BooksforTopics Reading for Pleasure Recommendations

Book Title: Pog (available here)

Author: Padraig Kenny

Publisher: Chicken House

Publication Date: March 2019

Most Suitable for: KS2

Reviewed By: Kirsty Crommie, Teacher.

Having read and loved Padraig Kenny’s debut novel Tin a few months ago, I was incredibly excited to read his new novel, Pog, and was not disappointed by this intriguing, heart-warming and emotional tale.

After recently losing their mum, David, Penny and their Dad decide to move to their family’s old house, situated in the heart of a somewhat mysterious forest. It is meant to be a fresh start after the death of their mum and an opportunity for the three of them to try and move on, but with each of them still trying to deal with their grief in their own way, relationships remain strained.

On top of this, the children begin to hear noises in the attic. On further investigation they discover a strange but friendly creature called Pog, who we discover is dealing with bereavement of his own and coping with an overwhelming sense of loneliness . As more creatures start to emerge from the forest and out from ‘The Necessary’ (a mysterious door leading to another realm), we quickly find that not all these creatures are as friendly as Pog and have some far more sinister intentions.

Pog is a brilliantly entertaining story of other-worldly beings that live side by side with humans, normally unheard and undiscovered. The fantastically rich and diverse characters make this a compelling and enjoyable read. However, at its heart, Pog is a story of a family coming to terms with the death of a loved one, dealing with their individual grief in their own ways and coming together again as a family. It is a warm, exciting and overwhelmingly uplifting and positive book that I absolutely loved.

——————–

You can order Pog online or from your local bookshop or library.

Many thanks to the publisher for sending us a review copy of this book and to Kirsty for reviewing it.