A tiny puppy from the streets of Romania inspired a woman to publish a book about his brave journey, after she discovered that singing stories helped him to fall asleep.
Courageous dog Bodhi was just six months old when Alison Simpson, 39, from Berkshire, scooped him up off the rescue bus and brought him home.
"He had a fear of people and I would sing to him to help him relax," she said.
As well as calming Bodhi, the theme tune touched the hearts of her friends' children, who persuaded her to publish a book about Bodhi the Pirate Dog and his adventures.
Alison has since been busy reading to schools and libraries, and shipping orders worldwide, including 400 copies to UK charities.
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In 2018, Alison was volunteering for Dogs Walk This Way Rescue when she "fell in love" with a stray puppy at the kennels.
"Most rescue dogs would be very needy and scared and hide in the bushes, but not this one. He was full of love," Alison said.
After just three days in the UK, Alison took him home and named him Bodhi, "because it means awareness and enlightenment".
She began singing songs to help calm his nerves, and made one up about a brave dog who travelled by land and sea comparing himself to others, before realising how wonderfully special he was.
Having always wanted to publish a book, Alison turned the lyrics of the song into a script for a children's story.
A Kickstarter campaign raised more than £5,000 towards pre-orders and donations and allowed Alison to publish and distribute Bodhi the Pirate Dog.
Since November, Alison has donated 400 copies of the book to charities Berkshire Women’s Aid , Compass Fostering and BAS Books , and visited nurseries to speak to kids about kindness and bravery.
"I feel like I have an important message to share with the world and I want my book to be read and heard by as many children as possible," she said.
Her success means even more to Alison after everything she's battled over the last decade.
In her mid-twenties, she developed chronic pain in her arms, which was diagnosed as central sensitisation syndrome and fibromyalgia.
It meant she struggled to pick up a pen and write or type on the computer.
"It was a very dark period in my life and I thought my dream of one day being an author was over," she said.
Thankfully, she discovered the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) which helped her to overcome the physical and mental barriers of pain.
"I've now been relatively pain free for nearly ten years and I've weaved the theme of overcoming adversity into the book because I feel it's so important," she said.
You can buy a copy of Bodhi the Pirate Dog or donate a bundle to charity on Alison's website.
Do you have a dog story to sell? Email nia.dalton@reachplc.com.
