Dogs hold key in special read

Sat, 28 Jun 2008

Margie Hanning reviews books for the young.

If you enjoy stories about dogs then Missing Toby by Jill Harris (Longacre, pbk, $18) will be a special read.

If you are reading this, email me at natalie@doglinks.co.nz and you can receive your own Missing Toby from us. Limited supplies. All you need to pay is postage.

Gus and Max are the two local dogs that keep the neighbourhood dogs in check.

In their daily travels they meet Harriet, a lonely girl who is missing her brother, Toby.

When a hurt stray dog is dumped in the neighbourhood, Harriet sets about convincing her parents that she really wants to keep it.

A mysterious benefactor, who has been leaving presents in the letterbox since the day Toby left, is finally revealed after an elderly neighbour has a fall.

As the story progresses, friendships develop and a neighbourhood is drawn together, making for a delightful read.

Jill Harris is a former English teacher and librarian, who lives in Wellington. Her first book Sil, won an honour award in the New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards.