The girl, the dog and the writer in Rome by Katrina Nannestrad

ABC Books, 2017. ISBN 9780733338175
(Age: 9+) "For the first ten years of Freja's life, she and her mother Clementine have roamed the Arctic in search of zoological wonders. Happy, content, together. Freja and Clem. Clem and Freja. But now, everything is changing, and Clementine must send Freja away to live with her old friend Tobias, a bestselling crime writer and, quite possibly, the most absent-minded man on earth. Tobias isn't used to life with a child, and Freja isn't used to people at all, but together they'll stumble into an Italian adventure so big that it will change things forever . . . Award-winning Australian author Katrina Nannestad returns with a delicious new series about family, friendship and finding yourself." Publisher
This is a beautiful story about family, friendship, identity, bravery and it gives a fascinating insight into the amazing city of Rome. The added addition of the glossary at the end of the book is a welcome addition for those of us that are unfamiliar with Italian! Throughout the book Freja displays bravery a number of times including when she has to leave her mum to live with Tobias. Nannestrad has created a beautifully written story rich in description that encounters a unique friendship between a young girl and Tobias, a eccentric bestselling crime writer. This book would be suitable for all aged 9 and up. Although it is a lengthy novel, the text is quite large and the book does not appear daunting. This will be a welcome addition to the library and I am sure it will not be sitting on the shelves for very long.
Kathryn Schumacher