#MG Review: Escape from the Child Snatchers by Sufiya Ahmed

Cover illustration by Elisa Paganelli, published by Andersen Press, 29 January 2026, ISBN: 978-1839136511

Escape from the Child Snatchers is a fast-paced, historical adventure which takes young readers on a journey from Bombay to London with the protagonists Humza and his best friend Ranj. Author, Sufiya Ahmed, is adept at weaving historical facts into a thoroughly engrossing adventure which entertains the intended young readership, whilst enlightening them about historical injustices.

The story takes place in 1865 and begins in Bombay which is under British control. Humza’s older brother, Dani, has been missing since he began working as a lascar on a trade ship travelling to England several years earlier. Humza is determined to make the voyage himself, search for his brother and bring him home. His friend Ranj is eager to join him, as he sees London as the place to make his fortune. The two boys stowaway on a cargo ship and after a long and perilous voyage, they arrive at the East India Docks in London, where they soon learn that danger awaits. They almost instantly fall into the clutches of a notorious child snatcher, with only the quick thinking of a local innkeeper’s daughter, Daisy, saving them from harm. However, the criminal gang do not give up on their prey, and as Humza and Ranj take to the London streets to seek information about Dani, they are pursued by the henchmen of Basil Brookes.

A heart-pounding sequence of events sees the boys caught up in Basil Brookes’ cruel money making scheme where he exhibits Indian children for the entertainment of wealthy patrons in his London home. Shockingly, the author’s note at the end of the story makes clear that there are documented cases of this taking place in the eighteenth century. Being a middle grade adventure, there is a satisfying conclusion which will appeal to the natural sense of justice of primary school children. The story is told in less than 200 pages, with short chapters and a pacy narrative, making it perfect as an independent read for children aged 8 to 12 years. I would highly recommend it for school library and classroom collections.

Disclaimer: I am very grateful to Jade at Andersen Press for sending me a copy of Escape from the Child Snatchers ahead of publication on 29 January 2026. It was my decision to write a review and all opinions are my own.

25 Children’s Books Reading Highlights for 2025

Image generated by Goodreads, December 2025

It’s time to take stock of my reading year and having just received my summary from Goodreads, I have apparently read or listened to 124 books this year. I have been very fortunate to be the recipient of many fantastic books from publicists during 2025. I am always sorry that I do not manage to read and review everything that I am sent (or indeed that I buy for myself), but working full-time, family and other commitments do limit my reading and reviewing time. There is a huge TBR stack awaiting my retirement! I have continued to focus my blog on children’s book reviews, although I do also read adult books as a member of two book clubs, one of which I run at my place of work.

I have listened to 43 books for free on the BorrowBox app, courtesy of my wonderful public library service, and in honour of her 250th anniversary have revisited Jane Austen’s novels this year.

It is always so difficult to narrow down a list of favourite books, but these are the 25 books that have stood out in my mind this year. Middle Grade Fiction is still my most-read category, hence the large number of books under this heading:

Picture Books

Our Love by Fatima Ordinola, published by Post Wave

Pencil’s Best Story Ever by Carly Gledhill, published by Post Wave

Early Readers/Illustrated Fiction

Super Questers Mission: River Crest Rescue by Paul Ian Cross, illustrated by Katie Kear and Cherie Zamazing, published by QuestFriendz

Middle Grade Fiction

The Feathered Book by Charlie Nutbrown, published by Everything With Words

The Poisoned King (Impossible Creatures Book 2) by Katherine Rundell, published by Bloomsbury

Gloam by Jack Mackay, published by Rock the Boat

Runaways by EL Norry, published by Bloomsbury

The Changeling Child by HS Norup, published by Pushkin Press

Nate Yu’s Blast from the Past by Maisie Chan, published by Piccadilly Press

Clem Fatale Has Been Betrayed by Eve Wersocki-Morris, published by Little Tiger Press

I Am Raven by Alastair Chisholm, published by Nosy Crow

The Blockbusters by Frank Cottrell-Boyce, illustrated by Steven Lenton, published by Macmillan

Dracula and Daughters by Emma Carroll, published by Faber Children’s Books

Mallory Vayle and the Maggoty Skull in the Beast from Beneath by Martin Howard, illustrated by Pete Williamson, published by Nosy Crow

