BUFFALO, N.Y. — Life lessons don't always have to be learned the hard way. Author Johnathan Worden, a Syracuse native, who now lives in Buffalo, proves it.

His children's books use his own experiences and his loveable dogs to spread many messages, including reminding parents and kids there's no need to change for anyone.

What You Need To Know

  • Johnathan Worden was born and raised in the Syracuse area, but now lives in Buffalo

  • Ten percent of book sales go to the 'Pet Emergency Fund at the Sheridan Animal Hospital' in Buffalo

  • The books revolve around his first Great Dane, Moose, and his other Great Dane, Duke

Duke is a Great Dane who's got a whole lot of love to give. Duke had a brother, another Great Dane, named Moose, who passed away last year.

"He's a black and white dog. People ask if he's a donation, sometimes he's not. They call him a cow," joked Worden.

Moose became the inspiration for Johnathan's children book series 'The Great Dane Chronicles.'

''Mr. Moose Caboose Finds his Way' is the first story about finding your identity.

"He calls himself a boy,” Worden said. “And his dad's call him a boy, but others call him a dog and that he doesn't even understand, am I a boy or am I a dog?" 

Moose ultimately learns to become comfortable in his own fur, leading to the second book: "Mr. Moose Caboose and the Lavender Goose"

"She's a lavender goose and she's sitting all alone,” Worden said. “And he goes across the park to see why she's sitting alone. And he has an idea that, you know, she feels different. And so he understands what it's like to be a little bit different. He doesn't encourage her to change, he encourages her to see what everybody else has already seen."

And the third book will feature none other than Duke.

"'Wiggle Butt Wiggle Butt, Dukey Gets the Zoomies.' So this book is about ADHD. So it's another issue that parents will be provided language to discuss with their children through experiences that Duke has, thinking about his energy level thinking about his inability to focus," he explained.

These colorful books don't only contain lessons and rhymes. For Worden, they hold memories.

"I say that he lives on through the book, but he lives on within me this way, too," he said.

Worden has taken these moments -- the light-hearted, the difficult -- and turned them into relatable lessons.

Worden said this all started as a "pandemic project," but he sold over 600 copies in a month.

 And to make this even sweeter, 10% of proceeds go to the 'Pet Emergency Fund at the Sheridan Animal Hospital in Buffalo. You can pick up these books at a bookstore near you.