In A Blue Dog Christmas, George Rodrigue takes readers back in time, to New Iberia, Louisiana, in the 1950s. On a quiet street in this sleepy bayou town, the twelve-year-old George Rodrigue found his calling, and discovered that the true meaning of Christmas is not to give, but to create.

For anyone who ever loved All Creatures Great and Small, Annie England Noblin’s newest novel—about a big city vet transplanted to a small Wisconsin town—is pure delight as we meet aging alpacas, stump-tailed cats, goats in tutus, a vagabond border collie named Kevin, and the people who think they own them. And through it all, Goldie McKenzie, DVM, navigating the small town of Blue Dog, Wisconsin. Welcome to Blue Dog Valley. Home of the Fighting Elk. Population 3,411. When Goldie McKenzie, DVM, vet to the L.A. pet stars, arrives from Los Angeles to Blue Dog Valley she realizes three things. Never agree to upend your life when you’re hungover Pot-belly pigs are not true farm animals She’s going to need a warmer coat At first Goldie is nothing more than a fish out of water, with few clients and few friends. But after a less than pleasant encounter with a man whose dog is suffering from a possibly fatal case of bloat, she’s finally earning the trust and goodwill from her fellow Blue Dog Valley citizens. Her clientele grows to include the many farm animals in the town, including a horse named Large Marge, a cape-wearing therapy alpaca, and a yardful of sweater-wearing goats. Add in Kevin, the “worst sheepdog in Blue Dog Valley,” and a Sphinx cat named Airport, and Goldie is having the best time a vet can have. . . aside from the annoying attractive town grump, Cohen, who seems intent on making sure she always feels like an outsider. With her newfound goodwill, Goldie comes up with an idea to reinvigorate the once flourishing Blue Dog Valley: a Christmas carnival. A petting zoo, pictures with Santa, a baking contest, what more could they want? After only some brief resistance from Cohen and his father, they begin the great plan to reinvigorate Blue Dog Valley. Will Christmas be enough to salvage this dying town—and be enough to bring Goldie closer to a certain grumpy man?

This vibrant introduction to the world of colors offers young readers and adults alike a Blue Dog tour of the artist's palette.

"'Blue dog speaks' is the first book to emphasize Rodrigue's witty and insightful titles alongside his works. Both playful and thought-provoking, this beautifully illustrated gift book will delight Blue Dog fans and introduce newcomers to the pop culture phenomenon that is Blue Dog"--Back cover.

Betty Kowalski isn't looking forward to the holidays. She just can't seem to find Christmas in her heart. There's church, of course. But who can she bake for these days? And who would care whether or not she pulled out the Christmas decorations? Her new neighbor just adds to the problem. He's doing home improvements that don't appear to be improving much of anything. These days when Betty looks out the window, she sees a beat-up truck, a pile of junk, lots of blue tarps, and--horror of horrors--an old pink toilet. But when a mangy dog appears at her doorstep, the stage is set for Betty to learn a very important lesson about what Christmas is all about. This contemporary Christmas story is a timely yet gentle reminder that God can work miracles through something as seemingly insignificant as a little brown dog.

Blue Dog has become a touchstone of contemporary American culture, and in this edition of 70 brilliant paintings, the reader is taken on an unprecedented journey into the heart of the Blue Dog generation. Full color.

A colorful portrait of an unusual artist, this book highlights the paintings of one George Rodrigue who, particularly upon meeting his wife, often created artwork based on his life with her, though substituting a blue dog in place of himself.