Barking at the Moon

by Tracy Beckerman

How do you housebreak a dog in a hurricane?

When Riley comes into her family’s life, award-winning humor columnist Tracy Beckerman realizes she got a lot more than she bargained for. From tracking wet cement through the house to shredding the family’s underwear, Riley is a one-dog wrecking ball. Yet this lovable retriever also brings joy, laughter, and a renewed sense of wonder into the household.

At times hilarious and heartwarming, Barking at the Moon speaks to life’s growing pains, and to mothering children both human and furry. With Beckerman’s trademark wit and heart, she reminds us that no matter what stage of life we’re in, we can learn a lot from the dogs who teach us how to stop and enjoy the ride.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Humor, Animals

211 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 29, 2021

About the author

Tracy Beckerman is an award-winning author, speaker, and syndicated humor columnist who has appeared on numerous TV shows, including NBC’s Today Show, CBS This Morning, and CBS Sunday Morning with Mo Rocca. Her honors for writing include the prestigious Writer’s Guild of America award, a CLIO, an International Film and Television award, and a New York Emmy®. She has been voted “America’s Top Blogger” by The Balancing Act on Lifetime Television, has won a National Society of Newspaper Columnists award for humor writing, and was the Global Humor Award Winner of the coveted Erma Bombeck Writing Competition.

Tracy is married to a very understanding guy who frequently appears in her column, whether he likes it or not. They have two children but have recently become Empty Nesters, so they focus all their attention on their dog, who also appears frequently in her columns, whether he likes it or not.

Reviews

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barking at the Moon
by Tracy Beckerman

This book is definitely one of my favorite books! I started out giggling a lot, then I am laughing out loud, next I am laughing so hard I am crying, but at the end I am just crying! This book was worth ever tear!

Anyone who has had kids with pets can relate to this book! Riley is the dog in here and I fell in love with the big goof! The way the author describes everything is so hilarious, so true, and so fun! I feel like I knew Riley and watched the antics unfold! What an excellent book!

I feel so lucky that I won this on Goodreads Giveaway! Thanks!!!

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review:
Author Tracy Beckerman has always known that she wanted a dog. When she finds a breeder with Flat Coated Retrievers, Tracy knows that she has found her next family member. With two young children at home already, Tracy brings home a puppy named Riley and things go about as smoothly as expected.

Barking at the Moon is a humorous, heartfelt and utterly relatable memoir about life with a dog. Anyone who has ever opened their home to a dog knows the highs and lows as well as love that comes with it. Tracy shows how love can be multiplied even through housetraining, destroyed furniture, dirty rugs and mysterious illnesses. Tracy tells the story of her family's life with Riley, welcoming you into her home like a good friend. Filled with life lessons and love, Tracy shares engaging, charismatic and entertaining stories of taking care of her menagerie during a brutal storm, discovering your dog's niche in life, and reasons why your dog might have to wear your son's underwear. Also sharing the tumultuous emotions of going through the loss of a pet and the eventual recovery, Barking at the Moon is a must-read for any dog lover.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

[Lori June · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy Birthday Boone!
Laugh out Loud gut busting funny book.

[Trudy Zufelt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and I'm glad I did as I probably wouldn't have discovered it otherwise.

Tracy and her husband Joel always knew they would have kids and a dog. Life gives them a little more than they bargained for when they bring in an adorable golden retriever puppy they name Riley. From peeing on every carpet to chewing up everything but his chew toys, Riley seems like trouble everywhere he goes. And yet, he quickly worms himself into the hearts of the Beckerman family. Every family with a dog can easily relate to the funny antidotes the author experiences with not just one pet, but many more.

I usually gravitate toward literary type books but this book had me laughing and crying as I followed the entire life of Riley. Though not a literary masterpiece, Beckerman is artful in describing everyday situations in such a way that the reader feels a part of the story. Bravo for capturing the emotions of raising a family and a brood of pets.

[Chandler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I laughed my way all the way through this book...at least.. all the way through to the last section, where I realized Beckerman was going to take this all the way to the end. Or at least to the end of Riley. So.. there I was stuck between a rock and a hard spot knowing I had to finish the book but was horrible with any sort of animal deaths. This became glaringly obvious when at 11 years old I brought home a bunch of tadpolds and when one died I cried for an hour. At which point my mom made me take the rest back. Long story short I ugly cried my way through the last few chapters to the point that my nose was stuffed for the next 2 hours. It's ironic that a humor and comedy book made me cry more than literally any other book that I've ever read.

[Miranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won the kindle version of this from Goodreads and it was a great read! There were some parts that were repeated in the book in different chapters (and I personally hate repeats - even in peloton when the instructors repeat things over and over for emphasis - I want to choke them!). That personal issue aside it is a great read for any dog or animal lover ! It really gets to the heart of what loving a dog is all about and shares the experience in all its ups and downs! The ending def made my eyes water and choked me up but that too is part of being a fur parent! I am not a human parent but this also talks about family and parenting - it is honestly a great read with much needed humor / comic relief!

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this kindle book off of goodreads and wanted to share my review.
This book was so good especially if you have a love for dogs
This book is a memoir of the authors time with raising her dog Riley and Her two kids.
This book will make you smile if you can relate or empathize of having had a puppy/dog of your own.
This book will make you laugh if you have been the primary care provider for that puppy/dog and or you remember what the primary care giver experienced and you were a part of it.
This book will also make you cry if you have a heart for dogs and or again experienced the love of a dog yourself.
Truly awesome book for me.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading this book thinking - oh well, here's another cute book about a dog. And to begin with it was another book about a dog and I wondered if I wanted to read any more cutesy stuff. But after a while I really did do the 'find myself laughing out loud' bit. Seriously, this is an incredibly clever writer who made me giggle embarrassingly pretty much non-stop.

