The Dog Squad: The newshound by Clara Vulliamy

Clara Vulliamy, author of the delightful Dotty Detective and Marshmallow Pie series brings readers a new series featuring Eva and her friends Simone and Ash who are budding journalists, writing The Newshound, with ‘Top local stories, news and reviews'. When Eva finds a stray dog, she brings him home and names him Wafer. She is determined to find out where he came from. Of course, she would really love to keep him but the family’s landlord is adamant that no pets are allowed in the building and the trio have a deadline to find out Wafer’s origins. On the trail of the mystery the girls follow clues, interviewing the shopkeeper near where Wafer was found, talking to a vet to see if he was microchipped, and listening carefully to an old man in the café where Eva’s mother works, who says that there had been an incident of puppy farming in the news.

This story is sure to be a hit with its target audience. On every page engaging black and white illustrations bring to life the characters and the drawings of Wafer are a delight. He gradually changes from a very nervous dog to a wonderful lively animal who saves the day at the apartments. Children will have fun following the clues and helping to uncover the mystery of Wafer’s origins, while learning much about looking after a pet, puppy farming and creating a newspaper. The inclusion of a non-binary character Ash and a loving single parent family life for Eva also give this a story an extra dimension. And dog lovers will not be able to put it down.

Another winner from this talented author and illustrator The newshound will have readers waiting for the next episode in the life of this lively trio of mystery solvers.

Themes: Mysteries, Dogs, Newspapers.

Pat Pledger