Ralphie, Fred, Mitch and Bessie are the ‘No-Hopers’- dogs who have been at Happy Paws Rescue Centre for so long that it seems unlikely they will ever find new homes. Bessie, a beautiful collie, has a fear of being touched; Mitch can’t stop chasing cats; Fred is depressed and despondent and Ralph is horribly disfigured. Luckily for them, Happy Paws has a policy of never putting a healthy dog down. However, when a new manager takes over the centre, the rules change and it becomes a desperate race against time to find the No-Hopers a home.
| Going Home by Cliff McNish | |
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| Category: Confident Readers | |
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Reviewer: Louise Jones
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| Summary: Can Ralph and the other 'No-Hoper' dogs find new homes before time runs out? | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 224 | Date: April 2014 |
| Publisher: Orion | |
| ISBN: 9781444011005 | |
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Going Home has some wonderful characters and the ‘No-Hopers’ were all adorable. Ralph, the main character and narrator, is a Doberman who had his face badly bitten by a larger dog and was left disfigured. He is such a gentle, kind soul that the reader cannot help but fall in love with him and wish him the happy ending that he deserves.
There are many touching moments in the story that will pull at the heartstrings, but as this is a children's’ book, there is nothing too upsetting for sensitive young readers. In one of my favourite scenes, Fred, an old bulldog who has been at the centre for many years, flops unresponsively in his kennel when an elderly lady comes to visit him to offer him a new home. It is a really well written passage and it left me with a bit of a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye!
My only criticism of the book is that the author made the dogs a little too human at times. I have watched enough Disney movies to cope with the fact that they could talk to one another, but I found their ability to read and teach each other circus tricks to be pushing the bounds of credulity somewhat.
Going Home is endorsed by the amazing charity Dog’s Trust, who have a policy of never putting a healthy dog down. I sincerely hope that this book raises awareness for the good work that the charity does.
If you love 'Ickle Puppies', you will enjoy Archie the Guide Dog Puppy: Hero in Training by Sam Hay
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