Murder at Christmas by Fleur Hitchcock, published by Nosy Crow

YA Fiction

Best of All Worlds by Kenneth Oppel, published by Guppy Books

A Beautiful Terrible Thing by Miranda Moore, published by David Fickling Books

My Name is Jodie Jones by Emma Shevah, published by David Fickling Books

Solo by Gráinne O’Brien, published by Little Island Books

TraumaLand by Josh Silver, published by Rock the Boat

Graphic Novels

Everything Amplified by Sarah Lippett and Ziggy Hanaor, published by Cicada Books

Non-Fiction

All Brains Are Wonderful by Scott Evans, illustrated by The Boy Fitz Hammond, published by B Small Publishing

Anthology

Heroines of the Ancient World by Honor Cargill-Martin, illustrated by Margaux Carpentier, published by Walker Books

Advance Reads of 2026 publications

A Girl’s Guide to Spying by Holly Webb, published by Rock the Boat

A Million Tiny Missiles All At Once by Lucas Maxwell, published by Chicken House

Thank you to everyone who follows and supports my blog. I love the bookish interactions with fellow bookworms on WordPress and social media, and have greatly enjoyed getting to know some of you in real life this year. Wishing everyone a very happy New Year, filled with health, happiness and great books!

#MG Christmas Anthology: The Very Merry Murder Club edited by Serena Patel & Robin Stevens

Cover image by Harry Woodgate, published by Farshore, 2021,
ISBN: 978-0755503681

The school Christmas holidays are a marvellous opportunity to curl up with a good book, and what better for fans of detective mysteries than an anthology of short stories from some of the finest contemporary authors of children’s fiction? Today I am giving a shoutout to a book which was published a few years ago now, but retains its ability to entertain and test the problem solving skills of middle grade readers.

The Very Merry Murder Club contains thirteen tales of mystery and/or murder, all set during the festive season. Of course, being a collection of short stories, many children will be inclined to seek out their favourite author(s) first and not necessarily read the stories in order. However, for those who do like to start at the very beginning, the first story, Shoe-Dunnit by Elle McNicoll, sets a perfectly snowy scene at a Scottish hotel, where the daughter of the hotel owners has to use her acute observation skills to solve the murder of a famous guest.

Other stories set in the snowy UK are It’s Snow Crime by Roopa Farooki, featuring her beloved mini-medic, twin investigators, Ali and Tulip; Scrabble and Murder by Nizrana Farook featuring a family stuck in a blizzard on the journey to visit their Grandmother for Christmas; Ice and Fire by Joanna Williams – an atmospheric historical fiction set during the London Frost Fair of December 1776. Silent Night by Serena Patel is a brilliant, wintery, child-oriented version of Rear Window. I think this is my favourite of all the stories. Arjun is stuck at home recovering from a tonsillectomy and spends his time observing the neighbours to deflect from the boredom. When he becomes convinced that he has witnessed a neighbour disposing of a dead body, he is determined to solve the mystery and takes dramatic action. No Piste for the Wicked by E.L. Norry takes the snowy action to a school ski trip in the Italian mountains, where one teacher begins behaving suspiciously and is found dead on the ski slope the following morning. Only Luca, with his vast experience of human behaviour, observed from the many homes in which he has been fostered, has the understanding to solve the mystery.

Not all of the mysteries feature murder. In The Beast of Bedleywood by Annabelle Sami, siblings Rumi and Tamsin solve two mysteries and gain a surprise extra present. The Christmas Heist by Abiola Bello, is a tale of skulduggery and rivalry between two dance troupes. Cool for Cats by Patrice Lawrence is a contemporary family mystery wrapped around a cat-sitting story. It Takes a Thief to Catch a Thief is a twisty heist story written by Maisie Chan, with a fun plot featuring the kidnap of a famous cat burglar which threatens to ruin the Christmas celebrations of her family! The Frostwilds by Dominique Valente is a fantasy story with a mythical quality, while The Ticking Funhouse by Benjamin Dean is a very creepy tale set in a neglected fun fair attraction. The collection concludes with The Coven at Christmas by Sharna Jackson, a mystery set in a remote community on the Cornish coast, which builds to a tense denouement.

This varied selection really does provide something for everyone, most of the stories are about 30 pages long, providing the perfect reading length, and exercise for the little grey cells, to enjoy between Christmas activities. I love the diverse representation of characters, families and settings which make this a wonderfully inclusive collection. Primary and secondary school libraries should definitely ensure that this is on offer in their Christmas collections, and it would make an excellent Christmas gift for children aged 9 to early teens.

This book was my own purchase.

