Taking Shelter (A Hugh Dunnit Mystery)
Publisher: Andersen Press
Wannabe detective Hugh Dunnit rescues an abandoned dog from a bus shelter and knows that he's found his best friend, even though he's allergic to her. Unfortunately, Shelter – as Hugh imaginatively names her – chews everything in sight and his parents warn that if there's one more 'incident', she'll be sent to the animal shelter.
When Hugh discovers his maths homework has been torn to shreds, all the evidence points to Shelter, and his parents declare that she has to go. Adamant that his beloved dog is not the culprit, Hugh sets out to clear her name.
Piecing together the clues, he comes up with increasingly elaborate theories about who really destroyed his homework, but can he prove it?
Hugh narrates the tale in the style of a cynical private detective, with witty one-liners and daft puns, which will make readers laugh out loud. The relationship Hugh develops with his new dog is touching, as are the lengths to which he'll go to keep her.
This fabulously funny tale is ideal for newly confident, independent readers. The chapters are short, providing natural reading breaks, while hilarious black-and-white illustrations combine with dynamic comic-strip artwork, to provide an amusing visual narrative to accompany the humorous text.
