The Detective Dog

Product Information

When not sniffing out Peter’s mislaid clothes and toys, Nell loves to spend time at his school listening to the children read stories to her.

Written by the brilliant Julia Donaldson and stunningly illustrated by the multi-talented illustrator and printmaker Sara Ogilvie, The Detective Dog is a fast-paced celebration of books, reading, libraries, and the relationship between a little boy and his rather special dog. I grew up in a tall Victorian London house with my parents, grandmother, aunt, uncle, younger sister Mary and cat Geoffrey (who was really a prince in disguise. A superbly illustrated tale of clever canines and library magic in Donaldson's ever-exuberant voice. Whether it's finding a lost shoe or discovering who did a poo on the new gravel path, her ever-sniffing nose is always hard at work. Donaldson sets out the rhyming story with characteristic panache, perfectly complemented by Ogilvie's bright and busy artwork.One of my television songs, A SQUASH AND A SQUEEZE, was made into a book in 1993, with illustrations by the wonderful Axel Scheffler. all recounted in Donaldson's perfectly pitched rhyme and illustrated with joyful brio by Sara Ogilvie. We want a song about throwing crumpled-up wrapping paper into the bin” was a typical request from the BBC.

The rhyming helps jolly along the story but it is the message of the importance of literature and libraries is an excellent one. It's nice to see a fresh illustrator take on Donaldson's work and I think Sara Ogilvie is fantastic. We work separately - he’s in London and I’m in Glasgow - but he sends me letters with lovely funny pictures on the envelopes. A cute dog in colorful backdrops, a fun rhyming prose and a mysterious case of missing books make this a really fun and engaging read!A new book by Julia Donaldson is always a cause for celebration, and this latest offering is set to be another classic: a heartwarming celebration of books, libraries, reading and friendship, it's got all the trademark poetry Donaldson is renowned for, vibrantly brought to life by Ogilvie's illustrations. It also highlights that it is not okay to take belongings without asking and that a library is a really valuable place where children can sit, read and take books out at their own leisure. When disaster strikes and the books are stolen, Nell tracks down the culprit in no time then leads the thief to the library instead – a happy ending all round. I studied Drama and French at Bristol University, where I met Malcolm, a guitar-playing medic to whom I’m now married. The illustrations are clever because they are simple with the smell linking in the air; showing the children how Nell is the detective trying to find the smell of the thief.

Julia Donaldson has written some of the world's best-loved children's books, including modern classics The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo's Child, which together have sold over 25 million copies worldwide and have been translated into over one hundred languages. Whether it’s finding a lost shoe or discovering who did a poo on the new gravel path, Nell’s ever-sniffing nose is always hard at work. They then show the thief the public library where he can check out as many books as he likes without having to steal. This story emphasises a love of books and would help to introduce libraries to young readers who might have no idea what a library is or have never had the opportunity to visit one. These reports give a complete break-down of everything in the book, so you'll know just how clean it is or isn't.She was the UK Children’s Laureate 2011–13 and has been honoured with a CBE for Services to Literature. I really enjoy getting the children in the audience to help me act out the stories and sing the songs. This prompted me to unearth some plays I’d written for a school reading group, and since then I’ve had 20 plays published. One thing I like about the book is the pictures take up all the page so readers can really see and imagine what is going on.

I think the book reflects that dogs don't have to be just a pet, they can be good therapy for children in supporting them. Now available in a cased board book format, perfect for introducing Detective Nell to younger children! So who better to have on hand when they arrive one morning to discover that the school's books have all disappeared! Her other books include Room on the Broom, Stick Man and Zog, illustrated by Axel Scheffler, The Hospital Dog, illustrated by Sara Ogilvie and the hugely successful What the Ladybird Heard adventures, illustrated by Lydia Monks. So when the books at her owner Peter’s school have disappeared one morning, Detective Dog Nell is ready to sniff out the culprit!A satisfying, action-filled story perfectly told, and Sara Ogilvy’s illustrations are full of character. This is a brightly illustrated book that left me with a sense of wonder, if any book will inspire the littles to read, it'll be one about a book thief who discovers a library thanks to a book loving detective dog! On finding the books Ted, the thief, is shown to the library when he can take as many books as he likes.