Just So Stories

Walker Books

June 2024

ISBN13:9781760658588

Australia RRP:$16.99

New Zealand RRP:$18.99

What a super fun read this was!! It’s a real mixed bag – humour, drama, mystery, family and … doggos galore!

Maddy often feels like the changeling in her family of high-flyers. They are all very sporty and academic and always on the go-go-GO! Maddy, not so much. She’s much happier spending time with her much-loved pug, Gusto, and is a friend to all the other pooches in her neighbourhood.

She doesn’t really care if she gets a scholarship to her older sister’s school or not – which is just as well because she completely misses the practice exam. But, to be fair, it was not her fault at all. It was like this.

When Gusto goes missing, Maddy is beside herself and goes all out looking for him. And when she uncovers that a lot of other dogs are going missing, she starts some serious investigating. In this, she is joined by a sort of friend/not friend/but now a friend, Kora and, unbelievably, a dog called Chompsky.

Well, he’s the first to be at her side and an invaluable ally. When Maddy tries to help Chompsky from a predicament he nips her – not badly – just enough to render her able to understand dog-speak. WHAT?!

And it’s not just Chompsky, it’s all dogs, who quite quickly get wind of Maddy’s new-found secret power and soon, not only is she investigating potential dog-nappings but solving dog problems.

Needless to say, this intrepid youngster, with some able help, is able to uncover a very sinister (and in fact, downright creepy) plot involving dogs, DNA and designer puppies.

In the process, she not only learns more about herself but also her family- for whom the ‘show’ is not necessarily the way they want to go. It seems that the pressure to achieve and conform can hit anyone.

It is a great adventure, with some really likeable characters, some terrific themes of kindness, compassion, ingenuity and friendship. along with a very nasty villain who thoroughly deserves the ending she gets.

I’m giving this one a 5 🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶 rating! It’s also a great start to a whole raft of animal themed picture books coming up on the blog starting tomorrow.