Smarty Pup: JJ and the Giant Panther by Anh Do

This is paws down one of the best Anh Do books ever!

JJ and the Giant Panther written and illustrated by mega talented Anh Do is the second book in the Smarty Pup series. Be entertained again by the humour and adventure throughout; this time delving into what is takes to be brave.

JJ is a super talking, genius dog, after purple goop fell on him a while back. Now, even NASA has him on speed dial! He has super sensitive senses in sniffing and hearing; making him a great detective when playing hide and seek!

He lives with a young girl, Lily and her family, and he is her best companion. So, when Mr Hasting, the sports teacher, announces there is a going to be a school camp, Lily insists that JJ attend too. While on camp, all the children are grouped in threes to tackle each task aimed to develop and assess their bravery. Each group will be allocated points for completing the tasks successfully.

Lily and JJ are paired with Timmy, but both Lily and Timmy don’t feel they have good bravery skills that will assist them.  How will they even complete each task, let alone get bonus points for finishing first?

JJ, with his genius skills, takes the lead in the group but becomes a petrified and hiccupping mess when he thinks he sees a giant panther. Can Lily, Timmy and JJ’s team complete each activity and survive the school camp, or will the giant panther prove too much for all of them?

This fabulous short fiction novel is extremely fast paced with a highly energetic and engaging storyline. Filled with quick wit, humour and adventure, this story will keep its audience captivated until the very end. The vibrant and amazing full colour paged illustrations throughout will grab the reader’s attention, along with the interspersed jokes scattered amongst the storyline.

Cheerful, colourful and creative, this series definitely won’t disappoint!

Themes: Bravery, Humour, Adventure, Problem solving, Friendship.

Michelle O'Connell