CHILDREN'S BOOK REVIEW: THE DOG THAT SAVED THE WORLD (CUP) BY PHIL EARLE

The Dog That Saved the World (Cup)
Author: Phil Earle
Publisher: Barrington Stoke
Pages:112
ISBN: 9781781129685
Reviewed by: Sandra Scholes

I've read some fun books before, ones I never thought I would get into. When I got this one though, as a sampler of what the novel would be like, I wasn't prepared for what I read, the novel is told from Pickles point of view!

Pickles the dog is Elsie's best friend and owner and wants nothing more than to see Elsie play in the World Cup, but at the moment this is only a dream for both of them.

Phil Earle's story is plucked from real-life events; Pickles the dog is a real pooch who found the World Cup after it had been stolen back in 1966 and England Lionesses most-capped player, Fara Williams was the inspiration for Elsie. The original inspirations showed so many guts in the face of adversity and so do Phil's characters, paying tribute to their efforts.

The characters are easy to get to know as they are seen and experienced through their pet canines eyes. Phil writes such a likeable dog that I felt I had to read the rest of his novel as the first few pages got me intrigued. Elsie's dad isn't well off but he tries to provide for them while Elsie and Pickles see about entering the World Cup.