Dog

DOG relates the difficult, complicated journey of a boy and his dog, or a dog and his boy.

It’s a dark, violent adventure exploring trust, friendship and fear of rejection.

Andy says: "I don't normally do animal books, but I was talking at a primary school when a boy interrupted my blather with a classic non-sequitur: 'Hey, mister. I've got a dog.' 'That's nice,' I said. 'No, it's not,' said the boy. 'He wants to be a cat.' The audience laughed, and that same night I started writing about a pet in crisis. I invented a rejected puppy with paralysing doubts about his instincts and orientation, and out came DOG: a troubled book, but so full of joy. It was a joy to write, anyway."

It's an odyssey: a fox reveals the sheer cruelty of life - a flea displays inspirational strength - and a mad bull dog explains his skewed grasp of loyalty and love. The young dog's encounters are all bizarre reflections of his master's own troubled world.

Will they ever understand each other?