The Way of Dog

Scruffity is alone. He longs for Family and remembers the love of his mother; a mother who is taken from him when he was a very small puppy.  No one seems to want him, even though he has perfected some tricks. Only the ManPup who helps look after him wants him. Escaping together, they set off to find a better future – then tragedy strikes. Can Scruffity find a way to the Family he longs for but has never had?

In this verse novel, Fraillon takes on the persona of a dog. The loose flowing format is particularly suited to creating the sense of a thought process and an understanding of the world from a different viewpoint to that of a human.  It is a bold move; while animal narrators, in particular dogs, are a frequent trope in children’s literature, not so many attempt to create a language for the animal. Initially the reader might find the use of such terms as Manpup or shoe-legs and the capital letters, forced, but the skill with which the author drives the plot on soon makes this easy to accept. Scruffity emerges as a very real character and what he experiences as he travels is believable. There are moments of drama, emotion – and a satisfying ending. The pen and ink illustrations and page decoration by Sean Buckingham bring a visual element, punctuating the text without overwhelming it, rather they subtly add to the impact of the narrative.  An interesting addition to any collection and one for that young reader who is looking for something other than fantasy, something rooted in the real world.