Dogsbody

An old favourite which it's good to see back in up-to-date form. I think this is a great way into Diana Wynne Jones' books, not so esoteric as others yet it packs the punch of her best fantasy. Sirius, the dog star, is sentenced to a period on Earth as a dog, for apparent murder and the loss of a powerful weapon. It is the simple notion which livens the wonderfully warm story of this dog, struggling with its new form. So that's why it can't control its tail, why its urges so get the better of its body. In talking with cats, the Sun, Earth and others, this naturalness is preserved and seems only an extension of what we can see in these animals normally. The fantasy is powerful too, physically sharp, and grows so well out the real-life story of Katherine, whose pet Sirius is for a while.