Dog stayed by Tammy Forster & Margeaux Davis

Young readers will quickly grasp the loneliness of the old man, as he waves his cane at people, blows his nose when they try to speak to him. He doesn’t like looking at old photographs, or cooking, or sleeping in his large bed. Children will readily sympathise with the old man sleeping alone, cooking for himself and having no one else in his house. And hope for something to change.

And it does. One day a salesman stops at his house. Blowing his nose, the man sees him off his property, telling him to take his scruffy dog with him. But the dog stays. And each day when Mr Hindbottom goes about his chores, the dog is there. One evening a scrap of food is thrown from the window and the dog eats it. This keeps happening over the next few nights, and as the days become cooler, an old quilt is added to the giveaways. One day the old man takes the dog into the bathroom to give the dog a bath, figuring that if the dog is going to stay then at least he can smell nice.

Dog teaches the old man when it is the best time to take a walk, and what treats are the best. Mr Hindbottom teaches the dog when to run, and how to pack as he puts things into the ute for an excursion.  And soon people came to see Mr Hindbottom, and he never blows his nose as they speak. But too, he begins to have less energy, he can no longer walk to the letterbox, and seems content to stay in his pyjamas all day.

When he is no longer there, all sorts of things happen at the house, but the dog stays, sure he will love no one else.

But the new owners look at the old scruffy dog and take him as their own, a new season in his life begins.

A charming tale of the changes in life, of life and death, to the seasons of life, the phases, and times of transition. Children will love the warmth between the old man and the dog, and be heartened that the dog will have another person to love.

The change in his circumstances leads him to another phase in his life.

The lovely illustrations match the warmth of the story, giving a loving treatment to the old man, his boredom and loneliness sympathetically shown. Children will readily see snatches of the wife, now no longer there: photos on the wall, her knitting wool next to her empty chair, the handmade quilt, two placemats at the table, her book and creams still on the bedside table next to her empty bed space. All these and more are wonderfully shown, not needing words, but adding to the text. And astute readers will see the difference between the first and last endpaper. 

Themes: Loneliness, Age, Dogs, Animal companions, Humour.

Fran Knight