Dog stories are 2 a penny - sorry, dog lovers. But this one is well worth spending some time with. The horrors of handling so many very strange pets, plus the children and a husband. Very funny, and took me out of myself for a while.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of "Barking at the Moon" from the goodread's giveaways. I have the kindle version. Tracy Beckerman is a writer who shares with the readers, her family experience with their dog Riley. She has a sense of humor about the ups and downs of dog ownership. From housetraining, to their "farting" dog. She also writes about the other pets her kids had a type of lizard, and a chinchilla. It was fun reading about their wonderful flat haired labrador. It was nice she shared her stories with the readers. If you like reading about dogs, you may enjoy this book.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It made me laugh so many times that others wanted to know what I was reading so they could read it too. If you have ever owned a dog, you will find this book relatable. My favorite section was the story of her trying to pick up medication at the pharmacy for the dog. It seems like most of my interactions with people in healthcare fields. The author has an excellent way of reframing the most challenging of circumstances and turning them into humor. I highly recommend this book if you are in need of a good laugh.

[Terrie Bednarczyk · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a human owned by 2 dogs at the present, numerous dogs in the past, & a lifelong dog lover, I just had to read this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it, laughed while reading it, & often thought “OMGosh, that’s what happened to us, I’ve been there”!
Well written with tidbits about her family life, as well. You can’t help but giggle, gasp, & groan as Tracy’s humans & dogs, with an assortment of additional pets, attempt to coexist.
I won this in a GoodReads giveaway & am so happy I did! Now I can tell all my dog-loving friends to read it. Thanks Tracy Beckerman & GoodReads!

[Sherrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

***I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway***

I do a lot of my Kindle reading in bed and love a light and silly read during that time. This one hit that spot really well. The antics of Riley (a very good dog) and his family (typical suburbanites) over the course of 10+ years was amusing and endearing.

Three stars because some of the jokes felt forced and I only laughed out loud a few times. I liked this one, but didn't love this one. I definitely loved Riley, though. Good pup!

[Jessie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartwarming, laugh filled, and tear-jerking all in one.

So many relatable stories for dog lovers I general. I found myself laughing out loud many times (sometimes at work on my lunch). So delightful and easy to get caught up in the reading. I had to make myself put it down a few times so I could get work done.

In the end, I found myself in tears but I know that anyone who has known the love of a dog will too.

[Shelby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, you need kleenex at the end

From puppy to Rainbow Bridge. Parts of the book are gut busting funny. Others are heart breaking. In her acknowledgements, the author mentions a book gathering named for Erma Bombeck and meeting up with the Bombeck family every 2 years. Her writing reminds me of Bombeck. And of the late Dayton Daily News columnist D. L. Stewart.

I'm very glad Tracy Beckerman shared Riley with us.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A humorous yet poignant memoir of a beloved dog's life with his family. I laughed, and I cried, and isn't that what life is about? I won this from a Goodreads giveaway and it turned out to be one of the best books I've won over the years. If you love dogs, you will love it as much as I did. Recommended reading.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful short read for anyone who has ever lost their heart to a dog. It brings back all those memories ... of the initial bonding, the puppy destruction, the steadfast devotion and the final goodbye. There are laughs and tears and I wouldn't trade them for the world.
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway for this honest review.

[Kyle Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I really found it quite humorous. The author does a good job of telling the story in a way that you feel like her friend, talking on the phone, and listening to the funny stories of her dog.

I'm glad I took a chance on this book and author. I will probably read more of her books.

[Kailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barking at the Moon is not only funny, but relatable for dog owners and parents. I was hooked by the light-hearted humor from the very beginning and would have finished in a day if not for work getting in the way. The short sections make for a good pick up and put down book while you go about your day.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to say that I really enjoyed this book. The author does a wonderful job of keeping us involved… with Riley, the other pets and even her family. Whether it is playing or finally finding out how Riley was gaining all that weight, we are involved. If you are a dog lover, I recommend this book. I won it free from a Goodreads giveaway.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very good book for dog lovers, which I am. It is the story of Riley told by his human mom. The author writes with great humor while describing her life with Riley and her husband and kids. If you love dogs I recommend this book I won this book in a good reads giveaway and am happy I did.

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I won this book from a GoodReads giveaway*
I loved this book. Anyone who has had a dog (or any pet, for that matter) as a member of your family will love it too.
A quick read, but a wonderful, relatable story that will make you giggle, laugh out loud and even cry.
I absolutely recommend this book!

[Laura Talley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. So truthfully spoken, sweet, funny, and sad. Maybe even more so because my dog is part German Shepard part black lab and sounds just like Riley!! I look forward to reading more from this author!

[Karen Wrobel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goodreads giveaway. Sweet and funny, with a few tears here and there, the stories remind me of many of the dogs I’ve known over the years. The ball of yarn incident did leave me shaking my head, and I thought I’d pretty much seen it all. For all the dog lovers out there.

[Kayla Tornello · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the author's sense of humor throughout this book. Any dog owner can relate to everything that she has gone through with her dog, Riley. This story will make you feel good about your own pets.

I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway. Yay!

[Fred · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so loved this story. It is very relatable as I grew up with dogs, but now only have inside cats. I loved the humor, fun and laugh-out-loud aspect of her writing and would recommend this book to well, everyone!

[Marianne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Spoiler Alert….

Nope. Just nope. This is supposed to be a funny book. You hear about the trials and tribulations of family life with kids and pets. You fall in love. And you want a heartwarming ending that leaves you feeling good. And then, the dog dies.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Utterly charming. If you love dog books, don't miss this one!

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read

[BigBlueSea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny! Witty! Engaging during the time of Covid. Made me laugh. A nice distraction.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable, funny, easy read!