The Dog Who Lost His Bark

The Dog Who Lost His Bark is a beautifully written and illustrated tale of friendship when people, and animals, need it the most. While the front design is unquestionably charming, with such a short blurb I believe I would have easily passed this by in a bookshop but I have to confess, I am so very very glad this wonderful piece of writing came into my life. It certainly will stay with me and is one to recommend to all KS2 children - not just Years 3 and 4 which I assume it was aimed at. When the loud man calls him Dog, the fragile puppy soon learns that not everyone is as friendly as his mum promised and sadly, when his time to be taken to his new home comes, his owner mistreats him in a way that causes him to lose his bark. (For every time he does make a sound, he is immediately silenced.) Thankfully, through patience, love and music, Dog begins to learn that not all humans are bad - in fact, his new best friend, AWESOME PATRICK, is the best owner in the world. As with all friendships at some point, theirs is tested and now Oz (he loves his new name) must help Patrick overcome his difficulties and show him that friendship means sticking together through thick and thin. The Dog Who Lost His Bark would be perfect as part of a series of PSHE lessons exploring subtle human emotions through both dog and human and would make a poignant class read. I would say all of KS2 need to hear the beautiful flow of words and emotions. While Year 3 might just be a little too young to really understand (and benefit from) the concepts, it would hold their attention and they would fall in love with the story. However, as a book study, Year 4 upwards would get the most from it as there's some real issues that could be explored with a slightly older set. If you haven't read it yet, do. I promise you, you will not regret it. 144 pages / Ages 7-10 years / Reviewed by Leanne Woolcock, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 7+