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Parent FAQ:
Where can I buy Doodles the American Poodle™ books?
Tell me about the Author
To what reading level are the Doodles the American Poodle™ books geared?
Is the author available to read the Doodles the American Poodle™ books?
Did the author initiate children writing letters to the U. S. military?
Is there a TV special in the works?
Where did the author get her idea for Doodles the American Poodle™ series and what is the basis for each book?
Question:
Where can I buy Doodles the American Poodle™ books?
Answer:
We are working on publication at this time. Please continue to check back to this site. We will post the
publication information as soon as we have a definite date.
Question:
Tell me about the author.
Answer:
Cynthia L. Clack is a full time practicing attorney in Odessa, Texas. She graduated from Baylor Law School, Waco,
Texas in 1978 and has been Board Certified in Family Law since 1987. She uses her experience working with parents
and children when writing children’s stories.
Ms. Clack has also written screenplays and novels for older audiences. Writing is her most cherished method of
relaxation and she tries to set aside at least an hour each day to write. Ideas for future endeavors are constantly
tumbling around in her active imagination. Her mother, Knoxine Clack, is a retired teacher who specialized in reading
and passed on the love of the written word to her children.
Choosing law as her profession followed a logical progression. Her father, James Clack, is a retired State District
Judge and his wife, Barbara Culver Clack, is a retired Texas Supreme Court Judge. Both of Ms. Clack’s brothers, Gene
and Steve are also practicing attorneys.
Cynthia may use her experience from past cases of murder trials, multimillion dollar divorces, child abuse, medical
malpractice suits and catastrophic personal injury cases to color her writing. She enjoys people and, in her spare
time, she likes to travel, paint and collect art.
She is a long time contributor to children’s causes and supports continuing education for people of all ages. Her
motivational speeches and teaching skills encourage every person to follow his or her dream. Her generous nature is
evident in that she is creating a foundation wherein she will contribute ten percent of all income from Doodles the
American Poodle™ for the benefit of children. Please check back to this site for details on the foundation.
Question:
To what reading level are the Doodles the American Poodle™ books geared?
Answer:
Our test market results show that children from second through fifth grades respond best to the books. However, we
have found that even three year old children love the character Doodles. Sixth grade students have said that they
love the characters and would give the books to their younger brothers and sisters. Some of the responses we have
received are:
Richard, 9 year old boy, “I love your books Cynthia. I would give it to my son”;
Shashwath, 10 year old girl, “I gave this book a thumbs up”;
De Breana, 11 year old girl, “I like the way you reach out to little kids”;
Rachel, 8 year old girl, “You should write a lot of books for children”.
Question:
Is the author available to read the Doodles the American Poodle™ books?
Answer:
Yes. As a result of the overwhelming popularity of the manuscripts from the test marketing, Ms. Clack has been
invited to read the books by teachers, school superintendents and parents as well as an art museum hosting a
children’s program.
Cynthia Clack and Danny Clack, superintendent at Winters Elementary School in Winters, TX |
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What started as an invitation to read to one class of second graders at Wylie Butterfield Elementary in Abilene,
Texas, turned into Ms. Clack’s reading to all eight classes of second graders. She read Doodles the American Hero to
one group of 44 children, a second group of 66 children and a third group of 66 children all in one day. Those
readings created a tremendous amount of publicity from radio, television and newsprint.
The superintendent of Winters
Independent School District invited Ms. Clack to read Doodles the American Hero to all the third and fourth grade
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Cynthia Clack reading Doodles to students |
classes at Winters, Texas. She spent all day in Winters reading to one grade that morning and the other grade that
afternoon for a total of approximately 200 children in all.
A parent at Scharbauer Elementary School in Midland, Texas invited Ms. Clack to read to all of the third grade
classes for a special program. This was also done in two sessions.
The Ellen Noel Art Museum in Odessa, Texas sponsors an annual Sidewalk Art Contest for children from four years old
through twelve years old. Ms. Clack was asked to read her book Doodles the American Poodle to the children while
they
awaited the results of the art contest. The real Ashley and the real Doodles, upon whom the characters for Doodles
the American Poodle were based, made an appearance at that reading. Later that day they made appearances at PetsMart
Dana Carroll, Cynthia Clack and Mike Lawrence at Kicks 99.1 |
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in Midland, Texas and Sonic Drive-In on Parkway in Odessa, Texas.
