'The best books, reviewed with insight and charm, but without compromise.'
- author Jackie French

Friday, 17 June 2016

Review: Captain Pug: The Dog Who Sailed the Seas

This is the first book in a new series perfect for fans of Squishy McFluff.

Pug is the pampered pet of Lady Miranda. He lives a life of luxury with jam tarts for breakfast and a comfortable four-poster bed to sleep on. Lady Miranda has a maid and two footmen, and a very large wardrobe, and does pretty much as she pleases.

Pug loves Lady Miranda and loves doing things with her. Well, most things. He quite likes staying at home, and he's not a big fan of the water. So when their plans for the day involve a pedallo adventure on the local lake, Pug isn't as excited as he might be. His cute little sailor suit helps him feel somewhat better, but he's still worried that he's not going to be the impressive 'sea captain' Lady Miranda seems to expect.

Understandably, when Pug feels sad or anxious, he gets hungry (don't we all!). Which is how he ends up inside a picnic hamper. And then on a bus. And then a dinghy. And then an ocean liner. And then ... well, you'll have to read the book to see where it ends!

Pug is delightful, and I look forward to reading more of his adventures. This is a book that newly confident readers will be able to tackle with an adult nearby. The chapters are short, with duotone illustrations taking up a large part of each page, so the story is perfect for enjoying in bite-size chunks over a few bedtime sessions.

Title: Captain Pug: The Dog Who Sailed the Seas
Author: Laura James
Illustrator: Ã‰glantine Ceulemans
Publisher: Bloomsbury, $12.99 RRP
Publication Date: June 2016
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781408866368
For ages: 5+
Type: Junior Fiction