Mr Dog and the Seal Deal (Mr Dog)

Mr Dog is not like a normal dog - he chooses his owner and secondly he is always looking out for an adventure. Ben Fogle has incorporated his love of seals which, he states, (in the 'notes from the author') began when he first encountered one in the wild when 10 years old while on a rough boat trip to a remote Scottish island. From that came his interest in environmentalism, emphasised in the story by the disastrous effects that plastic rubbish is having on marine animals throughout the world. This has become a real danger to the seal who, due to its inquisitiveness, can easily get caught up in a number of forms of discarded rubbish. Mr Dog is taking a well-earned break by the sea and sadly discovers the issues with rubbish in the ocean. While on his travels he hears of the disappearance an elderly seal, named Dizzy, and decides that he must find her. The adventure begins. 144 pages / Ages 7+ / Reviewed by Hollie Watts, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 7+

If you are looking for a book for an animal loving young reader with an interest in looking after the environment, then look no further. Mr Dog and the Seal Deal is the second book in the series written by explorer and broadcaster, Ben Fogle. The Mr Dog series is all about a scruffy stray dog, who loves travel and adventure. Mr Dog has no real home and no single owner, although he does let people take him in now and again as he travels from place to place. Mr Dog and the Seal Deal finds Mr Dog staying with an old fisherman, John Tregeen, and he is quite content living by the sea, feeding on the tasty fish treats that John gives him. However, when Mr Dog overhears a seagull telling a young seal about the mysterious disappearance of the local harbour's much-loved resident seal Ditzy, he takes it upon himself to find out just where Ditzy has gone. As Mr Dog sets off along the beach he comes across a young gannet choking on a plastic bag and he has to act quickly to save the poor bird. The young gannet's mother explains to Mr Dog how there is so much plastic waste on the beach and that the recent river flood has only made the problem worse. So while searching for the missing seal, Ditzy, Mr Dog thinks about where all the plastic is coming from and how he could possibly do something about it. Mr Dog's search for Ditzy brings him to a salmon farm and without making the issue too complex for a young reader to understand, addresses the problems faced by these farms and seals. An issue recently covered on Countryfile (Aug 19). This book is written using clear, straight-forward language, telling a story of adventure and friendship but also enlightens its reader about the harm plastic waste causes to wildlife. This is a great read for any young environmentalist, in particularly for a young reader who still lacks the confidence and fluency to challenge other chapter books independently. Excellent black and white illustrations by Nikolas Ilic help bring this lovely tale to life. A great class text for anyone studying animals of the river or sea, or the impact of plastic on wildlife. 144 pages / Ages 7+ / Reviewed by Sam Phillips, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 7+