My Dog

The night before Rhys’s mum dies, he finds a lost black Labrador. Worthington is the dog of Rhys’s dreams, but he has to keep him secret because Dad hates dogs.

And Rhys must now leave Wales to live with Dad, Lucy and baby Evie. Rhys wants to be the best dog owner, but it’s tough keeping Worthington a secret. Maybe the TV vet Dr Jimmy can help convince Dad to keep him? 

This is an incredibly moving story about grief, about loss and about love. Rhys goes through a lot of significant changes – loss of a parent, new home in a different country, new family, new school – and, like many children in this situation, he feels very alone. So he copes in his own way.

If ever there is a story to encourage empathy in readers, this is it. Beautifully written, with stunning inside illustrations by David Litchfield, this is an ode to pets and their unconditional love, but also to extended family. There are no stereotypes in this impressive debut novel – Rhys has loving grandparents and a kind new stepmother, yet he still feels alone. This would be a good class reader as it could start lots of valuable conversations. 

It’s important to note that no dogs die in this story.