SuitabookOne dog and his boy
Eva Ibbotson
- Reading
- Talk before reading about the difference between owning and renting a pet. During the journey, pause to consider each character's needs; leave space afterwards to discuss how the ending resolves them.
- Themes
- Belonging and care: Hal wants a dog, but discovers that Fleck was rented by his parents; he then travels towards his grandparents with the dogs. The book?s stance on this remains unclear.
- Friendship and responsibility: Hal and Pippa take Fleck and four other dogs from the rental agency on a trek from London to Scotland. The premise places friendship and responsibility alongside a bold decision involving animals, without establishing whether the narrative approves of that decision.
- Worth knowing
- Hal's response to discovering the arrangement is a useful starting point for discussing what makes a home feel secure, and whether taking the dogs is fair to them and others.