Review: SWOP The Satsuma-Sized Secret, by Lucy Noguera

Blurb 

What would you do if you found the world’s smallest dog?

When Ernie and his family leave the countryside to move to the city. Ernie feels like he’ll never settle into their new home.

Yet on his very first night, a surprising new friend introduces himself – Swop is a very tiny dog. A dog that just happens to be the size of a satsuma.

Ernie vows to keep Swop a secret, but Swop has other ideas and he’s determined to make Ernie’s first day at his new school a memorable one!

My Review

Thanks to Lucy Noguera and the publisher for sending ,e a copy of this book, it was wrapped up in a delightful parcel, and to Kelly at Love Books Group for organising the blog tour.

Ernie is lonely boy. His dad has died and to be nearer his Gran, he’s moved with his mum and sister Lucy to London. His dad had promised they’d get a dog one day, but he died before they could, and when the family moved to London their landlord said “No pets!”. Not even Sticky the Stick Insect. Ernie is struggling with grief and moving, until a surprise wiggles it’s way out of his box of treasures. The tiniest black and white puppy, the size of a satsuma! Ernie and his new friend experience the first day at school together and have lots of adventures.

I enjoyed this book. Yes, I’m 30+ years older than the target audience, but still, I enjoyed it. Swop is adorable and mischievous. The school setting and interactions of the children are very realistic, including the school bully and ‘interfering’ Gran. I loved that the author integrated Lucy’s Deafness and use of sign language as nothing remarkable into the plot, a natural part of the story. There needs to be more children’s books normalising different disabilities and ways of communication. I really loved Laura Ireland’s illustrations, they are so funny and rather sweet.

I must commend the use of Dyslexia font. I’m not dyslexic, being irritatingly hyperlexic from a young age (ask any of the teachers I had in primary school who are still alive), but I appreciate the easier to read font as much as anyone. Also, I have dyslexic friends and relatives, and I know how much they struggle to read. Everyone should be able to access literature.

This is a good book for newly confident primary school readers and I hope the book finds it’s way into many school libraries, just like Swop found his way into Ernie’s school library.

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Author Bio
An ex-primary school teacher and Teacher of the Deaf. I now run a small educational company, specialising in arranging book projects and theatre events for schools and families. I live with my husband, our three children and our three dogs in Ealing, London. Yet the one in charge is our little ex-street dog, even though he has no eyes and three legs. He also happens to be called Swop!