What That in Dog Years is a story with many themes and emotions. It’s a story of life, love, friendship, happiness and grief.
Author & Illustrators
12-year-old Vinnie is frustrated by the picture perfect life that his mum – a viral online life coach – is portraying to her readers in order to fit in with her “brand” when the reality couldn’t be further from the truth – their family seems to be falling apart. But more than that, Vinnie is struggling, and his mum is the one person who he used to be able to talk to about things, but she has become too busy answering the world’s problems to have time to deal with his problems, so he keeps them to himself.
One day, Vinnie stumbles across an old blog that his mum used to write before she became famous, and he notices that there are lots of unanswered questions from people asking for her advice – he decides that these people deserve responses and sets about replying himself. Much to his suprise, the public seem to like his responses and more and more messages come flooding in. Reading about other people’s problems makes Vinnie feel like he is not alone and he begins to realise that sharing your problems is better than holding them all on your own.
Typical of Helen Rutter, this book is an incredibly easy read – perfect for struggling or reluctant readers – which is full of laugh out loud humour but with a strong message at its heart.
‘The Street Where Santa Lives’ is a warm and thoughtful picture book that blends festive magic with an important message about kindness, community and noticing those around us. When a new neighbour moves in next door, everyone on the busy street is too occupied with their own lives to pay attention, except for a little girl who is convinced that the man is Father Christmas. When the little girl discovers that her new neighbour is excellent at mending things, she proudly creates a sign for Santa’s Workshop.
As winter sets in, the story takes a tender turn when the girl realises she hasn’t seen her friend for some time. Her concern leads the family to discover that he is unwell, and the community quickly comes together to care for him.
Although closely associated with Christmas, the story carries a community message that extends far beyond the festive season. Set on a street full of busy people, it highlights how easily individuals can be overlooked, particularly elderly neighbours. The little girl’s kindness demonstrates how simple acts of attention can lead to meaningful connections and reveal the value everyone brings when given the chance.
Children will enjoy debating whether the neighbour truly is Santa, as his unexpected answers contrast with the many festive hints scattered throughout the story. This is a gentle, engaging book that encourages compassion, community spirit and reaching out to others.
review
Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:
Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:
Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?
Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?
Would you recommend the book for use in primary schools?
yes
Curriculum links (if relevant)
Curriculum links (if relevant)
Any other comments
Any other comments