A Different Dog

It's an icy, wintry morning when the boy sets off up the mountain for a running competition. But when a van comes screeching round the corner and slides off the road, crashing into the trees below, he stops to help.

The only survivor of the crash is a dog. Unable to help the van's driver, the boy is determined to get the dog down the mountain to safety. But this dog is a very different kind of dog, and the boy discovers that this journey will be a much bigger challenge than expected.

This novella conjures the powerful relationship between dog and boy, and how it saves them both. An elective mute, the boy can't shout for help, but he can talk to the dog and as they progress down the mountainside, through thick forest, densely packed undergrowth and a terrifying river crossing, he starts to tell the dog his own story.

But why does the dog behave so strangely? Can the boy figure it out and save the dog's life? And will the boy finally find his own voice again? A simply told story, making it very accessible for reluctant or struggling readers, but one which packs an emotional punch.