Dogs of the Deadlands: SHORTLISTED FOR THE WEEK JUNIOR BOOK AWARDS

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The Carnegie medal winner McGowan is superb at stories about children who do not have all the advantages.’ Sunday Times

Dogs of the Deadlands Keith Robinson Illustration - Dogs of the Deadlands

Every so often a story comes along that makes you its prey, takes you in its jaws, shakes you — and you have no option but to go limp and submit. Such is the case with the new young adult novel from the Carnegie-winning author Anthony McGowan, who has written a classic best described as a post-nuclear The Hundred and One Dalmatians with a little of The Incredible Journey thrown in. Yet it has a howl all of its own. Helena Lee Interviewed by Adam Rutherford Who Gets to Tell the Story? Amplifying Overlooked Voices in Britain Today with East Side Voices Lincoln College: Oakeshott Room 12:00pm Sun 2 Sunday, 2 April 2023 See this event This book is also beautifully illustrated by Keith Robinson, and as a dog person I went "awww" on more than one occasion! Twelve-year-old Torak sees his father murdered by a terrible demon in the form of a bear. With his dying breath, Torak's father tells his son that he is the only one who can stop it. Amidst the gore and trauma is a remarkable and intimate story of loyalty and love, resilience, survival and hope.Undoubtedly, McGowan is an accomplished author. All the characters of the book are masterfully drawn, be they animals or humans. The bond between Misha and his brother, Bratan, is beautiful. Right from birth, their mother impressed upon Misha that he has to take care of his brother as his legs are misshapen. Misha never faltered from his duty. Surprisingly, Bratan had an unerring sense of familial loyalty as well. Time and again, he managed to surprise both his family and us. Indeed, he is one of my favorite characters. It was heartening to see the dogs braving the forests of the deadlands. In the absence of humans, the woods were filled with lynxes, bears, catfish, and wolves, along with other predators. All these animals were doing their best to survive. Hence, it was a dangerous place for everyone. Yet, friendships cropped up at the most unexpected times. It was fun to see Misha and Bratan befriend a bear, the sworn enemy of dogs and wolves. The bond among the animals on the farm was heart-touching as well. Shepherd, Terrier, Saluki, Laika, Scrag, Shorty, and Sokha were a motley bunch. Circumstances brought this crew together yet theirs was a bond not to be trifled with. The transformation of Laika was as intriguing to witness as the growing proximity between Misha and Saluki. McGowan did a wonderful job of creating a character like Natasha. The Chernobyl Disaster had left an indelible mark on her. She lost her smile and her faith in humanity. The way the author shows her character development is amazing. It was indeed a treat to see her finally rediscover her true self. I have to mention I was deeply moved by Katerina Sobal as well. The lonely yet kind recluse indeed appeared to be Baba Yaga to me. Twelve-year-old Lily has lived with her emotionally distant oncologist stepfather and a succession of nannies since her mother died in a car accident two years ago. Nannies leave because of the difficulty of caring for Adam, Lily’s severely autistic 4-year-old half brother. The newest, Suzanne, seems promising, but Lily is tired of feeling like a planet orbiting the sun Adam. When she meets blind Zoe, who will attend the same private middle school as Lily in the fall, Lily’s happy to have a friend. However, Zoe’s take on the plight of the captive dolphin, Nori, used in Adam’s therapy opens Lily’s eyes. She knows she must use her influence over her stepfather, who is consulting on Nori’s treatment for cancer (caused by an oil spill), to free the animal. Lily’s got several fine lines to walk, as she works to hold onto her new friend, convince her stepfather of the rightness of releasing Nori, and do what’s best for Adam. In her newest exploration of animal-human relationships, Rorby’s lonely, mature heroine faces tough but realistic situations. Siblings of children on the spectrum will identify with Lily. If the tale flirts with sentimentality and some of the characters are strident in their views, the whole never feels maudlin or didactic. The inhuman and human perspectives on the tragic tale come full circle in a bittersweet way. The sense of place is excellent, the characterisation perfect, and the plot is an utterly compulsive cover-to-cover. It has many twists and turns; some chapters are nail-biting, some will make you smile, and some will give you tears. Keith Robinson's illustrations are beautiful, making you want to imitate the “awww factor” once you see those adorable dogs.

Dogs of the Deadlands: SHORTLISTED FOR THE WEEK JUNIOR BOOK Dogs of the Deadlands: SHORTLISTED FOR THE WEEK JUNIOR BOOK

Natasha never really gets over the pain of abandoning Zoya and we see how this affects the life she leads and the person she becomes. For the dogs, this is a tale of treading the balance between their domestic instincts and the wildness needed to survive in a tough and hostile environment.

Such a sad story, based on the true events of Chernobyl, and the pets left behind when humans evacuated the area, leaving their dogs to either starve or survive in the savage wilds, alongside the wolves, bears and other occupants.

Dogs of the Deadlands | Oneworld

It’s April 1986 and, not far from the Chernobyl nuclear plant, a little girl can’t sleep. It’s her 7 th birthday and today her greatest wish came true. The puppy she had always dreamed of is finally hers and she is overcome with excitement and love. It’s great to see these kids “so enthusiastic about committing high treason.” (historical note) (Historical fiction. 10-12)McGowan never lets up in the trauma either. Once one foe is dealt with, another soon comes upon our dogs. Your heart isn't allowed to relax, and the scenes of animal violence can be quite graphic at times. Nov 25, 2022 book review, Chernobyl, Children's fiction, Dogs, featured, hope, Illustrated novel, love, Survival It was a privilege for me to visit the festival to receive the Bodley Medal. As an incidental blessing I saw Oxford at its most mysterious and atmospheric. It was a day of piercing cold and as I walked through the twilight from the Sheldonian to Christ Church, the streets were empty and the whole city was shutting itself away. Christ Church was silent except for the footfall of unseen persons around corners and the sounds of evensong creeping from behind closed doors. For the first time I understood thoroughly the power of college ghost stories.