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|summary=When Binny's father died, leaving the family bereft and very short of money, she sought comfort in the companionship of her exceedingly lively young dog. But Aunt Violet secretly got rid of Max, and even the fact that she later left her sea-side home to her family in her will can't persuade Binny to forgive the horrible old woman.

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It can be quite risky to start a book with what is almost the final scene, especially for younger readers. Prize-winning author Hilary McKay, however, writes with such a sure hand that by the time the end comes round for the second time everything has dovetailed beautifully and is yet, somehow, full of surprises. In fact, it is a sure bet that many readers will want to immediately return to the beginning and read the book again, just to see how she does it.