By Jake Crouse
Carson Martin ’16 is using the story of her sassy, charismatic dog George to help children learn about dog rescues and adoption.
“Gorgeous Georges” is the title of Martin’s debut children’s book, which she selfpublished in October and is available in paperback, hardcovers or e-book via Amazon. It’s also a loving nickname she gave to her Shih Tzu-Lhasa Apso mix, who was rescued from China through a nonprofit called Bunny’s Buddies.
“I originally wanted to adopt a golden retriever,” Martin says. “I come from a family with labs and goldens. But I was living in an apartment and working from the office, and they said that wouldn’t be fair for a bigger, active breed. They sent me a picture of George and said, ‘This is who we have available. Do you want him?’ And I said, ‘Absolutely, I’ll take whichever dog you think is best.’ It’s been a match made in heaven.”
George’s story begins in sad circumstances. He loses his elderly owner in China to a sickness, so he’s put in a shelter — a dreadful experience if not for a few furry friends. Soon, he learns that he’s moving to America. Martin and her mom fly from Raleigh to New York City to pick him up. George is nervous but excited about what he’s learned of America, and he slowly begins to make friends in his new home.
Martin, who now lives in the Charlotte area, is very active in dog fostering and rescuing, which means George has made plenty of other friends as foster dogs pass through their house.
“My hope is to write more books and continue those stories from the perspective of George and his foster friends,” Martin says. “He had one that was named Bunny, and she had to wear pajamas, so I know kids would think that was funny.”
Writing a children’s story has long been a wish for Martin. It was a discussion with her husband, Matt, last fall that ultimately pushed her to share George’s story. “He told me to stop saying I wanted to do it and just do it,” Martin says. “I went home that night, sat down, and it just flew out of me.”
The harder part was securing the vibrant, dynamic illustrations by Rachel Woodhouse, a longtime family friend who had done a pet portrait of George before. At the time, Woodhouse had just given birth to a child and was busy with full-time mom duties.
“I reached out to some other illustrators, but the whole time I was hoping Rachel could do it,” Martin says. “Finally, she got back to me and said, ‘I’m in.’ She did such a wonderful job.”
Martin says it means a lot to her knowing that this book will live on beyond George, and she hopes it inspires children to care for dogs like George. At the end of the book, among discussion questions and fun facts about George, Martin added a kindness challenge to show kids ways to support animal shelters by donating old blankets, giving a shelter dog a “daycation” or convincing their parents to adopt.
“There are so many ways to help,” Martin says. “I just want to nurture that love and empathy for the next generation and see what changes they could make in the world, even if it’s on a small scale.”