The One and Only Bob

Katherine Applegate's The One and Only Bob is a funny, big-hearted animal story for 8 year olds, told by a small scruffy dog with a VERY big personality.

What happens

Bob is a mutt (Chihuahua, some this, some that) and he'll tell you mutts rule. He was a street dog for a long time. Now he lives with a girl called Julia, gets two square meals a day and insists he hasn't gone soft.

His best friends are Ivan the gorilla and Ruby the baby elephant. This is their second book, and it starts by telling you how The One and Only Ivan ended. So if Ivan's story is new to your reader, start there.

Reading Bob is like having a cheeky dog chatting in your ear. He explains that dogs catch up on the news by sniffing street corners. He has strong opinions about baths, guinea pigs and a snooty poodle in pink rain boots. And he will NOT get in a car, whatever treats are on offer.

But there's a sore spot under all the swagger. When Bob was a tiny puppy, someone threw him and his brothers and sisters out of a truck in a box at night. He still thinks about his oldest sister, Boss, who always won the best spot at dinner.

Now a hurricane is on its way. Bob can taste it on the wind, and he's got a bad feeling he can't shake.

There are sad bits, and it helps to know them in advance. The puppies being dumped is told plainly. An owl grabs baby Bob by the tail. He remembers a dog he knew being kicked by its owner, and Ivan and Bob still miss their old friend Stella.

If you've got a reader who feels animal stories deeply, they'll probably need a cuddle at points. If they love a narrator who's tough on the outside and soft in the middle, Bob is perfect.

What to read next

If they're desperate for more of the same gang, The One and Only Ruby lets Ruby do the talking. She's settled in at the wildlife park, and Uncle Bob turns up with Julia to listen to her story.