According to The Literature Network, The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896) by H.G. Wells, deals with themes of eugenics, the ethics of scientific experimentation, Darwin's theories and religion. But it's summer and who cares about vivisecting literature? We care about enjoying a good book, so we're providing our own guide to The Island of Doctor Moreau.

For most of us it feels as though summer is just starting, but for Arizona educators they are in the middle of back-to-school preparations. Each year an educator spends an average of $700 of their own money to help students with supplies and classroom needs. We hope that if you are an educator you are taking advantage of the Bookmans Project: Educate program, but we want to share with you a non-profit organization that will assist you even further.

Every animal deserves a loving home. We should preserve the habitats of the wild ones and create safe, comfortable homes for the domestic ones. Each of our stores hosts pet adoptions throughout the year and this month we've seen an uptick in adoptions. We are so pleased that you are expanding your family and opening your homes to new pets.

The Animal Match Rescue Team, Inc. website points out that, "Most dogs in shelters and rescues have been there anywhere from a few days to several months. So even though when adopted they are going to a home with love and care devoted to them alone, they might have some difficulty understanding why they have 'lost' another home."

It's not a decision to take lightly and some preparation will allow for a more successful integration of your new family member. "The first few days in your home are special and critical for a pet. Your new dog will be confused about where he is and what to expect from you. Setting up some clear structure with your family for your dog will be paramount in making as smooth a transition as possible," writes Sara Lippincott, on the Petfinder website.

We've combined advice from Lippincott's Tips for the First 30 Days of Dog Adoption with Animal Match Rescue Team, Inc's Tips on Adopting a Dog -- A guide to the First Few Weeks to help those of you who come to our in-store pet adoptions be prepared for your new dog.

Our urban desert environment is not welcoming to lost pets or strays. The scorching-hot pavement, record-breaking temperatures and a consistent drought make it hard for the toughest cat or dog to live on the streets. We’ve seen strays roaming our neighborhoods and daily commutes and we wonder how to help. Thankfully, Phoenix provides many easily accessible resources to help animals in need but it's our duty to take the first steps for them. These critters can't dial a phone or ask for help, so be a pet pal and lend a hand when you can.

During the Dog Days of summer we celebrate all species and we welcome any well-behaved pet on a leash in our stores (actually, we do that all year around). One of our favorite pets is Aeris Starfire Pfeil, a gorgeous marmalade tabby who visits Bookmans and Target in her buggy.

"Aeris is a very unique little girl," says Aeris's person, Krista Rikkertsen. Not many felines enjoy a ride in the car!

Having little regard for mothers (or people in general) and the knowledge that Merrill Markoe is the former head writer and romantic partner of David Letterman will help readers enjoy her collection of memoirist essays in Cool, Calm & Contentious. We picked up the book for the stories about her dogs. Those deliver and so do most of the vignettes.

In "Why I Love Dogs" Markoe explicates all the boorish behaviors of her dogs (laying on her work, standing in front of the television, pulling napkins from the trash) and how we wouldn't put up with that crap from any other roommate or guest. Yet we endure all this and more from our dogs. Markoe shares at first her attraction to and then her leeriness of "The Dog Whisperer" in her essay "The Dog Prattler". By the end of this essay she recognizes and embraces her dogs' excitement for everything they encounter in life. "Selfishness 101 (for Dogs)" and "Jimmy Explains His Wake-up Techniques" bring us even closer to her dogs and their charming personalities.

During July Bookmans celebrates the Dog Days of Summer and so far, here at Bookmans Speedway, we have had some amazing events. We have fantastic animal welfare partners whose compassion for these pets is inexhaustable. We are overjoyed by the number of adoptions we've seen this month and we look forward to meeting more animals and animal lovers. Please read our success stories and join us for our upcoming events.

Slather on the sunscreen and head outside for the July edition of Bookmans Phoenix Treasure Hunt: The Search for Local Business Booty. In June we hid the loot at the extraordinary Papa Ed's Ice Cream in historic Downtown Glendale, but where could we have hid it this time?

Each year The Loft Cinema hosts a film festival devoted to all the little munchkins of Tucson. The eight-day festival features film sing-a-longs, animated features and books related to the big screen. The return of the festival marks the sixth year The Loft has devoted over a week's-worth of films for parents and kids along with fun activities, free popcorn and (we almost forgot to mention) free admission. Can you believe it? A way to keep cool and spend some time with the kids and it's free. What a bargain!

Meet Desdemona de Muertos el Diablo Gato (yes, that's really her name, but her family calls her Desi for short). Bookmans employees often look no further than our own stores to find furry additions to our families.

Bringing the heritage of Southern 1990s hip-hop to Tucson, Big K.R.I.T. plays the Rialto at 8 p.m. this Friday, August 3 and one of you Bookmans Ticket Tuesday fans will receive passes for two.