Zana has done an expert job in ‘speaking dog’ as she presents Scruffity’s ideas in a free flowing and open verse, that at times swoops across the page to reflect the way the dog views and interprets humans and the world around him, through a succession of scents, feelings and observations. Two-legs come in all shapes and sizes, some are cruel, many are irrelevant and just a few know how to treat a dog properly and respect and follow “the way of the dog’ which ebbs and flows and adjusts to different circumstances. It tugs at the heart strings without ever being overly melodramatic, as Scruffity invites you into his very being to see the world from a dog’s point of view. Scruffity, recounts his story from enforced weaning when taken away from his mother, to living a life in a cage, and the experience of loneliness, love, loss, near death, and survival on a journey to his destiny. This is the most amazing, heartfelt and totally engrossing story I have read for a long time. I have never read anything by Zana before so I was looking forward to discovering a new author. How does a dog find his way home when he never had one. But when tragedy strikes, Scruffity is suddenly all alone. Outside, Scruffity learns all about The Way of Dog – it is to run, to dig, to howl and, biggest of all, to love. Just as his chances of adoption grow dangerously thin, Scruffity is set free by a boy as unwanted and lonely as Taken from his mamma and locked in a concrete cage, what he yearns for most is Family. Highly recommended for ages 8–12.Scruffity is born into the harsh, grey world of a puppy farm. The language is so alive that it will certainly make a wonderful read aloud. It’s a book that is heartbreaking yet equally heartwarming, and it has been written with a great deal of care and compassion. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself a little misty-eyed as you are reading this one.
Sean Buckingham provides beautiful illustrations of the wiry little hound and his world. This book has a timeless quality that feels like the work of Kate DiCamillo. The Way of Dog is a verse novel, and the language used is entirely unique but always delivered with clarity. In 2017 Fraillon won our Young Adult prize for The Bone Sparrow. Many readers will already be familiar with Zana Fraillon’s much lauded books. He’s learning what it is to be a little dog alive in a world of danger and beauty! As his story progresses, little Scruffity encounters many more people and other animals – some friendly, some sly, some kind and some cold. Separated from his mother he longs for happiness and a family. A little pup in a cage in a barn is at the very beginning of his life.
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