Oz, Dog of the Del
Oz, Dog of the Del
Set in the early twentieth century (with a healthy amount of creative license), this book is a fictional account of a little dachshund who lives at the Hotel del Coronado and befriends a young girl named Isabel, or “Izzy.” Izzy and her family are living at the Hotel del for the summer, which was not uncommon at the time. Industrialists from around the country would rent rooms for their families at the hotel to escape the hot summers on the East Coast and in the Midwest. In this story, Oz takes Izzy on an adventure around the island of Coronado. Magic awaits them!
Children ages 4 and up, along with adults that feel a strong connection to Coronado, are likely to be swept up in the serene playfulness of this charming picture book that flows as nicely as a warm summer breeze.
Oz, Dog of the Del, is a sweet little kids’ story with special appeal for dog lovers and fans of California history alike.
Oz, Dog of the Del is a delight for readers young and young at heart! Oz beckons me back to my childhood in California and all the fun and special memories I have of visiting The Del and Coronado Island. Kiland weaves a timeless story that will become a favorite for every family who experience Oz’s amazing adventure!
They first encounter some jackrabbits, which were wild and plentiful on Coronado at the time. In fact, these rabbits were among the first inhabitants of the island. The early developers of the island, Elisha S. Babcock, Jr., and Hampton L. Storey, first rowed over to the island to hunt the rabbits. Next, Oz and Izzy visit an ostrich farm. The birds were imported from South Africa. Their feathers were sold as a fashion accessory and their eggs were served at local hotels as a delicacy. Ostrich races on Coronado were a popular tourist attraction.
At their next stop, Oz and Izzy encounter a man who walks like a penguin—none other than Charlie Chaplin. They watch the Hollywood legend direct a scene from one of several movies he filmed on the island. He was also a frequent vacationer at the Hotel del. President Teddy Roosevelt’s Great White Fleet also made an appearance off the shores of Coronado. Several of the battleships dropped anchor near the Hotel del. Oz and Izzy are there and get to tour one of the historic ships with the captain. The man who made the first solo nonstop flight across the Atlantic, the legendary aviator Charles Lindbergh, began his journey in Coronado—at Naval Air Station North Island. Oz and Izzy are able to meet him and hear about his historic flight.
Finally, on their way back to the Hotel del, they stop to see Oz’s good friend Frank Baum, who lived just a block away from the Hotel del. Oz asks Frank, busy writing a book that would become The Wizard of Oz, if he will write Oz and Izzy into his manuscript.
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Bright colors and easy rhymes, perfect for ages 3-7, plus hidden icons for picture-finding fun!
Press Coverage
“A hound at Hotel Del Coronado share history with a little girl in: OZ, DOG OF THE DEL”
“New Children’s Book Brings Coronado History to Life”
Meet the Illustrator
Patricia Palermino is a self-taught American folk art artist who has been publishing her unique collection of paintings depicting Washington, DC, and Alexandria, Virginia, historical locations for more than twenty years. Her artwork has been exhibited at the White House, the National Archives, Winterthur Museum, the American Museum in Bath, England, the National Horticultural Society and others. She has been commissioned by the National Easter Egg Roll at the White House, the UNICEF Corporate Christmas Card Collection, Historic Alexandria, Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, Gunston Hall Museum, Woodlawn Plantation Museum, Winterthur Museum’s Point to Point Races, United Card of Japan and others. Original paintings have also been sold at the Frank J. Miele Gallery in New York City.