Jane Austen’s 250th Birthday: Children’s Books Inspired by the Great Author

I will be forever grateful to my secondary school English teacher who introduced me to the works of Jane Austen through an analysis of Mr Collins’ proposal to Elizabeth Bennet; it sparked a life-long love of Austen’s novels, some of which I have read multiple times since that first reading of Pride & Prejudice at age 14. I am always overjoyed when I find books written for children, which might spark their interest in further exploring her works, at a later age when they can access her sparkling wit and social commentary. Therefore, on the date which marks the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth, I want to present a short round-up of middle grade books that I’ve discovered over the past few years.

Firstly, because it is appropriately seasonal, The Christmas Wish-tastrophe by Cariad Lloyd, published in hardback in 2024 (and published in paperback in 2025 under the new title of Lydia Marmalade and the Christmas Wish). This book is magical, funny and charming and contains many references to Pride and Prejudice, it is illustrated by Ma Pe. It is eminently suitable for independent readers aged 8 years and above, and I would also imagine would be a delight for adult fans of Jane Austen to share with children in the classroom or at home. You can find my review here.

Next two excellent, historical, detective mystery novels written by Julia Golding, which feature the young Jane Austen using her razor-sharp observational skills to unravel mysterious occurrences. These stories are perfect for middle grade readers aged 9 years plus who are fans of historical mysteries by authors such as Katherine Woodfine, Robin Stevens and Sufiya Ahmed. You can click on the links to read my reviews for Jane Austen Investigates The Abbey Mystery and Jane Austen Investigates The Burglar’s Ball.

Finally, the publisher Hachette Children’s Books commissioned some top-rated children’s authors to retell the original Jane Austen novels in language accessible for middle grade readers, in the Awesomely Austen series. My absolute favourite is Katherine Woodfine’s version of Pride and Prejudice, which is beautifully illustrated by Églantine Ceulemans. This book brings all the wit and vivacity of the original to life for a young audience, includes many of the key lines from the original, and additionally contains endnotes providing some period detail and a short biography of Jane Austen. I would have loved this at age 10, and I love it still at considerably older! Also available in the Awesomely Austen series are:

Jane Austen’s Emma rewritten by Katy Birchall

Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility rewritten by Joanna Nadin

Jane Austen’s Persuasion rewritten by Narinder Dhami

Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park rewritten by Ayisha Malik

Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey rewritten by Steven Butler

Each book in the series is illustrated by Églantine Ceulemans.

#Christmas Anthology: A Children’s Literary Christmas, compiled and edited by Anna James

Published 2019 by The British Library, ISBN: 978-0712352796

This wonderful anthology of Christmas tales is a perfect collection for busy teachers, parents and carers, and children to dip into for bite-sized chunks of seasonal wonder, in between all the activities which seem to fill December. The carefully curated selection of short stories, poems or extracts from longer books, put together by Anna James, provides something for every taste. In her introduction she points out that some of the extracts have been included because they have a snowy, wintery setting and the content points to “the spirit of Christmas – kindness and taking care of those around us.”

The book is divided into five parts:

Father Christmas

The Magic of Christmas

Family Celebrations

The Gift of Giving

Christmas Spirit

The first item dates from 1823; the classic poem ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement C Moore, there are stories and letters written by many well-known authors from the Victorian and Edwardian periods and more recent stories and extracts from works by contemporary authors, Kes Gray, Swapna Haddow, Michael Morpurgo and Matt Haig. The range of imagination celebrated in this book is immense, and will entertain young readers (or listeners) as well as conjuring up some nostalgia for older consumers. I was delighted to find extracts from a number of stories that I had previously enjoyed reading both as a child myself as well as to my own children. Particular highlights for me were Chapter 6 from The Phoenix and the Carpet which rekindled childhood memories, and Chapter 1 from A House at Pooh Corner by A A Milne, In Which a House is Built at Pooh Corner for Eeyore (which I have probably read aloud more than a hundred times). The moment when Piglet says “Only warmer” to explain the position of Eeyore’s house makes me smile every single time I read it!

I think that this is a charming book to gift to a child, and I would also imagine that school librarians and classroom teachers would find it a valuable addition to their collections at this time of year.

This book was my own purchase.

#MG Christmas Books: Operation Nativity by Jenny Pearson, illustrated by Katie Kear

Cover image by Katie Kear, published by Usborne, 9 November 2023,
ISBN: 978-1801315111

Jenny Pearson has built a reputation in the middle grade books market for her talent of creating stories which combine laugh-out-loud humour with genuine heartfelt emotion and this Christmas story is a wonderful demonstration of her skill. Readers are likely to chuckle through the majority of this warm-hearted story of a traditional Nativity play, and then find their eyes welling up at certain moments, the content of which I will not disclose as I don’t want to spoil the story for those who have not read it yet.

