This lovely junior fiction story, written and illustrated by Jill Murphy (of Worst Witch fame), was recommended to me by a European bookseller earlier in the year. It’s a heartwarming tale of an anxious deerhound pup who goes missing, and his distraught, young owner’s attempts to find him. While lost, the dog is befriended by 2 foxes who try (and ultimately succeed) to help him find his way back home.
It’s a fab story all-round and perfect for sharing at bedtime: with beautiful, expressive illustrations, it’s gentle enough to help wind down, but with sufficient (low-key) excitement to maintain interest and keep the pages turning. Its short chapters also make it very easy to fit around your bedtime routine, particularly if you’re like us and often find yourself running out of time before lights out. It gets a big thumbs up from our house.