Suitabook

My Dog

Olivia Wakeford

Reading: If grief or family separation feels close to home, read alongside the child and pause after emotionally significant sections. Invite their reactions rather than predicting how the story resolves the family situation.
Themes: Love, grief and change: The story places Rhys’s relationship with Worthington alongside a move, family strain and the idea that accepting the present need not mean forgetting the past. The book appears to treat love and grief as closely connected, while presenting change as emotionally difficult rather than simple.
Responsibility, secrecy and family trust: Rhys secretly keeps a lost dog while living with a father who hates dogs, and knows he will eventually need to tell him. The book’s stance on this remains unclear.
Worth knowing: Pay attention to emotional responses around grief, separation, secrecy and the uncertain responsibilities of caring for a found animal. The father’s dislike of dogs and Rhys’s difficulty connecting with him may invite further discussion.