Runt and the diabolical dognapping by Craig Silvey
Clear everything off your bookshelf and keep two books - Runt and Runt and the Diabolical Dognapping. Hardback and weighing in at 600g each, put one under each arm and escape. If you're a lucky child you can. I have seen lucky children escaping just like this from a Craig Silvey book launch! Runt and the Diabolical Dognapping is the sequel to Runt but it is a story that can stand on its own. The same central and peripheral characters are present together with some new ones. However in Runt and the Diabolical Dognapping Runt is a great hole. Runt is conspicuous by his absence. Although Annie Shearer is still a major character (now totally distressed by the loss of Runt) other characters particularly her brother Max step into the spotlight in this sequel.
The setting is still the town of Upson Downs which has been rejuvenated after Annie and Runt's championship win at the Krumpets Dog show (six weeks ago) and Max's subsequent viral video. The residents of the town, spot on in their relatability to characters in every country town, gather in the town hall to listen to Mayor Barry Casserole announce a Tournament of Champions to piggy back on the former event in a bid to attract international talent and place Upson Downs on the map. The event is to be held in the mansion outside of town belonging to a missing (presumed dead) owner called Earl Robert-Barren. A new-comer to town introduces himself at the meeting as Rupert Broadsheet - newly appointed Editor-in-chief of the Upson Downs Speculator. Suddenly Runt goes missing, a ransom note is found and suspicious clues are found near his doghouse. Annie is warned in the ransom note that if she is ever to see her dog again she must win the competition. What follows is a wonderful story that is full of hi-jinx, mayhem, heart-break, devilry, courage, love, determination and ingenuity. Silvey sets an action-packed tempo and readers must apply logical and lateral thinking and remain alert to the clues (the breadcrumbs and the literal red herrings) to try to work out what has happened to Runt.
Silvey does not treat his young readers as fools - they must stretch and be challenged. He plays with an extensive vocabulary peppered with much innuendo and phrases with double meanings. Just the naming of people and places is enough of a clue to the fun that he has with this multi-layered romp of a story.
The characters are richly drawn. The central family is loving and supportive. The parents (somewhat hapless and bewildered having two such energetic children as Max and Annie) nevertheless provide great advice and rise like lions to support their children when they are in need. They allow their children freedom and when that entails danger they go along just in case ...with hilarious results. Silvey includes the outsider in the story; the fallen characters are redeemed, lost characters (human) are found and a place is found for all of them within the community. The baddies are dealt with in appropriate fashion. The story can be seen at one of its multiple layers to be a story of the healing of broken communities and relationships. It is also a story of the importance of family and the importance of the building of courage and resilience and of not giving up. The inherent values springing from the story are those that are important for the building of character. The heart strings are wrung, the heart beats, tears form but at the close of the story there is a warm smile which recurs every time incidents from the story are recalled.
Runt and the Diabolical Dognapping would be well- placed on every Primary Years teacher's desk to be read in serial form and in home and school libraries. It is one of those books that has what children want - mystery, adventure, animals, family, friends, ordinary kids who are heroes and villains. The humour is the icing on the cake. Silvey is an Australian author based in Western Australia. Runt and Runt and the Diabolical Dognapping could well become Australian classics.
Runt and the Diabolical Dognapping is an utterly delightful and clever book!
Themes: Family, Love, Community, Young detective-work, Loyalty, Friendship, Cross age/cultural/ socio-economic friendship, Adventure.
Wendy Jeffrey