Hal’s longest ever dream is to have a dog of his own. His parents are wealthy and believe they are ‘giving him all a boy could ever want,’ but the expensive toys, nice clothes, flash house and all the stuff inside it, doesn’t interest Hal. He wants a dog. That’s all. His 10th birthday is looming and he asks the same question as every other year. “Can I have a dog?”

Oh, no, that won’t do, squeals his mother. Imagine hair on the carpet, scratches on the leather furniture, and oh, the smells of a dog. No dog! His dad has a solution though, and he takes his son to a local dog shelter. He tells his wife Hal will be bored with a dog after a couple of days and won’t want to do all the jobs that come with looking after a pet.

Hal is excited to finally have his dream come true. He knows that when he sees the ‘right’ dog, he will know, and he takes his time meeting every single dog. The lucky dog just happens to be a small white dog called Fleck. It’s the same for Fleck. As soon as he sees Hal, he leaps into his arms. Dog – boy love is a very powerful thing.

But no one has told Hal that it’s not a dog shelter, but a Rent-a-dog service. On Monday morning, Hal wakes to find Fleck gone, and when he learns what his parents have done, he knows what he must do.

His plan grows from involving just him and Fleck, to 5 dogs, a new friend, a circus, a children’s home and a monastery. All while a detective agency is on their tails, and a 20,000 pound reward set!

This story is one I’ve been wanting to read for years. Originally published in 2010, it has been reprinted several times, and now I’ve finally read it, can understand why. In reality a boy and his dog invokes many feelings of fun, bond, loyalty and love, and all of these are present in One Dog and his Boy.

Hal is an only child of rich parents, but not a brat. He’s wired like his grandparents – enjoying the simple things in life. Hal knows that they alone will understand his need to be with his new dog Fleck.

Along the way, we learn about the different natures and history of each dog in his new pack, as Hal’s parents are slowly learning that money isn’t everything. Reprinted with another new cover, it will gather more fans, I’m sure.

Young animal lovers, particularly dog lovers, will love this adventure. A true classic for all the family.

Author – Eva Ibbotson

Age – 7+

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(2021, Scholastic Aust, Animals, Dogs, Circus, Adventure, Humour, Animal shelter, Rent-a-dog, Greed, Money, Love, Companionship, Sisters, Siblings, Escape, Journey, Adventure, Courage, Detective, Chase, Family, Rich and Poor, Truth and Lies)