The spring and summer of 2004, first and fifth grade students at Odessa’s year round elementary school, Gale Pond
Alamo, were treated to Ms. Clack’s reading of Doodles the American Poodle. Ms. Clack has also read to children in
summer programs/camps at the three YMCA’s in Odessa and Odessa College.
Anyone interested in Ms. Clack reading the books to a group of children, may contact her via this website.
Question:
Did the author initiate children writing letters to the U. S. military?
Answer:
Yes. When Ms. Clack mentioned to a friend that she had been invited to read Doodles the American Hero to Wylie
Butterfield, which is a school for only second graders, the friend suggested that the children write letters to “The
Troops”. This was specially poignant since Abilene, Texas is home to Dyess Air Force Base and many of the children at
Wylie Butterfield have one or both parents overseas. The children heartily responded to this suggestion.
Winters, Texas also is home to many military families and the children there enthusiastically wrote letters to the
troops after Ms. Clack read Doodles the American Hero. The idea of writing to the military overseas grew even larger
when the children at Scharbauer Elementary in Midland, Texas, joined in the letter writing campaign.
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Dana Carroll, Cynthia Clack and Mike Lawrence at Kicks 99.1 |
Midland, Texas DJ’s Mike Lawrence and Dana Carroll with KICKS 99 were collecting “Letters from Home” to send to the
troops overseas and included all the children’s letters in their packet June 2004.
Question:
Is there a TV special in the works?
Answer:
Yes. Doodles the American Hero has been so well received by children and their letters to “The Troops” have been so
poignant that Ms. Clack has discussed allowing Doodles the American Hero to be used in a special patriotic television
program. The plans are for celebrities to read the book in segments. It will show support for our military and give
more children the opportunity to hear this book which was written with the idea of helping military children
understand why mom and dad are overseas.
Question:
Where did the author get her idea for Doodles the American Poodle™ series and what is the basis
for each book?
Answer:
The first book, Doodles the American Poodle, is based upon real
events of a little girl who is given a teacup poodle by her father. Mom says she has to train the tiny puppy or he
Sonic Drive-in at JBS Parkway in Odessa. Ashley, Grant, Doodles, and Jo Lynn joined by fans for autographs |
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cannot stay in the house and, of course, he is far too small to be an “outside” dog. Ashley names the ball of fluff
“Doodles”. As she attempts to train him over the summer, Doodles gets into all kinds of mischief and creates a stir
wherever he goes. Some things he seems to learn
a little too well. The big question is: will Doodles learn his “basic” lesson or will he have to find another home?
Children learn to accept responsibility from this entertaining and funny story as it is written from Ashley’s
perspective.
The second book, Doodles the American Celebrity, is how the teacup poodle becomes a celebrity. The other animals,
Tiny the Flying Chihuahua, Precious the Precocious Persian, and Samurai the Siamese, are introduced in this book. A
lesson here is that the animals, cats and dogs, can get along together and become friends so humans should do the
same. In addition to the other lessons, the animals represent different nationalities who have all become Americans.
Doodles is still mischievous and into everything. Ashley also has very important lessons to learn in this story.
The third book, Doodles the American Hero, was written for and dedicated to children whose parents serve in the
military. It is a fun, entertaining way of explaining conflict to children and opens the door for parents, educators
and counselors to talk to children about events in today’s world.
There is a foul plot afoot to kidnap Doodles, American’s favorite celebrity. The animals thwart the evil Mr. Sad
Dumb Insane’s first attempt by using their animal wiles. Alas, he kidnaps Doodles’ friend, Buster the Bulldog, and
all the animals must leave immediately to rescue poor Buster. Ashley is beside herself with worry for her tiny pet.
Ms. Clack uses Doodles to explain to tearful Ashley why her puppy and all the animals have left for their mission.
Children have responded to this book with an amazing insight and understanding.
The fourth book, Doodles the American Entrepreneur, and fifth book, Doodles the American Philanthropist, are not yet
written. Ms. Clack is eagerly anticipating the opportunity to put written word on paper and will be adding to Doodles
the American Poodle™’s adventures as soon as she finds the time in her busy schedule of a full time law practice,
writing screenplays and just trying to keep up with the character “Doodles” in Doodles the American Poodle™.
Copyright 2008, Tiger Tale Publishing & Production Company, Inc. - All Rights Reserved
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