May is Celiac Awareness Month and I’m thankful to have author Michal Babay here to talk about her new book, I’M A GLUTEN-SNIFFING SERVICE DOG (Albert Whitman) which just released in April. It’s narrated by service dog and poodle-extraordinaire Chewie, and is based on the true story of his partnership with Michal’s daughter who has celiac disease.
Michal, blog readers always enjoy learning how an author gets an idea for a story. This one comes from personal experience. Can you tell us a little about that?
Yes. 2019 was unfortunately a terrible year for my family because my daughter had been in and out of hospitals. Once she was finally healthy and we had recovered emotionally, I really wanted to write a book about her celiac journey. (I knew it would be therapeutic for both of us to share her story.) However, every writing attempt came out too heavy and serious. Since I normally write humorous stories, I struggled to find the right way to tell her story and stay true to my real writing voice. Luckily, I have AMAZING writing partners! Shannon Stocker suggested flipping things around and writing this story from our service dog’s point of view—and that was my door into the manuscript! As soon as Chewie began narrating his own story, the entire thing finally fell into place. Anytime I got stuck on a scene, I just looked over at the poodle racing around my house and I knew exactly what he’d say or do in that situation.
There’s a lot to learn about Celiac—how did you write it in such a way that’s digestible for young readers? (See what I did there?)
HA! Nicely done! And actually, that’s very similar to how I wrote about celiac. I used humor and a goofy dog as the narrator to keep the story interesting. By having Chewie sniff items like salad dressing, vitamins, and shampoo, I was able to show that gluten hides in unexpected places in a very kid-friendly way. It was my way of writing about celiac (and how it affects everything that we use) without saying it outright. After all, if Chewie needs to check things like medicine or lotion for gluten, then the reader automatically realizes those products could be unsafe for Alice or anyone with celiac disease. Additionally, there’s one spread in the book where Alice is too sick to do almost anything – she can’t even go to school anymore. All she wants is to feel healthy and normal again. I wanted this spread to be a window into the physical and emotional realities of celiac disease in a kid-relatable way. Luckily, my editor Andrea Hall also wanted us to include informational backmatter for parents and caregivers. So I was lucky enough to create a story that kids can enjoy, and still have a page for adults with celiac facts.
Chewie is so adorable that this book will appeal to kids who don’t have celiac, too. How can I’M A GLUTEN-SNIFFING SERVICE DOG help these children understand the disease?
This book helps create empathy and understanding of how invisible diseases can affect the day-to-day lives of people. After all, even though Alice “looks” healthy, kids learn how sick she actually is. I hope readers use this book to show children how to look beyond surface appearances and listen with their hearts.
Chewie’s story also answers questions kids may have about the training and use of service dogs. Learning about Chewie’s training takes away the mystery of a working dog. I wanted to give readers a window into the amazing world of service dog training, and to demonstrate how important these dogs are for maintaining the physical and emotional well-being of their handlers.
Michal, thanks for sharing your personal story and Chewie with the world! This book is a wonderful way to spread awareness of this invisible disease.
Blog readers, you can win a copy of I’M A GLUTEN-SNIFFING SERVICE DOG! Just leave one comment below to enter. A random winner will be selected soon!
Good luck!
Michal Babay is a former elementary school teacher and current picture book author. She lives on the west coast with her human family and an ever-increasing amount of animals, including three dogs, one cat, a fish, a snail, and a rescue bearded dragon named Gus Pirate Potato. Visit her at michalbabay.com and follow her on Twitter @MicBabay.
95 comments
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May 21, 2021 at 8:32 am
Karen P
This book is adorable! This will be wonderful for those students who have a gluten intolerance.
May 23, 2021 at 1:23 am
Michal
Thank you, Karen!
May 21, 2021 at 8:41 am
Megan Taraszkiewicz
Thank you for this important book! I have Celiac Disease, so I understand how important it is to help inform others and allow Celiac children to have positive representation. Thanks for sharing!
May 23, 2021 at 1:26 am
Michal
Yes! It’s so important! Thank you for reading, Megan.
May 21, 2021 at 8:46 am
Susan Wroble
Great mentor text for addressing a really serious topic — I loved the idea of flipping the story to Chewie’s POV! The idea of building empathy for the invisible disabilities is so important.
May 23, 2021 at 1:31 am
Michal
Thank you, Susan!
May 21, 2021 at 8:51 am
Nancy Furstinger
I just read your book at my library–it’s entertaining and informative! That Chewy is bursting with personality; love how he keeps getting distracted:-) I was surprised to learn that gluten is hidden in so many items, and I’m sure other readers will be amazed as well.