The story is recounted in the first person voice of 11-year-old Oscar, who, with his 5-year-old sister Molly, and Mum and Dad, have been commanded to spend Christmas at the stately home of Dad’s parents, aka Lord and Lady Cuthbert-Anderson. Mum has always tried her best to avoid Christmas with the in-laws, mainly because Grandmother, Araminta (Minty) directs a very ambitious Nativity play in the village church and insists that all the family take starring roles in the production. This year however, Mum has run out of excuses and there is word that Grandfather is sick, so the family make the trek from the Midlands to Chipping Bottom in Hampshire to join Dad’s extended family for the holiday.

On the first night at Barlington Hall, Oscar sees a bright flash in the sky followed by the sound of a crash. He and Molly go out to the fields to investigate and are hugely surprised by the discovery of a discombobulated Angel Gabriel. It turns out that he overdid his “announcing” role 2000-odd years ago, and has somehow transported Mary, Joseph, a donkey, Balthazar and a shepherd called Steve, forward in time and to a destination rather far from Bethlehem. What’s more, he has lost his companions en route to Hampshire and now needs to enlist the help of Oscar and Molly to save Christmas! The story that follows combines Araminta’s efforts to ensure that the 100th anniversary production of the Chipping Bottom Nativity is the best ever performance, with Oscar and Molly’s quest to round up the participants from the original Nativity so that they can be transported back to Bethlehem. The resulting crossed-wires, subterfuge and mix-ups are very funny indeed.

This tale has a lovely underlying theme of a family drawing closer together; the bonding that occurs over the course of the story is beautifully constructed. I really loved the multi-generational links as well as the sibling relationships and the very moving depiction of the love built up over a long marriage between the grandparents. I think that Operation Nativity would be an ideal book for adults and children to read together, it is also perfect for independent readers aged 9+. There are delightful greyscale illustrations by Katie Kear throughout the book and she has also decorated the chapter titles (which are puns on Christmas carols and songs) with baubles, lights and greenery.

This book was my own purchase and I would recommend it to everyone building a collection of Christmas stories for children.

#MG Christmas Review: The Miraculous Sweetmakers – The Frost Fair by Natasha Hastings, illustrated by Alex T Smith

Cover image by Alex T Smith, published by Harper Collins, October 2023, ISBN: 978-0008496081.

A perfect book to read when the first frosts appear in the run up to Christmas, The Miraculous Sweetmakers – The Frost Fair took my breath away! It is a book which I bought several years ago after reading gushing reviews by many blogging friends, but as with many books which I actually buy myself, it kept on slipping down the TBR stack due to the number of books that I am sent by publishers.

There were many aspects of this middle grade novel that I enjoyed. Firstly, it is beautifully written in a style and rhythm that just compelled me to read one more chapter even when my eyes were drooping with tiredness. The historical setting of the London borough of Southwark during the Great Frost of 1683, had clearly been deeply researched, and provided a fascinating and authentic backdrop to a tale of mystery and magic. Layered into the fantasy plot was a sophisticated and subtle exploration of grief, mental health and the ability of females to manage their own livelihood during a period of history when women could be carted off to Bedlam to be treated like circus exhibits by the medical professionals of the day. As a librarian who works in an NHS library, I am always happy to find books which highlight both mental and physical health issues, because they can provide readers with the vocabulary to discuss their own health. One of the main protagonists in this book, Thomasina, loses her twin brother to an asthma attack in the first chapter, and also suffers from ‘the wheeze’ herself, and early treatments for this illness are described when Thomasina befriends Anne who is training as an apothecary. I loved this element of medical history running through the storyline.

After the death of Arthur, her twin, Thomasina lives a life wracked by a combination of guilt and grief. Her mother has taken to her bed and become a silent ghost in the house, while her father continues to run the family sweet making business but has lost all of his previous joy. Thomasina helps with the business and tries to take care of her mother, but life is harsh and lonely, until the Thames freezes over and the local merchants of Southwark decide to take their business out onto the ice. For Thomasina, the Frost Fair brings two opportunities. She meets Anne, who works in her uncle’s apothecary shop, and with whom she begins to create sweets with healing ingredients, the two girls building a firm friendship as they develop their business. Secondly, she is visited by a spectre who leads her to the Other Frost Fair, where she encounters the mysterious Father Winter, who offers her a deadly bargain. Will the offer to raise her brother from the dead prove too tempting to refuse? Will Thomasina’s friends, Anne and Henry, be able to save her from the fate of the Frost Folk? And can anything be done to save Thomasina’s mother from her deep melancholy? This glittering adventure will sweep readers through an ice-covered landscape to the answers.

