Hugh Dunnit: Taking Shelter

This enjoyably silly take on the crime caper genre is packed full of jokes for young readers to enjoy.

Hugh lives with his mum, dad and baby brother, and finds it hard to make friends at school. Perhaps it’s his habit of pedantically correcting his teacher (is it a heptagon or a septagon?) or his decision to spend lunch time doing his homework (to avoid doing it at home) while his peers are all out playing that make him somewhat of a loner. This changes, to Hugh’s delight, when he finds an abandoned dog in a bus shelter. Naturally – and conveniently for those who love puns – Hugh calls his new pal Shelter.

Shelter is, unarguably, adorable. This is made obvious by Cosgrove’s lively and cheerful illustrations, which pop up occasionally to add extra laughs, and also feature in a number of full page comic strips that add variety and action to the storytelling. Sadly, though, Shelter’s habit of chewing things to oblivion makes her difficult company for Hugh’s family. When Hugh’s maths homework is discovered in tatters, Mum is sure that it’s time to take Shelter to the shelter. Hugh can’t accept that his new best bud could do such a thing so instead he embarks upon a mission to uncover the true culprit.

Hugh narrates his own story in the classic style of a private investigator film noir, and he is extremely generous with his jokes, taking every opportunity to deliver puns and one-liners. Hugh’s decision-making is funny too: surely it’s much more likely that a jealous neighbour broke in and stole his homework than his mum’s cruel allegation that Shelter is responsible? Hugh is willing to go to great lengths (including making wild allegations in giant graffiti) to prove his point but, sadly, it’s extremely difficult to dissuade his family of Shelter’s guilt.

Taking Shelter is a short, manageable story that is perfect for less confident readers or for those who fancy a bite-size snack to sate their appetite for reading. It is also great fun to read aloud with a parent…who will chuckle at the jokes just as much as the children will!