May 23, 2021 at 1:58 am
Michal
Thank you for checking my book out of the library! That’s so cool! Isn’t it crazy to learn about all the places gluten hides? We JUST found wheat in a hand sanitizer this week. Who knew?!
May 21, 2021 at 8:55 am
LAURA BARENS
So excited to read your book! I have Celiac, so this is close to my heart. Thank you for writing this story.
May 23, 2021 at 1:59 am
Michal
Thanks, Laura. I hope you enjoy it!
May 21, 2021 at 9:14 am
katiefischerwrites
Several people dear to me have celiac disease, thank you for writing and sharing this story.
May 23, 2021 at 2:00 am
Michal
It is such a prevalent, but misunderstood, autoimmune disease. I hope this helps them feel represented in picture books!
May 21, 2021 at 9:15 am
Meryl
Such a gentle & insightful way to help children understand how others can be different and yet the same.
May 23, 2021 at 2:01 am
Michal
That’s a beautiful compliment. Thank you!
May 21, 2021 at 9:24 am
Bethanny Parker
Sounds like an interesting story. Thanks for sharing.
May 23, 2021 at 2:01 am
Michal
Thank you!
May 21, 2021 at 9:28 am
Jay
Such an interesting book and sharing of your journey. Thank you.
May 23, 2021 at 2:02 am
Michal
Thank you for reading, Jay!
May 21, 2021 at 9:31 am
katiemillsgiorgio
Looks so wonderful! Thanks for sharing!
May 23, 2021 at 2:02 am
Michal
Thank you!
May 21, 2021 at 9:31 am
judyrubin13
Thank you, Michal, for sharing your story and for giving children an understanding of celiac disease.
May 23, 2021 at 2:26 am
Michal
Thank you, Judy!
May 21, 2021 at 9:36 am
Lynne Marie
So happy to see this important book in print — it’s a wonderful contribution to kidlit! Thanks for sharing, Kathy and Michal. Kathy I am a newsletter subscriber 🙂
May 23, 2021 at 2:03 am
Michal
Hi Lynne! Thank you for reading and commenting. I appreciate it!
May 21, 2021 at 10:02 am
goodtimegreatstory
I can’t wait to read about Chewie! As a person with severe food allergies myself, this is exciting. Good luck, Michal!
May 23, 2021 at 2:28 am
Michal
Thank you so much. I hope you enjoy meeting Chewie (he’s a bit of a goofball, but SUCH a good boy at gluten-detecting)!
May 21, 2021 at 10:17 am
Claire A. B. Freeland
Well done! Everyone needs to understand celiac. Way to go Chewie!
May 23, 2021 at 2:28 am
Michal
Yes! I agree! Thank you, Claire.
May 21, 2021 at 10:28 am
authorlaurablog
Great interview! Digestible 😉 love it! I already own this book, so don’t enter me in the giveaway, but I just love hearing more about the process. Michal, this book goes far beyond the specific topic of celiac because all dogs provide emotional support. When I shared it in my doodle group, it got a lot of love and attention. Congratulations!!
May 23, 2021 at 2:30 am
Michal
That’s so cool, Laura! Thank you for sharing it in your doodle group. I loved being on your blog and chatting with you earlier this month!
May 21, 2021 at 10:50 am
Abby Wooldridge
What an amazing story! Thank you so much for sharing, Michal! I am so glad Chewie is a part of your family. Can’t wait to read this book! ❤
May 23, 2021 at 2:31 am
Michal
Thanks, Abby! He’s a really good boy, and does an amazing job at anxiety alleviation as well as gluten-detecting. I hope you enjoy the book!
May 21, 2021 at 11:02 am
Diane Newton-Prior
What a great idea- filling a void for celiac stories for the young ones. I’d love to have this in my school library, where k-5 students could ALL learn from it! Thanks, Michal!
May 23, 2021 at 2:32 am
Michal
Thank you for considering this for your school library!
May 21, 2021 at 11:05 am
Diane Newton-Prior
What a great story- filling a void for the youngest with celiac’s. Id love to have this in my library, so ALL the K-5 students could learn about it. Thank you, Michal.
May 21, 2021 at 12:05 pm
Kassy Keppol
Such an important book. Thank you.
May 23, 2021 at 2:32 am
Michal
You’re welcome. Thank you for reading!
May 21, 2021 at 12:43 pm
karenlee
Wow! I am gluten-intolerant (since the 80s), and I never knew of gluten service dogs before now. What a great book to write! Congrats! And thank you!
May 23, 2021 at 2:36 am
Michal
Thank you! I was so excited when I found out about gluten-detecting service dogs as a possible celiac resource.
May 21, 2021 at 12:52 pm
Eileen Mayo
Thanks for sharing your story! I can’t wait to read your book.