The Miraculous Sweetmakers – The Frost Fair is a perfect book to snuggle up with during the winter months, and would make an ideal Christmas present for children aged 9+. I am kicking myself that I waited so long to pick it up from my bookshelf, my consolation being that there is a second book in the series ready for me to enjoy. This is definitely a book that I would place firmly in the ‘reading for pleasure’ category, and I should mention that throughout the book there are beautifully atmospheric illustrations by Alex T Smith. It is a frosty adventure to warm the heart.

#MG Christmas Fiction: A Stocking Full of Spies by Robin Stevens

Published by Puffin Books, 11 September 2025, ISBN: 978-0241429952

A Stocking Full of Spies is the third middle grade novel in The Ministry of Unladylike Activity by Robin Stevens. It is set during December 1941, with most of the action taking place at Bletchley Park, and for those readers like me who love to settle down with a cosy crime mystery during the Christmas season, it is a perfect seasonal entertainment.

As with all of her previous novels (I will include some links to my reviews at the end of this post), Robin Stevens combines meticulously researched historical detail with a brilliantly plotted murder mystery that makes the book almost impossible to put down. I have seen this author often described as the ‘Agatha Christie’ of the middle grade market, in my opinion, she has certainly heralded a golden age of MG cosy crime, and in this novel I detect the influence of Patricia Highsmith. I suspect that many young readers will smile in recognition later in their reading journeys when they read some of the adult golden age crime mysteries. This story is recounted through the diary entries and case notes of the three tween protagonists, May Wong, Fionnuala O’Malley and Eric Schlossbauer, who find themselves working a messengers at Bletchley Park as cover for their latest WOE mission. There has been a suspicious death at the Park and there are indications that Bertie Wells the older brother of Daisy Wells (from the Murder Most Unladylike series which predated this series) has been framed for murder. When a second death occurs and all clues point to Bertie, their mission to detect the real murderer becomes even more urgent.

For fear of giving away spoilers, or ruining anyone’s enjoyment of the sophisticated plot, I will not discuss too many details here. There is a lovely map of Bletchley Park, created by Sophia Watts, at the front of the book, to help young readers track the locations as the action unfolds. I enjoyed the way that the local environment of the main mystery was placed in the wider geographical context of the Second World War, and the impact that world events had on different characters in the novel. This is literally the first time that I have read a book about WWII that mentions the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong (the home of May and Hazel Wong). I am hoping that my reading of the ending of the book means that a subsequent story might provide more insight into the war time experiences of Hong Kong residents.

At the end of the book there is an interesting essay by the author providing details about her inspiration for this novel and some analysis of the workforce at Bletchley Park through the lens of modern-day understanding of neurodiversity. I applaud the way that Robin Stevens always ensures that her books display kind understanding of minoritised groups and encourage inclusive behaviour. A Stocking Full of Spies is an essential book to add to primary and secondary school library collections, and one that I would recommend to any adults seeking to buy a book that youngsters aged 10+ will want to read for pleasure.

This book was my own purchase, not only do I have the sprayed edge edition, but I was also fortunate that Robin Stevens visited a local bookshop on her publication tour, so I was able to get a dedicated and signed copy to add to the ‘Bookshelves’ collection!

My roundup of the Murder Most Unladylike series can be found here.

My review of the final book in the MMU series, Death Sets Sail can be found here.

MG Fiction Review: The Feathered Book by Charlie Nutbrown, illustrated by Ewa Beniak-Haremska

Cover image by Holly Ovenden, published September 2025 by Everything With Words, ISBN:978-1911427476

The Feathered Book is a magnificent middle grade debut by author Charlie Nutbrown, with internal illustrations by Ewa Beniak-Haremska. I fear that my words will not be able to do justice to the genius of this book, so I will start by saying that it is one of the best books I have read this year, it deserves to be a future classic, and if I had to deliver an elevator pitch I would describe it as The Wind in the Willows meets The Name of the Rose.

