"Runt" was a cute novel for younger readers about family, kindness, friendship and loyalty. The writing style and illustrations made me feel as though I was reading a Roald Dahl story but without the violence. There was a small amount of the fantastical as well as a couple of nasty villains that children will delight in hating, and then there is Runt, the star of the novel. This little mutt will steal readers' hearts and he and Annie try to save the family farm.

Beautifully written, "Runt" is destined to be an Aussie classic. ( )

Craig Silvey is a favourite author of mine so I was pretty excited to receive an uncorrected proof from the publisher then a signed copy at an author event.
This book is delightful! It tells the story of Annie, her family and her closest friend - a ragtag, stray dog by the name of Runt.
Annie’s country town is at the mercy of a land baron who has acquired his wealth by nefarious means. When Annie’s family’s farm is at risk, Annie sees an opportunity to save it utilising some of Runt’s remarkable skills.
One thing I loved about this book was the hilarious names of some of the characters. They were so perfect for painting images of heroes and villains. I also loved the way the story unfolded and the way the town pulled together to help Annie out. There were no predictable outcomes so it was easy to remain engaged.
Although it is a quick read, it is really rather heartwarming and beautifully conceived and written. It is suitable for all ages and would make a great family read.
I have already purchased another copy as a gift for Christmas.

With thanks to Allen and Unwin for a copy in exchange for an honest review. ( )

Runt by Craig Silvey was a sheer delight to read, it felt like 'coming home.' Forget his earlier books Honeybee and Jasper Jones, Runt is completely different and aimed at his youngest reading audience yet.

Annie Shearer is eleven years old and lives in a small country town called Upson Downs. Her parents run a sheep farm and Annie never goes anywhere without her leather tool belt, causing some kids to think she's a little odd.

"Fixing things is Annie's hidden talent. If something is wrong, she wants to make it right. But some problems are so tricky that it's not clear how to solve them, or they're so large that the solution doesn't fit in her tool belt. Like the drought, for example." Page 5

I warmed to Annie instantly and cheered when she made a friend in the stray dog of undetermined pedigree, Runt. Scavenging from bins and being chased by the local constabulary, Runt was all alone in the world, until he met Annie and they became fast friends.

The unique relationship between Annie and Runt is special and together they're capable of achieving great feats. Annie enters them both into an agility course at the local show in an attempt to win the grand prize of $500 to help her parents pay the mortgage on the mortgage. Naturally we want them to win, but Runt has a fear of being watched and won't do any tricks if someone else is watching. How are they going to be able to run the agility course at the show with so many people looking on?

Every chapter book needs a villain and Silvey gives us two: the Collector who lives on the hill and buys up properties whose owners have fallen victim to the hardships of drought, and a fellow competitor in the world of canine agility courses, Fergus Fink.

The story is further enhanced by charming illustrations by Sara Acton. Born in England but now living in Australia, Sara was kind enough to reach out on Instagram after enjoying my Bookmark Monday post so naturally I think we should permanently adopt her.

Brimming with little life lessons and subtle morals along the way, Runt is full of heart. If you loved Matilda by Roald Dahl, this is the book for you. There's even a 14 page teacher's resource available for download.

Runt by Australian author Craig Silvey is an uplifting, heartwarming and comforting read for all ages and I'm looking forward to passing this on to family.

* Copy courtesy of Allen & Unwin * ( )