May 23, 2021 at 2:37 am
Michal
Yay! Thank you for all your support, Eileen! I hope you enjoy it.
May 21, 2021 at 1:18 pm
Chelle Martin
Great idea for a health-related book for kids. Is Chewie a standard poodle? Is that him in the photo with you?
May 23, 2021 at 2:38 am
Michal
Hi Chelle, he is a standard poodle. Yup, that’s Chewie in the photo with me!
May 21, 2021 at 1:44 pm
Prairie Garden Girl
This is a much needed picture book for individuals who are gluten intolerant, and for a better understanding and an awareness of celiac disease.
Thank you, Michal.
Suzy Leopold
May 23, 2021 at 2:39 am
Michal
Thank you so much!
May 21, 2021 at 2:10 pm
readmybook2002
Great twist on a new subject matter. Congratulations. I’m sure it will help many people.
May 23, 2021 at 2:39 am
Michal
Thank you. I hope it does!
May 21, 2021 at 2:58 pm
Tasha Woodson
very important to share this subject matter, and I love how you chose the service animal as protagonist.
May 23, 2021 at 2:47 am
Michal
Thank you, Tasha!
May 21, 2021 at 3:26 pm
Sylvia Mary Grech
Congrats on your book! Thanks for sharing.
May 23, 2021 at 2:48 am
Michal
Thank you!
May 21, 2021 at 5:30 pm
rindabeach
My daughter-in-law has celiac’s They have 2 kids. This is a great book for them, and for families like them.
May 23, 2021 at 2:49 am
Michal
Thank you! I hope they enjoy the book!
May 21, 2021 at 6:19 pm
kathydoherty1
Yay, Michal! Congratulations on a great book!
May 23, 2021 at 2:50 am
Michal
Thank you, Kathy! Congratulations on your new book too! I’m so glad we’re on this journey together.
May 21, 2021 at 6:28 pm
Joy Pitcairn
I love hearing how a point of view shift made this story more kid-friendly. Thanks for sharing!
May 26, 2021 at 12:25 pm
Michal
I love reading the thought process behind author’s decisions, so it was extra fun to share how the POV shift helped me write this. Thanks for reading!
May 21, 2021 at 7:58 pm
brennajeanneret
What an incredible idea for a book! I am really excited to read it. My mom has celiac’s and my son often has questions about it so thank you for creating such a kid-friendly way to talk about it 🙂
May 26, 2021 at 6:20 pm
Michal
Thank you! I hope this helps answer some of his questions. Let me know how it goes!
May 21, 2021 at 11:05 pm
sheri Radovich
Very timely topic with all the allergies and different foods that bother people now. Helps explain to others what the problem is and what the dog does to help the m.c. Thanks for writing it.
May 26, 2021 at 6:21 pm
Michal
Thank you so much!
May 22, 2021 at 8:54 am
andreesantini
Wow, I didn’t know there were gluten-sniffing dogs! Congrats!
May 23, 2021 at 2:40 am
Michal
Thank you!
May 22, 2021 at 11:19 am
Darcee Freier
Michal, thanks for sharing your story’s story. So thankful you found help for your daughter. The story looks delightful. (I always love a good dog story.)
May 23, 2021 at 2:48 am
Michal
Thank you, Darcee! I hope you enjoy the book. I feel exactly the same about dog stories!
May 22, 2021 at 12:14 pm
Stephen S. Martin
Sounds like a great book and the timing was perfect. I was struggling with a story also, but this gave me an idea about changing the POV. Thnx.
May 23, 2021 at 2:52 am
Michal
Oh good! Isn’t it amazing how changing the POV can make such a huge difference? I hope it helped with your story too!
May 22, 2021 at 12:50 pm
deblod
Can’t wAit to read your book.
This is such an important subject.
Many well wishes for your daughter.
Best,
Debbie Lodato
May 23, 2021 at 2:52 am
Michal
Thank you so much, Debbie. I hope you enjoy the book!
May 22, 2021 at 4:04 pm
chardixon47
Congrats, Michal! Your book is so important for those who are gluten intolerant. I look forward to reading your book.
May 23, 2021 at 2:53 am
Michal
Thank you! I really hope it helps raise awareness and let more kids feel represented in books.
May 22, 2021 at 4:42 pm
Stephanie Gibeault
Congratulations on your book, Michal! I’m so excited to read all about Chewie and her incredibly important job. What a wonderful way to help kids understand this serious autoimmune disorder.
May 23, 2021 at 2:54 am
Michal
Thank you, Stephanie!
May 22, 2021 at 7:41 pm
nicolesalterbraun
I’m a medical professional and had no idea there were gluten sniffing dogs! That’s amazing.
