During times of uncertainty, fear, and doubt—this planet needs hope.
We need more than one superhero. Should we call on Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Captain Marvel?
No! This crazy world needs rescuing from the rescued.
Meet the Furtastics: Firebolt, Captain K9, Fast Eddie, and Aerostar. Four super dogs who must work together to help protect their city from harm. Each member of the team has to work out their own unique challenge. Whether it’s a crisis in confidence, anxiety, or being handi-capable, our heroes learn they can overcome their biggest obstacles by leaning on each other.
These heroes are based on real dogs that were rescued by the non-profit Dream Fetchers and trained as therapy dogs and movie stars. If you watch closely you may see your favorite superheroes in movies, television, or at your local hospital. These canines are so special, they have their own Children’s book series.
The first book in the Furtastics series, The Adventures of Firebolt by author Debbie Pearl, Brittany Lewis, and illustrator Jack Foster provides parents with a fun resource to teach values to their children. The characters are Shelby the dog, and Chester the cat. When Shelby drinks from her water bowl that has been struck by a “firebolt,” she obtains superpowers. As Shelby, she lit up the lives of her family. As Firebolt, she will light up the world and teach others about kindness!
Their next adventure will be available in the summer of 2020 when our heroes first come together. Firebolt (aka Shelby), a caring and loyal friend, is alerted by her new friend Brady Bluebird that someone needs help in the city park, and fast! Having recently discovered her unique powers, from super strength to harnessing lightning, Firebolt is unsure of herself. When she arrives at the scene, she discovers Aerostar, a small and ultra-nimble acrobatic pup whose own anxieties often get the best of her. She’s frozen due to her fear of the water, Aerostar is rescued by Firebolt.
Firebolt learns that her job is only just beginning, as Aerostar has other friends, other super dogs who are also in trouble. Captain K9, the team’s reluctant and inexperienced captain whose better at flying and making water cyclones than leading, and Fast Eddie, a handi-capable “genius wonder dog” whose James Bond-like inventions help nearly every problem, but whose mind sometimes races a little too fast for his own good. Though each dog is super on his/her own, Firebolt quickly sees its proper leadership these canines are missing and helps coordinate them as a team for the first time, finally saving the day! Water cyclones, truckloads of bouncy balls, and school buses flying through the air aside, our heroes demonstrate that it’s teamwork that leads to victory.
The Furtastics is an action-packed series chronicling the adventures of these furry, fabulous, and ingenious superheroes who, together, not only learn to navigate their individual, personal obstacles but to leverage the very things they thought held them back in order to access their greatest strengths.
The heroes’ adventures teach that when you least expect it, at any moment, your life can change in amazing ways, and that’s what happened to Shelby and the rest of the Furtastics team when they were rescued by Dream Fetchers.
Debbie Pearl is the founder of the non-profit, Dream Fetchers. In 1993, she started showing Siberian Huskies in AKC confirmation and obedience competition. Adoring all aspects of the breed, she formed a sled dog race team with 25 of her huskies, competing in short distance sprint racing.
After working several years in the movie industry, she founded Paws for Effect, a full-service animal company in 1995. Debbie brings the magic of animals from the set to the big screen in commercials and movies. She has compiled an impressive list of credits working with such celebrities as Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Julie Andrews, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hanks, John Travolta, Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Robin Williams, and Robert Downey, Jr. to name a few!
With the release of Disney’s Iron Will in 1994, Debbie appeared as a special guest with her Husky Beau (who starred in the movie) at a fundraiser hosted at St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. It was here that she had her epiphany. Seeing the smiles and joy in the children as they interacted with Beau, and the enchantment and capacity of their impact were simply life-changing. She knew that bringing movie star dogs to visit and work with sick and underprivileged children was her calling, and in 2005 Dream Fetchers was born. Now, Dream Fetchers visits children’s hospitals around the country, nursing homes, schools, veterans, and makes appearances at Nationwide events.
Dream Fetchers is an organization dedicated to the belief that through the unconditional love and support of an animal, any individual, in spite of their diagnostic or medical challenge, can be touched and encouraged by a friendly pup through a program of learning and engagement.
Their programs bring persons and animals together to interact and bond, offering a wonderful distraction from pain, depression, hopelessness, and/or frustration; which they believe helps promote healing and well-being. Dream Fetchers focuses on the rescue, training, providing services of animal-assisted activities/therapies, and community education of dogs through their unique projects.
Join the adventure as your child learns about overcoming obstacles, friendships, problem-solving, and more through the adventures of the Furtastics.
You can purchase The Adventures of Firebolt online at Barnes and Noble and Target. Stay connected to the Furtastics and Dream Fetchers.
If you would like to schedule a book signing or special event with the Furtastics, email Debbie Pearl at debbie@pawsforeffect.net
Cherrilynn Bisbano is an award-winning writer coach, editor, and partner at The Write Coach Team. She works with social media influencer Keith Keller to help writers learn how to navigate Twitter. She is a two-time winner of Flash Fiction Weekly. You can find her published in Blue Ridge Writers Blog, Southern Writers, More to Life (MTL), Christian Rep, Christian Voice, Refresh, and other online magazines. Cherrilynn is a contributor to award-winning, Breaking the Chains, Heart Reno, and Chicken Soup for the Soul-Miracles books. Her latest book, Shine Don’t Whine, releases October 2020. Cherrilynn proudly served in the Navy and Air National Guard, earning the John Levitow Military leadership award. She lives with her eighteen-year-old son, Michael, Jr., and husband of 21 years. Cherrilynn is on the board of Dream Fetchers.
