My Dog, Hen

‘It takes a lot to look after a new pet…’

The boy at the heart of this thoughtful story is determined to do the best for his new pet, and the rescue pup is given everything he needs. But Hen doesn’t play with toys, he eats them – along with lots of other objects – and when the boy spends his pocket money on new toys, Hen eats those, too.

‘No more,’ Dad says, clearing up the mess, and Mum agrees. Hen must learn to be less destructive, or remain toy-free. But Gran, who loves repurposing things, takes a different approach. Why not teach Hen to be more careful by giving him something indestructible to play with?

The object Gran creates from Hen’s cast-offs could have been truly monstrous but there’s humour in the pup’s refusal to be daunted by its size or shape – and alongside the fun, important questions about empathy, responsibility and consumerism are waiting to be explored. Being too young to direct your own life adds to the significance of taking action on another’s behalf: as the boy observes, Hen is ‘only a new dog’ and can’t make decisions on his own, so ‘it’s up to us to make them for him’, and the way this book models such awareness and behaviour creates a powerful stimulus for growth and change.

Visually, My Dog Hen is as exciting as its content. Chalky white lines pop against black or grey backgrounds, with areas of flat colour working alongside surface patterns and textures to create eyecatching designs, and views taken from a low perspective emphasise the vulnerability (and small stature) of Hen and the narrator.

Overall, there’s a sophistication and sense of relevance about this book that ensures wide age-appeal, so although the guide range is perhaps 5-7 years, younger and older readers are also likely to enjoy it.