ILENE FINE , Brandy and Val's mom, created Brandy and Val books serendipitously. She was inspired to create them for a friend’s child, Zachary, who lives far away from her and the dogs and is afflicted with Prader-Willi Syndrome. Since she could not take them for a visit, this was her way of bringing Brandy and Val to him. Ilene has been tutor/mentoring inner city youths and adults for over 20 years and is also involved with promoting literacy in both adults and children. Along with Brandy and Val, she participates in pet therapy programs working in schools and in libraries. Her entreprenurial spirit has guided her to this new and challenging career path. In her spare time she enjoys making functional pottery.

BRANDY was the first rescue dog to be adopted by Ilene and her husband. A mix between a Labrador Retriever and a Viszla, Brandy has boundless energy and loves to play and greet everyone in her sight. She's adored by the neighborhood kids and loves to see them off to school as they get on the bus each morning. Brandy loves yogurt and chasing squirrels but is happy to eat or play with pretty much anything.

VAL , short for Valenti, came along in 2006 after being found homeless in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. He was part of a transport of dogs sent to the Chicago area where he was adopted by Ilene, her husband and Brandy. He is calm and gentle and while he likes to play, is very happy to hang around with people. We suspect he came from a family that had a little girl since he tends to gravitate to and kiss them the most when he does appearances and pet therapy. When he's really happy his tail spins around in a circle rather than wag!