Wanted: The Perfect Pet by Fiona Roberton, published by Hodder Children's Books

Henry wants a dog. He wants a dog so badly. He wants a dog more than a frog (he already has hundreds of frogs and they don’t impress him one bit). He wants a dog more than a Cowboy outfit and  even more than an all expenses paid trip to the moon. There’s only one thing to be done. Henry places an advert in the newspaper: Wanted the Perfect Pet… and he waits…

Meanwhile, far away a lonely duck sits waiting for someone to mail or call him. He’s so lonely, that he has to play ping pong all by himself and that's not much fun. Then one day he picks up the newspaper and he reads Henry’s advert, and that gives him an idea! Will it end happily? Perhaps, but there are some obstacles to overcome first.

Fiona Roberton is undoubtedly a talent to watch closely. Her spare line drawings are tender and expressive. With minimal line she communicates a range of emotions from loneliness to joy, disappointment to concern. The final image of the duck lying across Henry’s bed, economically capturing both the duckness and the dogginess of our hero, as well as  Henry’s contentment, demonstrates just how talented this illustrator is.

The storytelling is perfectly paced and even if the ending is predictable, it still has the capacity to move the reader.  ‘Wanted: the Perfect Pet’, is one of those rare books that tugs at your heart strings without descending to the level of saccharine. It will speak with equal power to adults and to children, about longing, loving, belonging and being true to oneself. The treatment of these universal themes, the lightness of touch and gentle humour, makes this book accessible to readers of all ages and it is likely to engage less avid readers,

In the classroom ‘Wanted’ will certainly provide the catalyst for some deep reflective talk and it is a perfect choice for Philosophy for Children. At Just Imagine, we are already planning our ‘Wanted’ workshop. However, it should be read first and foremost as a great story.

For more information visit the Just Imagine Story Centre.

 

West End in Schools are delighted to welcome Nikki Gamble as a guest blogger.

Nikki  has worked in education and reading promotion for over 25 years. Formerly a teacher (secondary and primary) and teacher educator, she is a lecturer, writer and education consultant. Following the completion of an MA in Language and Literature in Education at the University of London, Nikki taught literacy and children’s literature courses to undergraduate and postgraduate students at Anglia Polytechnic University. She is currently Director of Write Away UK and Associate Consultant at the University Of London, Institute Of Education.

Nikki is also on the current Executive Committee of United Kingdom Literacy Association (UKLA).