Pugs of the Frozen North

Product Information

an engaging story for children (and, in my case at least, adults) who have the ability to read alone but aren't yet ready to give up the pleasure of heavily illustrated books." - Z J Cookson, The BookBag What would happen if you got your heart's desire? Would it make you happy, could it cause problems, or both?

This story is about a boy called Shen and a girl called Sika, who along with 66 pugs race to the top of the world. They can’t resist the chance to win and claim the prize of ‘your heart’s desire.’ Snow trolls, sea monsters and a tribe of hungry yetis stand in their way but will their 234 paw-powered sled help them be the first to get to the finish line? Antaisin vielä puolikkaan tähden tuohon päälle, ihan hauska tarina, joskin melko kliseiset hahmot: on ylimielistä aatelista, luonnonvoimia selittäviä alkuasukkaita ja orpopoika kaupanpäälle. Plussaa itsevarmasta, jääkarhujen vetämästä parrakkaasta Helgasta.

So we did! And since we'd done it for Claire, it made sense to turn it into notes that more people could print out. I consulted with Claire to get the notes as accessible as possible for teachers to use and adapt.

This is a cute story. I read it in one sitting and liked it. There is a great deal of adventure and danger that Shen, Sika, and the pugs have to face. But, they do it together and help each other, and their competitors along the way. Infused with excitement and humour, both splendidly represented in words and the icy two-tone illustrations, serious messages about helping others and facing the death of family members pervade the narrative. The endpapers are especially fun, as the final spread names all 66 pugs! I'm not sure whether you'll remember me - I was sat next to you at the Book Awards dinner in Nottingham and we talked about how Pugs of the Frozen North sounded like an exciting novel to use for the Polar Bear topic that I have to plan for the first two weeks of term with my Polar Bears class. Well, I've read it, I just know that the children will LOVE it and I have also decided that if we're going to get as much enjoyment out of it as it has to offer, it's going to need more than two weeks! I'm going into school tomorrow to turn my classroom into the North Pole and the novel is going to be at the heart of our topic for the whole first half of this term, which I think I'm going to call ‘The Race to the Top of the World’ … I just wondered whether there is any chance that you and/or Philip might be able to spare a few minutes to come up with some sort of writing challenge based on Pugs of the Frozen North?LoveReading4Kids exists because books change lives, and buying books through LoveReading4Kids means you get to change the lives of future generations, with 25% of the cover price donated to schools in need. Join our community to get personalised book suggestions, extracts straight to your inbox, 10% off RRPs, and to change children’s lives.

If you have space, have the children cut snowflakes out of paper and add them to the picture. Perhaps you could add a title along the top of the display, such as ‘Race to the Top of the World!’ Illustrator and writer Sarah McIntyre is easy to spot in her pointy glasses and hats. Her books include the comic Vern and Lettuce, four books with Philip Reeve, including Pugs of the Frozen North and Jinks & O'Hare Funfair Repair, and her picture books include There's a Shark in the Bath and Dinosaur Police. She loves creating books and comics with friends and getting inspired by batting around ideas and drawings with them. Sarah, I am absolutely buzzing and I just have to pass this feeling on because you are responsible! I read the first chapter of Pugs of the Frozen North to my lovely new class this morning - I'd only planned to read one chapter to them but they were SO desperate for more that I just had to read a second and then they went on at me so much when I finished the second chapter to carry on that I had to read the third chapter and then we were late for PE but they LOVED it!!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you for creating such enjoyable experiences of reading and books for those children - amazing for them but, as a teacher, best feeling ever when learning becomes that exciting! The whole book is a race and I can't wait to read the whole book to find out what happens in the end." - Rachel Zinkin, age 8, for lovereading4kids.co.uk I really especially loved Helga Hammerfest, who has polar bears pull her sled and who is big and strong and owns the shit out of her fabulous beard.Conveys big truths while being witty and playful...clever and moving’ - The Sunday Times on Fever Crumb Armistice Day: A Collection of Remembrance - Spark Interest and Educate Children about Historical Moments