray typos, but it did not get in the way of my enjoyment!
September 9, 2018
Cozy legal thriller with a strong canine lead, feline side-kick, and an Oscar-nomination-worthy cast of fox supporting characters. Fox Theodore is a strong proponent of wild hunting at first, but his eyes are wide open to the advantages of Country Club feeding by the end of the book. Also, I like Raccoon, but he is not an animal. It's nice to have a cozy with well-written characters for a change. But is he really giving a kick to the dog-food industry, or is it my imagination?
May 28, 2020
I'm not sure why, but this book reminded me very much of Watership Down, most likely because of the animals talking. It was very VERY long, and to no end, I guess its part 1 of 7? I have to admit, it was hard to remain interested, but I did finish the book and really wasn't happy with the drop-off ending. And Im not wanting to read more books of this length. So that does leave me with who, what, when, where and why. If you''re looking for a SUPER long read, this is your ticket.
the story concept was interesting, although never completed. The end was confusing.
Full disclosure, I was gifted this book from an ARC group that I belong to.
the story concept was interesting, although never completed. The end was confusing.
Full disclosure, I was gifted this book from an ARC group that I belong to.
June 15, 2019
This was a wonderfully imaginative and entertaining series of adventures involving Zip, Milly, Old Lady, and their various animal and human friends. Not to mention a very clever cat who happened to be my favorite character. It’s perfect for the whole family to enjoy together, and even though it’s longer than the average book, and ends in a continuation, it’s well worth the time spent reading it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 30, 2020
The big water came and messed up Zip and Milly's house that they share Old Lady. What follows is a legal battle with FEMA and the local golf club to make Old Lady go away. It is a unique twist to a old tale. It was really neat.
This book is told from the view point of the dogs. It reminds me of The Secret Life of Pets.
I received a free copy from Hidden Gems Books in return for an honest review.
This book is told from the view point of the dogs. It reminds me of The Secret Life of Pets.
I received a free copy from Hidden Gems Books in return for an honest review.
June 15, 2019
This was a cute story and I read to the kids I was babysitting and they loved it. The voices of the dogs were to cute and old lady was hilarious I can't wait to read the next episode.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 4, 2019
Cute mystery for middle schoolers with good vocabularies, or anyone who likes cute anthropomorphic dogs solving mysteries.
March 17, 2021
Highly clever tale!
A legal battle with the feds seen from the viewpoint of the affected animals both wild and domestic. Sweet and spicy, with fascinating, well-drawn characters.
A legal battle with the feds seen from the viewpoint of the affected animals both wild and domestic. Sweet and spicy, with fascinating, well-drawn characters.
June 15, 2019
Chaos and crazy with the fuzzier family members! A fun bunch of adventures!
When help is needed, it should really surprise no one that the legal expert is of course a cat. A superior alpha feline usually rules the roost in and around my own home.
Lucky for Old Lady that her furry friends were to hand!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
When help is needed, it should really surprise no one that the legal expert is of course a cat. A superior alpha feline usually rules the roost in and around my own home.
Lucky for Old Lady that her furry friends were to hand!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews