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A review by katykelly
The Dog Who Saved the World by Ross Welford
5.0
Viral dystopia, virtual reality time travel and dogs. Clever, unsettling and expects some maturity from its readers.
All of Welford's novels for children have expected the reader to be able to cope with some element of darkness. Each has impressed me, and this latest adds to a catalogue of sophisticated stories for KS2/KS3-aged young people.
Multiple issues mesh nicely in this story of a girl and her adopted dog, as a canine-carried virus begins to take hold of the world, just as Georgie and her best friend meet a scientist who needs them to test a virtual reality experiment that can take them into the projected future.
This kind of dystopic vision is common in teenage literature, to place it into a juvenile novel is brave and daring, but Welford has shown excellent judgment with similarly grown-up issues previously.
The world of Mr Mash, the adopted dog who inadvertently becomes key to the global pandemic that could kill both dogs and humans, is our own, and scarily so, as we watch the start of a virus. Our King has a Jack Russell - it is our world but not quite. Georgie narrates the story from her future ("Right, I think you're nearly caught up, in terms of the things you need to know."), giving us hope that all will end well, allowing us to feel a connection with the story and characters.
She's a smart one, Georgie. Realistically unhappy about her dad's girlfriend Jessica, unashamedly adoring of Mr Mash, appreciative of her best friend and his own issues, she's a very normal-sounding girl. Readers will empathise with her mistakes, and what she has to go through, how brave she has to be. Ramzy too, her best friend, is a well-rounded boy who jumps off the page - and as an immigrant with a protective family, is good to see in a book as a positive role model.
Quite an exciting story, one you need to concentrate on as well, with adult characters that aren't just there as wallpaper. I can picture this as a film, it will be refreshing to see this type of genre aimed at a family market.
All Welford's standalones are excellent thoughtful stories for capable readers. 'The Dog' will be enjoyed by readers who like science themes, end-of-the-world scenarios, friendship and adventurous plots. For ages 9-14.
With thanks to Netgalley for the advance e-copy.
All of Welford's novels for children have expected the reader to be able to cope with some element of darkness. Each has impressed me, and this latest adds to a catalogue of sophisticated stories for KS2/KS3-aged young people.
Multiple issues mesh nicely in this story of a girl and her adopted dog, as a canine-carried virus begins to take hold of the world, just as Georgie and her best friend meet a scientist who needs them to test a virtual reality experiment that can take them into the projected future.
This kind of dystopic vision is common in teenage literature, to place it into a juvenile novel is brave and daring, but Welford has shown excellent judgment with similarly grown-up issues previously.
The world of Mr Mash, the adopted dog who inadvertently becomes key to the global pandemic that could kill both dogs and humans, is our own, and scarily so, as we watch the start of a virus. Our King has a Jack Russell - it is our world but not quite. Georgie narrates the story from her future ("Right, I think you're nearly caught up, in terms of the things you need to know."), giving us hope that all will end well, allowing us to feel a connection with the story and characters.
She's a smart one, Georgie. Realistically unhappy about her dad's girlfriend Jessica, unashamedly adoring of Mr Mash, appreciative of her best friend and his own issues, she's a very normal-sounding girl. Readers will empathise with her mistakes, and what she has to go through, how brave she has to be. Ramzy too, her best friend, is a well-rounded boy who jumps off the page - and as an immigrant with a protective family, is good to see in a book as a positive role model.
Quite an exciting story, one you need to concentrate on as well, with adult characters that aren't just there as wallpaper. I can picture this as a film, it will be refreshing to see this type of genre aimed at a family market.
All Welford's standalones are excellent thoughtful stories for capable readers. 'The Dog' will be enjoyed by readers who like science themes, end-of-the-world scenarios, friendship and adventurous plots. For ages 9-14.
With thanks to Netgalley for the advance e-copy.