Listen to a sample
My Dog
- Author
- Olivia Wakeford
- Narrator
- Iestyn Arwel
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Publish Date
- 27 February 2025
- Run Time
- 6 hours 26 minutes
- Format
- x-book®
What to expect
A life-affirming story of the extraordinary friendship between a boy and his dog. Perfect for fans of Hannah Gold, Katya Balen and Patrick Ness
Wales Children's Book of the Year 2026
THE STORY OF AN EXTRAORDINARY FRIENDSHIP.
‘Incredibly moving, tender and heartfelt’ Hannah Gold
‘A heart-melting book that shows us there’s always hope and love to be found even in the midst of grief’ Nizrana Farook
Ten-year-old Rhys really loves dogs. When he finds a lost black Labrador with big conker eyes and ears like soft velvet, he can’t quite believe his luck. Nobody comes forward to claim Worthington, giving Rhys the perfect opportunity to prove he’s a good owner. But when Rhys moves to London to live with his estranged dad who hates dogs, Rhys decides to keep Worthington secret.
Struggling to connect with his dad in a new city, Rhys takes comfort in Worthington. But he soon discovers that looking after a secret dog is anything but easy, and he knows that before long he’ll have to confront his fears and find a way to tell Dad…
Phenomenally moving and beautifully written, My Dog shows us that accepting the present doesn’t mean forgetting the past – in a story that will live with you for ever.
Critics Review
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‘An incredibly moving, tender and heartfelt story. Beautifully and sensitively told, My Dog is a stunning debut novel by a very talented author’ Hannah Gold, author of The Last Bear
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‘This is a book about a boy and a dog, but it’s about so much more. A heart-melting book that shows us there’s always hope and love to be found even in the midst of grief’ Nizrana Farook, author of The Girl Who Stole an Elephant
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‘A lyrical, magical adventure … At its heart this is not so much a book about grief as a testament to the perennial power of a child’s imagination’ Daily Telegraph
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‘A gorgeous, heart-wrenching story of love, loss and healing. This stunning tale of a remarkable boy and his dog will break your heart, then piece it back together again’ Aisling Fowler, author of Fireborn
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‘This beautifully written debut is both heartbreaking and heartwarming in equal measure, giving us a sensitive and nuanced portrait of a young boy coping with grief’ LoveReading4Kids, Debut Book of the Month
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‘My Dog is a warm and very readable treatment of a difficult subject. Full of tenderness and understanding, it’s perfect for dog lovers and non-dog lovers alike’ Adam Baron, author of Boy Underwater
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‘If ever there is a story to encourage empathy in readers, this is it. Beautifully written, with stunning inside illustrations by David Litchfield, this is an ode to pets and their unconditional love, but also to extended family … This would be a good class reader as it could start lots of valuable conversations’ BookTrust
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‘An achingly beautiful story of friendship, hope and love. Heartbreaking, tender and joyful, this is a stunning debut from an exciting new voice’ Simon James Green, author of Finn Jones Was Here
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‘Explores the subject of grief with marvellous sensitivity’Financial Times, Best Summer Books of 2025: Children’s and Young Adults
User Reviews
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Details
- Author
- Olivia Wakeford
- Narrator
- Iestyn Arwel
- Duration
- 6 hours 26 minutes
- Release Date
- 27 February 2025
- ISBN
- 9780008658601
- Format
- x-book®
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Genre
- Children’s / Teenage fiction: Friendship stories, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Family and home stories, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Nature and animal stories
Synopsis
A life-affirming story of the extraordinary friendship between a boy and his dog. Perfect for fans of Hannah Gold, Katya Balen and Patrick Ness Wales Children's Book of the Year 2026 THE STORY OF AN EXTRAORDINARY FRIENDSHIP. ‘Incredibly moving, tender and heartfelt’ Hannah Gold ‘A heart-melting book that shows us there’s always hope and love to be found even in the midst of grief’ Nizrana Farook Ten-year-old Rhys really loves dogs. When he finds a lost black Labrador with big conker eyes and ears like soft velvet, he can’t quite believe his luck. Nobody comes forward to claim Worthington, giving Rhys the perfect opportunity to prove he’s a good owner. But when Rhys moves to London to live with his estranged dad who hates dogs, Rhys decides to keep Worthington secret. Struggling to connect with his dad in a new city, Rhys takes comfort in Worthington. But he soon discovers that looking after a secret dog is anything but easy, and he knows that before long he’ll have to confront his fears and find a way to tell Dad… Phenomenally moving and beautifully written, My Dog shows us that accepting the present doesn’t mean forgetting the past – in a story that will live with you for ever.
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