Scout and the rescue dogs by Dianne Wolfer

Dianne Wolfer (Light Horse Boy) has written an engaging, heartwarming novel that touches on some big topics, including the death of a parent and dangerous bushfires (the terrible 2019/2020 summer bushfires are used as background context). While it is confronting in parts and doesn't shy away from honestly discussing these issues it carries a lightness courtesy of Scout and her father's loving relationship, a lovely smattering of dad jokes, Aussie slang and cultural references to summer cricket, Christmas traditions and road trip sights and sounds. There are some great normalising of online safety: asking dad if she can add a friend to her contact list and him setting screen time limits for her. It also touches on the difficulties faced by truck drivers as well as their amazing community spirit and how they look out for each other. 

It's the end of the school year and Scout is getting out of Arcadia Boarding School for Young Ladies. We quickly learn that her mum died of cancer recently, that her dad is a truck driver and that she doesn't feel like she fits in at her fancy boarding school at all. Scout is thoughtful, clever and scientifically curious. She and her dad are setting off on a road trip, delivering pallets of dog food donated by a philanthropist to animal shelters in time for Christmas. In addition, her teacher has set a summer friendship task that turns into a regular penpal communication and an authentic friendship. Along their trip Scout encounters problems, both with bushfires and dog shelters and does her best to help out, both by herself and by reaching out to friends and communities to assist. Her leaps to action and implementation are realistic and inspirational. At one point, Scout meets a boy who she really likes and she describes how her skin tingles and how she feels embarassed because she says something silly. This is such an honest story with so many small details that work together to paint a completely authentic picture. All the elements of the story are given due diligence: bushfires, developing friendships, grief over the loss of her mother, their new dog, Scout's dog adoption website and her worries about boarding school and there's a beautiful hopeful ending rather than a picture perfect one. 

Themes: Dog Shelters, Bushfires, Australian Stories, Community, Philanthropy, Truck Driving.

Nicole Nelson