I liked the fact that the ending of the book was not all nicely tied up and stayed true to ben's uncertainty as a character. After an accident makes the family re evaluate there lives and think about moving into a cleaner part of London the possibility of keeping one of his grand fathers puppies becomes a reality.

A dog so small : Pearce, Philippa : Free Download, Borrow

Ever since the moment when Ben’s grandfather whispered conspiratorially of a promise of a for his birthday, Ben has done nothing but dream and imagine the moment. This is a highly accomplished short novel and I was surprised to read that it was originally ‘turned down by OUP and, instead, published by Constable in 1982. She won a Carnegie Medal for TOM'S MIDNIGHT GARDEN and a Whitbread Prize for THE BATTLE OF BUBBLE AND SQUEAK also published by Puffin Books. There were about 160 commendations of both kinds in 49 years including five for 1955, three for 1977, three for 1978 and three for 1983 (one highly commended).A slim, tight story that gives so much more than it suggests, A Dog So Small always feels rather Tardis like to me. There is a brief crossover with her earlier novel Minnow on the Say if you care about that sort of thing. Tom's Midnight Garden finished second in the vote from that shortlist, between two books that were about 40 years younger. I can't help but quote Elaine Moss, the editor who wrote the afterward in my Puffin publication of this lovely book.

A Dog So Small by Philippa Pearce | Goodreads

When this wish does not come to fruition Ben compensates by creating an imaginary dog (inspired by a picture his grandparents gave him in place of a real dog) which he sees when he closes his eyes. Like there was literally no reason for them to move (except that it was convenient to the plot) The dad was close to his work, the house was nice and big, it was near Ben's school (not that he paid attention anyway because he was too busy thinking of his beloved Chiquitito.Philippa Pearce also wrote 'Tom's Midnight Garden' (a family favourite that we own on book, audio book and even the film version) and 'The Minnow On The Say' (another book that I got lost in). I've really enjoyed all the other Pearce books I've read, but I struggled to finish this one, and at one point Ben (the boy) makes a decision so irritating (to me, at least) that I very nearly did give up on it. Ben is keen for a dog and hopes that he'll get one for his Birthday after being promised one from his grandfather however when his birthday arrives he does not get the real thing but just a picture. The book is aimed for a Key Stage 2 audience and has several words in it which children will not know.

A Dog So Small - Philippa Pearce - Google Books A Dog So Small - Philippa Pearce - Google Books

I remember reading the as a child, and again in my teens, and then again as a young adult - I just explained the storyline to my partner some 20 years later and it still bought a tear to my eye .I read this of course as an adult and feel perhaps many lovely poignant stories such as this are wasted to a degree on the young. Ben was very self-centered as one of the reviews i've read on here states, however when we're children we're often that way specially when we want or think we want something so badly. Ann Philippa Pearce was the youngest of four children of a flour miller and corn merchant, Ernest Alexander Pearce, and his wife Gertrude Alice née Ramsden, who lived at the Mill House by the River Cam in the village of Great Shelford, Cambridgeshire, where she was brought up. The characters are well drawn - all flawed, some unpleasant but all doing their best to care for their family members. There is nothing wrong with cultivating and protecting the child within you, in fact I recommend it.