? One Dog and His Boy by Eva Ibbotson (Scholastic, 282 pages) $18
The first line of Eva Ibbotson's charming book for middle grade readers (published not long after she died in 2010) establishes the tone.
Hal has pestered his parents for the birthday gift of a dog for years and this year he tries once again to convince them that a dog is his heart's desire. The parents are larger-than-life caricatures of entitled wealthy adults who are convinced that money will fix anything.
Hal's mother is too houseproud to want a messy animal around and his dad is too busy to parent, but a major birthday party disaster convinces the dad that the solution to the problem is a weekend dog rental from Easy Pets.
One weekend of responsibility for an animal and Hal will come to his senses in their opinion. Hal meets Fleck, a truly engaging mutt, at Easy Pets and forms an instant bond only to be devastated when the dog is returned to the pet company after the weekend. Law-abiding Hal who has not realized that his new pet was not intended to be a permanent addition to the household is angry enough to take matters into his own hand. In the best tradition of feisty child protagonists of British literature, he kidnaps Fleck with the hastily formed plan to take the train north to Scotland and seek refuge with his grandparents. Naturally, the trip is fraught with adventure and made more exciting when Hal finds himself responsible for all the other dogs from Easy Pets who have made a break for freedom as well. The plot gets complicated when a greedy private detective hired by Hal's parents sets out to bring him home. Hal's epic journey to Scotland involves encounters with the avaricious detective, the hell-hounds Darth and Terminator and a host of dog-friendly people along the way who lend a helping hand. Naturally, all loose ends are tied up and all ends happily - even the parents finally undergo an epiphany.
Ibbotson writes a great story about a likable and resourceful hero who effectively arrives at a solution to a problem. Hal may be only 10 years old but like the kids in books by Ransome and Blyton he has initiative and common sense. There are some very funny episodes - the one in which Darth and Terminator get their come-uppance comes to mind. The dogs who accompany Hal are all well-developed characters in their own right - this reviewer identified with several of them! Ibbotson's writing style is delightfully oldfashioned and a truly happy ending is a foregone conclusion. Move over, Arthur Ransome!
Ibbotson's award-winning literary output includes such titles as Journey to the River Sea, Island of the Aunts and Dial-a Ghost. Her final book, The Abominables, was published posthumously just this year and put a cap on a distinguished career of writing for children.
Fran Ashdown is recently retired from the position of children's librarian at the Capilano branch of the North Vancouver District Public Library. She would like to own a dog but her three cats have put up spirited opposition to the idea. For more information check out your local libraries.
