Smarty Pup: Time to fly by Anh Do

The Smarty Pup is a wonderful series feature exciting story lines, minimal text and bright, colourful illustrations perfect for younger newly independent readers. Time to fly is the fifth book in the series which started with Friends fur-ever, and continued with JJ and the giant panther, To the rescue and Talent quest.

When Lily and JJ (the talking super dog) arrive at school their teacher announces that because they did so well at the Talent quest (in the previous book) they should represent their school in the National Awesome Schools Concert. Everyone is excited and comes up with a myriad of suggestions for what they could do, but eventually they settle on a fantastic dance routine that finishes with a human pyramid.  Having JJ in their class gives them the perfect top for the pyramid, but JJ is fearful that the class may drop him and is so nervous about flying in an aeroplane that he decides he doesn’t want to come to the competition at all. Will he conquer his fears in time to join his friends on this amazing adventure?

Overcoming fears is the predominant theme for this story and although JJ is fearful of many of the things he must face he, his family and friends manage to find a way to include him and help him to show his talents and save the day.

Themes: Dogs, Dance competitions, Fear, Friendship.

Gabrielle Anderson