The Dog and the Sailor

LoveReading4Kids Says

Radiant with inclusivity and adventure, Pete Jordi Wood’s Disneyesque The Dog and the Sailor picture book reworks an old European fairytale to tell a story of gay romance, selflessness and finding your happy ever after with your one true love. In this case, a young sailor who finally gets to marry his prince.

Set against the backdrop of a witch-queen’s curse, the story begins with young Ruan dreaming of a life at sea, and so he leaves his Cornish village and mum, only for his ship to hit a reef and sink. After clinging to the wreckage, Ruan drifts to a foreign land and befriends a talking dog who presents him with a bag of golden coins, no less!

But this is only the beginning of a dramatic quest that sees Ruan fall into ruination before rising high when he overcomes his weaknesses — and comes good on his responsibility to care for his poor mother — to marry his handsome prince.

Packed with positive messages, page-turning peril and Disneyesque illustrations, The Dog and the Sailor is an inclusive joy.

Reviewed by Joanne Owen
Joanne Owen is a writer, reviewer and workshop presenter whose lifelong love of books began when she was growing up in Pembrokeshire, Wales.
More reviews by Joanne Owen

About The Dog and the Sailor

Discover the timeless, long-forgotten fairytale of a handsome prince and a poor sailor who set sail across the high seas on the adventure of a lifetime.

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