Jack-Jack: a Dog in Africa

This enjoyable new series for fans of animals is the diary of a loveable, scruffy dog whose home is a sanctuary for orphaned chimpanzees in Africa.

The diary style gives this book an original feel: it is a novel and fun way for readers to get to know Jack-Jack and all of his friends. As well as a troop of cheeky chimpanzees, Jack-Jack spends his days with a sage old vulture, a not-so-sleepy leopard, two paranoid parrots and a number of very sociable wild pigs. For young readers who like learning about animals, there are lots of enjoyable characters to meet, and Vince’s lively line drawings celebrate each one’s individual nature.

Jack-Jack’s diary is a dog’s-eye view of the world and he shares with readers a number of canine secrets (dogs know an awful lot more than they let on, he tells readers). Through tales about an invasion of rubber snakes and an escape from a frightened, angry giant chimp, Jack-Jack explains how dogs are substantially less brave than people might think and that, really, all they want is to be loved.

Though Jack-Jack’s home will feel strange and exotic for many readers, the African village is where he lives and is all he has ever known. So, when one of his human friends (Ben) asks Jack-Jack to leave Africa and join him on a plane, it is an emotional and heart-warming moment. Jack-Jack so generously describes his home and his friends, that it is hard to believe future books in the series will be set elsewhere.

Though this is a fiction book, there is much for information booklovers to enjoy, too. It includes a number of facts about dogs (both as part of the story and in a bonus section at the end) that will interest even those children who already have lots of canine knowledge. Indeed, the way that the book shares information about Jack-Jack’s homeland and animal friends is the most likeable element of the book. Though the miniature stories he shares are not without charm, there is little excitement within them, and few characters are developed in any depth or detail.

The finale promises that Jack-Jack’s next adventure will be the training of his new human, which will offer an opportunity to learn more about dogs’ understanding of their best friends and how they live.