Having read other books by Philip Reeve, my children were keen to review this latest – “Pugs of the Frozen North.” With fourteen chapters and just over 200 pages, this is probably best for more confident readers, aged approx 7+. However, it has lots of fantastic illustrations, which not only break up the text for the more reluctant reader, but also helps the story appeal to a younger audience, as well as being good to read aloud.



Shen is the cabin boy on the “Lucky Star” when the ship becomes tra

Having read other books by Philip Reeve, my children were keen to review this latest – “Pugs of the Frozen North.” With fourteen chapters and just over 200 pages, this is probably best for more confident readers, aged approx 7+. However, it has lots of fantastic illustrations, which not only break up the text for the more reluctant reader, but also helps the story appeal to a younger audience, as well as being good to read aloud.



Shen is the cabin boy on the “Lucky Star” when the ship becomes trapped in ice. In the hold are sixty-six pugs, which Captain Jeggings had hoped to sell. When he needs to lighten the load though, it is the pugs he abandons and Shen ends up stranded with them. Looking for help, he finds Sika, who tells him about the Great North Run. The prize is “Your Heart’s Desire” and Shen and Sika decide to take part, with the pugs pulling the sleigh.



What follows is a really exciting adventure through a frozen world, inhabited with snow trolls, sea monsters, the Kraken, hungry yetis and fifty different kinds of snow. Rather like the “Wizard of Oz,” our heroes have to make their way to the icicle palace of the Snow father, who can grant wishes. Will they make it and will Shen find what he most desires?



This is a really exciting adventure story and the illustrations match the storyline perfectly. Many are dark, which captures the bleak, icy landscape. However, the illustrations are cute and appealing, rather than scary. This book will have appeal to both boys and girls and both my children look forward to reading more books by Philip Reeve.

