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. 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. There are moments of drama, emotion – and a satisfying ending. Scruffity emerges as a very real character and what he experiences as he travels is believable. 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. 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. 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. In this verse novel, Fraillon takes on the persona of a dog. Can Scruffity find a way to the Family he longs for but has never had? Escaping together, they set off to find a better future – then tragedy strikes. Only the ManPup who helps look after him wants him. No one seems to want him, even though he has perfected some tricks. 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.
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