Runt - Craig Silvey (Allen & Unwin, $24.99) Reviewed by Louise Ward, Wardini Books
Craig Silvey, author of Jasper Jones and Honeybee, turns his skilled pen toward children's fiction in this novel for readers of about 8 years and up.
Annie Shearer lives on a sheep farm in the Australian townof Upson Downs. The town has had no rain for 300 days and its dustiness is exacerbated by a rich and greedy landowner diverting and hoarding water and buying up devastated farms. Annie is 11 years old, a fixer, and her trusty toolbelt is always attached. She wants to save her family's farm and realises that she has a secret weapon – Runt.
Runt is a dog, formerly the town's chief accidental criminal. Of unknown origin, Runt stole to survive until he met Annie, who was kind to him and offered him a home, and love. Clever, speedy Runt has eyes for no one else.
At the town fair, Annie stumbles across a dog agility competition and knows that Runt would ace it if only he would perform in front of other people. With the top prize of half a million dollars to be won at the Krumpets Dog Show in London, Annie embarks on a scheme to get herself and Runt there and to save her family. But how to make Runt perform when others are watching?
The Shearer family are heart-warming stars in this story. Annie's brother Max is a daredevil, regularly taking his life into his hands, her Dad Bryan is a secret botanist, her grandmother Dolores a former boxing champ and her mum Susie the organisational glue that binds them all together. There is plenty of love and plenty of humour, along with an investigation into what happens when people become bullies and turn their hurts onto others.
Annie takes a straightforward, organised look at life in all its glory and tragedy and is beautifully complemented by those around her who help her make sense of the world. A lovely read.
