The Boy and the Dog Tree (Fiona Wood, UQP)

Fiona Wood (How to Spell Catastrophe), a 3-time CBCA winner, returns to middle-grade fiction with a heartfelt tale of the magical bond between animals and humans. Mitch has spent his whole life asking and preparing for a dog, but his jet-setting parents have yet to agree. In a new city, at a new school, with a new bully, he feels the lack of a canine friend even more acutely. Mitch takes solace in the branches of an old oak, which resembles a dog, and one night, with a crack of lightning, Argos appears – an ancient magical being who comes to those who need him. Enormous, wild and with a mind of his own, Argos is not the dog that Mitch envisioned for himself, but they will each save the other in some way by the end of the book. Through Mitch and Argos’s relationship, Wood tackles the meaty issues of friendship, standing up to bullies and being true to yourself. Short chapters, occasionally interspersed with Judy Watson’s atmospheric illustrations, move the plot along quickly. The descriptive language crackles, especially when Wood explores the story’s magical elements, offering great opportunities as a class text. The Boy and the Dog Tree will resonate with readers aged 9 to 12 who feel deeply but may not have found a way to express themselves. It will appeal to fans of Kate DiCamillo and Olivia Wakeford.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Annie Waters sells books, writes about books and podcasts about books. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

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