After
having read the Unforgettable What’s His
Name, the enigma that is this book, didn’t surprise me. Paul Jennings is an
explorer of styles. He surprises and draws the reader in through the
unexpected.
The
story is about a dog that can’t move and a boy that has lost his ability to
speak. The strangeness of their coming together drops away from the central
theme.
This is a story of need, and
whether dog or human, the importance of finding your own voice and redemption
in a world of chaos and cruelty.
This
is a strange tale. There appears to be no flow, just a hodgepodge of pieces
that build toward an ending where all is revealed.
Themes
of poverty, bullying, courage, resilience, and the relationship between animals
and humans bind this moving story together like a spicy dough mixture.
Paul
Jennings has created an interesting and absorbing short novel that will make
you long for the end so you can discover the who, why and how of it all. Once
again, his work won’t disappoint.
Title: A Different Dog
Author: Paul Jennings
Illustrator: Geoff Kelly
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Publication Date: 26 April 2017, $14.99 RRP
Format: Paperback
Age: 10 - 14
Type: Middle Fiction