May 23, 2021 at 2:57 am
Michal
I didn’t either until a few years ago. I’ve been reading recently about how dogs can help with diabetes and epilepsy alerting, as well as autism and ptsd support. They really are amazing!
May 22, 2021 at 9:43 pm
seschipper
This is such an important topic to bring to light in a PB! Love “Chewie”!!
Continued good health for your daughter. We have a family member who has been diagnosed with Celiac Disease. This book is a treasure!
🙂
May 23, 2021 at 2:59 am
Michal
Thank you so much!!! I really appreciate your kind words and support! I hope your family member is feeling better and doing well with the gf diet.
May 23, 2021 at 11:24 am
Nancy Roe Pimm
This is great! I love the idea of the dogs POV!
May 26, 2021 at 12:25 pm
Michal
Thank you!
May 24, 2021 at 10:18 am
nicholebowers
More proof of how AMAZING service dogs are! Bless them!
What a wonderful, creative way to tell your story and the story of so many others coping with Celiac disease.
After reading your daughter’s heartbreaking struggle with this, It fills me with joy to know there’s a happy ending.
So looking forward to reading your book and sharing with family and friends!
May 26, 2021 at 12:27 pm
Michal
These dogs really are incredible! So fuzzy and clever. Thank you so much for reading and for your kind words. She’s doing so beautifully now and glows with good health. What a difference.
May 24, 2021 at 9:14 pm
yangmommy
Michal, I had no idea that lotion could have gluten! See, you’re already changing the world w/ your story! Congrats on your recent launch & wishing your daughter all the best! PS Love the li’l dragon’s name!!
May 26, 2021 at 12:31 pm
Michal
You made my day! It’s crazy where gluten hides sometimes. We just found wheat in a bottle of hand sanitizer! That was seriously unexpected. Thank you so much for writing and for the lovely wishes. I really appreciate it! (I’ll tell my youngest you like Gus’s full name – it’s her dragon! She named him, as you can imagine)
May 25, 2021 at 11:30 am
Annie Lynn, AnnieBirdd Music, LLC
I would like to win this book for my neighborhood Little Library. I know so many kids with either Celiac (takes forever to truly diagnose) or gluten intolerance, like my son and me. I thought it was great, that examples were written into the story to show where gluten might be hiding, often in unexpected places, and as like that this book WILL help demystify service dogs. So many things to like about this book. It looks beautiful too. Congrats to all involved in this needed book. Please enter me in drawing. Thanks, stay well all!✌🏼💙🎶🎨📚🌻
May 26, 2021 at 12:34 pm
Michal
Hi Annie, thank you for being such a wonderful celiac/gluten-free advocate! And thank you for wanting to add it to your neighborhood Little Library. What a great idea! I’m amazed at how many people have Celiac in their family. Thank you for reading and sharing the book!
May 25, 2021 at 11:41 am
Allison
My protagonist is Pokey, our rescue pup and center of our universe. So your story is an inspiration. He is trained as a therapy dog, but not a service dog. He does a lot of nose work but only out of self interest… In search of bits of hotdog and cheese!
May 26, 2021 at 12:39 pm
Michal
Hi Pokey! Chewie is also a huge fan of cheese. All the nose work for cheese!
(Chewie thinks Pokey is wise in the ways of the cheese).
May 25, 2021 at 11:41 pm
Christine Pinto
I love the dog’s voice – Great story!
May 26, 2021 at 12:39 pm
Michal
Thank you so much!
May 26, 2021 at 2:25 am
sandraL
What a great story! Thanks for sharing your daughter’s journey and educating readers of all ages on Celiac. If I don’t win a copy, I’ll be sure to buy one. 💙
May 26, 2021 at 12:40 pm
Michal
Thank you for reading! That’s so nice of you. I hope you enjoy Chewie (and Alice’s ) story!
May 26, 2021 at 6:24 pm
Michele Rietz
Congratulations! I think dogs are amazing and this proves it. (I always thought my dog would be a great visitor to nursing homes … until I realized he wouldn’t be! 🙂
Can’t wait to read your story!!
May 27, 2021 at 11:57 am
Angie
Such a cute book! I am amazed at how much dogs can be a part of keeping us safe! Congratulations!
May 31, 2021 at 2:52 pm
dinatowbin
Such a cute way to tell an important story! I didn’t know there were service dogs who could do this. Amazing. Congrats on the publication of your story!
June 2, 2021 at 7:12 pm
Dayne Sislen, Children's Book Illustrator
I’m so glad you found a fun way to tell this important story. My daughter has celiac disease. I wish would would have had a dog like yours to help when she was younger. Thank you.