Regular readers of my blog will know that I adore detective fiction, and as a professional librarian, I also love books which feature a library. So, imagine my delight in discovering that the opening chapter is titled ‘The Impossible Crime’ and that it begins with two cloaked figures moving quietly through a silent, dark library. I was hooked from page one, and as the story of the intricately planned theft of the ancient and dangerous ‘Feathered Book’ and the subsequent unconventional detective work unfolded, I was torn between racing to turn the pages and wanting to read slowly to fully appreciated the author’s beautiful writing. For alongside a wonderfully plotted detective novel, Charlie Nutbrown has also created a fully-formed natural location amongst the islands and waterways of The Lake, and a gloriously labyrinthine library with its own legendary backstory, both of which are described in vibrant detail. Some of the descriptions of the landscape left me breathless, and metaphorically reaching for the dictionary; this is a definitely a book which can be enjoyed by anyone, no matter their age.

The final layer, which makes this book whimsical for adult readers and likely to be hugely engaging for child readers is that all of the characters are anthropomorphised animals. Now I must admit that this would not usually be my personal favourite genre, but here, the characterisation is so deftly drawn and the characters and situations so entertaining, that I absolutely loved it. The head librarian, Pecksniff is a wonderfully crotchety ancient squirrel, while the assistant librarian, Ticklepenny is a self-effacing dormouse. Monty the Fox, a debonair creature who we learn is prone to changing his occupation on a regular basis, has decided that he wants to follow in the detecting footsteps of his fictional idol, Professor Meerschaum, and enlists his long-suffering but loyal best friend, Nettle the rabbit, as his ‘Watson”. Together, their instinctive and serendipitous style of clue-chasing, will take the reader on a chase around The Lake, featuring daring encounters with pirates, master criminals and avaricious collectors of stolen treasures. Every chapter heading is lavishly decorated with a pencil sketch of the oak tree library, and there are gorgeous illustrations of the main characters throughout the book. I certainly hope that Monty decides to continue his detective work, and that this is the start of a series!

I cannot recommend The Feathered Book highly enough to school librarians, or to parents, carers or relatives who want to put a book into the hands of middle grade readers that will make their imaginations take flight. Suggested reading age 9+ but I would have read this to my own children as a bedtime story probably from age 7.

Disclaimer: I am very grateful to publisher Everything With Words for sending me a copy of The Feathered Book. It was my decision to write a review and all opinions are my own.

#NNFN: Tina The Dog Who Changed the World by Niall Harbison

Cover image by Happy Doggo and Shutterstock, Published by Farshore,
6 November 2025, ISBN: 978-0008798864

Tina The Dog Who Changed the World is a book which I am sure will delight many readers aged 9-years-old and above; it is a new child-friendly publication of a book, which was previously published for adults, to celebrate during National Non-fiction November. It provides a wonderful example of how one person’s passion and activism can make big change, which is a great message for children who can sometimes feel helpless in the face of the many challenges that the world currently faces.

The book combines the story of Niall Harbison, an Irish street dog rescuer who lives in Thailand, with the short biographical tales of some of the remarkably resilient street dogs that he has saved through his “Happy Doggo Land” organisation. There are both colour and black and white photos of Niall and the dogs whose stories are featured. The details of the conditions that lead Niall and his team to their rescues are quite harrowing and heart-breaking; some of the dogs have been kept on very short chains for years, some have been starved, some injured and all suffer from skin conditions, parasites etc. However, many of the dogs make full recoveries once they have received veterinary treatment and then been nursed back to full health at Happy Doggo Land. Some of the canines are adopted by people from all corners of the world and many of their stories can be followed on various social media platforms. Even those dogs who sadly don’t make it are given the love, dignity and care that they need to die in peaceful circumstances. The story of Tina, a golden retriever, who was found in a condition where she was close to death and carefully nursed so that she enjoyed 6 months of happy life with Niall, captured the hearts of many when shared online. After Tina died, Niall began raising funds to build a veterinary hospital at Happy Doggo Land, in her name. By the end of this book, the plans for the dog hospital have been drawn up for free by a New York architect, and the foundations have been laid.

It would appear that Tina the golden retriever really has melted hearts around the world, and through donations to Niall’s charity the lives of many, many street dogs in Thailand will be changed for the better. This is an inspirational and hopeful book for all readers, but I imagine it will hold special appeal for all who have a pet pooch at home.

Disclaimer: I am very grateful to publicist Hannah Penney and Farshore books for sending me a copy of Tina The Dog Who Changed the World. It was my decision to write a review and all opinions are my own.