When the loveable bulldog Stinky and his mother move to a new neighborhood, he is anxious to make new friends. In “Stinky the Bulldog”, he learns the true meaning of a friend.

Stinky wakes up in his new room and eagerly goes outside to introduce himself to kids in the neighborhood. After approaching one child, he is heartbroken. The boy does not want to be friends with a dog named Stinky. Sad but undeterred, Stinky approaches two girls jumping rope. They, too, shun him and mockingly hold their noses because of his unusual name.

He comes to his mother with his eyes full of tears. He says, "Mama, why did you name me Stinky? The kids I met today don't want to be friends with me because they think Stinky is a horrible name. Why would you give me such a horrible name?" She offers love and wisdom when she tells him that true friends don't judge people based on what's on the outside. It's only what's on the inside that counts.

Stinky then sets out to find a "true friend," which he finds in a little girl named Lily. Lily and Stinky become great companions because each likes the other for who they truly are.

Packed with vibrant illustrations, Stinky the Bulldog is a heartwarming, creative story for children that teaches an important lesson. It is a lesson that even parents can take away from this captivating children's book. It is specifically written at a level where most younger children must have a parent read it to him or her. The goal is to not only teach the children this lesson, but also to remind adults of it because we all can forget from time to time.

Jackie Valent is an author from the Milwaukee area who spent most of her early career in the human resources field, where she saw the negative effects of unfounded judgments people make about others. She works with community groups that focus on diversity, such as FUELmilwaukee and Milwaukee Women Inc..