This kind of dystopic vision is common in teenage literature, to place it into a juvenile novel is brave and daring, but Welford has shown excellent judgment with similarly grown-up issues previously.

The Dog Who Saved the World - LoveReading4Kids

For a deadly disease is sweeping across the world, a danger to dogs and humans alike, and now humanity’s only hopes lies in finding a cure that does not yet exist… unless like Georgie, you happen to know a mad-scientist who has a prototype, glitch-ridden time machine… what could possibly go wrong? Previous to that realisation, it was hitting a bit close to home and I felt that it being a virus originating from china was a bit on the nose.It was like, Jessica’s moving in, Clem’s growing up, Georgie’s not happy about any of that, so let’s get her a dog. Also, I really appreciated how well the science elements were explained, as I often struggle to understand books that feature it heavily, and though the concept of this was pretty difficult to wrap my head around, I actually managed to grasp it and could follow everything that was going on. The Spanish City was undergoing refurbishment at the time I was writing the story in 2018 and it made me think that the large dome would make a good Virtual Reality studio. Eventually, I lift up the wolf’s head, which hinges at the jaws, and bring it down with a single sharp rap that echoes much louder than I expected, making Ramzy jump. Between the layers of heart pounding, tear spiking and edge-of-your-seat fiction, the author weaves many sensitive issues into his work.

The Dog who Saved the World: An interview with Ross Welford The Dog who Saved the World: An interview with Ross Welford

Instead it’s a thought-provoking time-travelling story set in the not-too-distant future, where a deadly disease threatens not just humanity, but every beloved pet dog as well. George and Harold link up in kindergarten to reduce a quartet of vicious bullies to giggling insanity with a relentless series of pranks involving shaving cream, spiders, effeminate spoof text messages and friendship bracelets. Set in the rather quiet English town of Whitley Bay, this story revolves around two adorable characters- Georgie and her friend, Ramzy Rehman. The fictional “Canine-borne Ebola” (CBE) originates in China and spreads rapidly, first through dogs and then “jumping” to humans.Mash, along with best friend Ramzy, must embark on a desperate quest to save the dogs-- and also all of humanity. Each has impressed me, and this latest adds to a catalogue of sophisticated stories for KS2/KS3-aged young people. The villain sets off after George and Harold, who are in juvie (“not much different from our old school…except that they have library books here. Georgie(short for Georgina) lives with her dad, her teen brother Clem, and her dad’s girlfriend, Jessica.

The Dog Who Saved the World | LoveReading4Kids Kids Zone The Dog Who Saved the World | LoveReading4Kids Kids Zone

Some pretty gripping and uncomfortable moments and although in the current pandemic climate the concept may be a bit too close for comfort, if your class can cope with it, I would recommend as a 5/6 read aloud. The Dog' will be enjoyed by readers who like science themes, end-of-the-world scenarios, friendship and adventurous plots. The ususal Ross Welford collection of madcap characters in a Geordie setting (my Geordie accent is getting good now! Ramzy too, her best friend, is a well-rounded boy who jumps off the page - and as an immigrant with a protective family, is good to see in a book as a positive role model. I have heard of copter-drones, obviously, and I’ve seen people demonstrating them on YouTube and stuff, but I’ve never seen one for real.This is a really quirky and enjoyable read, and I`m looking forward to picking up some of Ross Welford`s back catalogue now.

The Dog Who Saved the World Teaching Resources The Dog Who Saved the World Teaching Resources

Here he talks about his latest story, The Dog who Saved the World… Find out more about Ross Welford here!I am impressed with your hard work and your immense curiosity, passion, and determination to execute this summit at this hour when the world is battling. With just a pinch of imagination, Ross Welford made the idea of jumping to the future seem very possible, without going into great depth about the actual mechanics of it all.