Queen of Dogs
Age 9+
General Fiction
Maddy’s family are talented and ambitious — sporting trophies, top grades, they collect them all. But Maddy would rather spend time with her best friend, her pug Gusto. When Gusto disappears … her world changes.
Her search for Gusto reveals a surprising talent and Maddy can't believe her ears. She can understand everything the neighbourhood dogs are saying and suddenly Maddy becomes the go-to canine problem solver. But when more and more dogs go missing, Maddy finds herself with a much bigger problem … and she is going to need a lot of friends – two-legged and four-legged – to help her solve it ...
'With suspense, humour and a pack of darling dogs, Joe Weatherstone’s debut middle-grade novel is full of heart. Queen of Dogs is a story about loneliness, the power of animals, making new friends, and creating change in local communities. Fans of Kelli Anne Hawkins’ Copycat, Zana Fraillon’s The Way of Dog, and the classics Doctor Dolittle and Nancy Drew will be delighted by Weatherstone’s ability to craft a compelling mystery with a young girl’s unbreakable bond with her dog at the heart of the story.' Books+Publishing
Creators
Joe Weatherstone is a Creative Producer whose work includes the Oscar-nominated Inja, the International Emmy-winning kid’s series Hardball, the Logie-winning cult show Housos and the critically acclaimed film Killing Ground (Sundance official selection). She has written several drama television concepts which are currently in development internationally. She lives in Sydney with her two children and her two dogs.
Reviews
A twisting story full of surprises, an unlikely hero who finds that people are not always what they seem, and lots of dogs, Queen of Dogs is a great read for those in middle primary and above.
Lamont
This book was a fun romp and adventure, with light and dark in places but necessary, and dealt with in an age-appropriate way for middle grade readers who like a mystery but also don’t want anything too dark. Another great book from Walker Books.
Ashleigh Meikle
Friendship and relationships form a large part of this entertaining debut novel with Maddy struggling to be part of the group at school and being constantly embarrassed about being called ‘dog girl’. But her steely persistence and dogged determination are a highlight as she tries so very hard to solve the mystery of the dog-nappings and re-unite owners with their missing dogs.
ReadPlus
So many cute dogs and chapters filled with furry love.
Total Girl
