Jack the Runaway Terrier

by Gill McLean, Gill McLean (Illustrator)

Overview

Small dog . . . Big adventure

“When the wind blows and the door opens wide,
He seizes the moment and scampers outside.”

A tale of adventure, love, and redemption about a mischievous dog who bites off more than he can chew.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781631636981
Publisher:	North Star Editions
Publication date:	04/04/2023
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	10.75(w) x 9.62(h) x (d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Gill McLean was brought up in rural Lancashire, England, and spent her childhood drawing, raising poultry, and exploring hills and streams. To this day, she maintains an interest in all things wiggly. Natural history became the basis upon which she developed her illustrations, which then led to creating characters for greeting cards and children’s books. From illustration, Gill fell into graphic design and spent some time working with Templar Publishing as an in-house designer, making every type of children’s book from pop-ups to classics. After years spent in the wilderness (Oxford,Cambridge, Guildford, and Melbourne, Australia), she finally returned to Northern England with her Yorkshire-born husband and two daughters, moving to Richmond in 2006. Gill has written, illustrated, and designed many children’s books for publishers such as Templar, Oxford University Press, QED, Parragon, and HarperCollins. Her books have also been featured on CBeebies (BBC).

Editorial Reviews

Employing the many stages of an adventure—quest, drama, return—McLean crafts a brief tale of rolling emotions. Intriguing word choices and varied verses will hold readers’ attention.” —Kirkus Reviews

"An inviting read-aloud choice." —Booklist

“The rhyming text and dynamic, colorful illustrations pull readers along on Jack’s journey, inviting them to enjoy the return home as much as he does. Jack the Runaway Terrier is exciting, beautiful, and perfect for shared reading.” —The Children’s Book Review

“This title would work well in storytimes about dogs or adventure. The gentle rhythm of the text and dream-like illustrations also make this a great choice for a bedtime story.” —Children's Literature

From the Publisher

2023-01-12
A pup’s wanderlust suddenly gets him into a seafaring predicament.

Jack, a curious terrier, loves to explore. So when the wind blows his house’s door open one day, the temptation is too great. He scampers outside and trots down the road. As he crests a hill, Jack suddenly sees a vast expanse of sparkling blue. The ocean! After stowing away on a lobster boat, Jack can’t wait for an adventure. But then, the sea turns rough: “The sea heaves the boat, and the waves splash the deck. / The rain beats down hard on Jack’s back and his neck.” Poor Jack. This is not what he had in mind. Luckily the voyage is only a few days long, and the boat returns to the same harbor. Weary, hungry, and downtrodden, Jack slowly limps toward home—a far cry from the exuberant energy of the previous trip on the same path. The artwork’s sunny hues match the warmth of the loving reunion between Jack, his light-skinned owner, and his brother, Kes. Employing the many stages of an adventure—quest, drama, return—McLean crafts a brief tale of rolling emotions. Intriguing word choices and varied verses will hold readers’ attention, though the rhyming does, at times, hold the narrative back slightly. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

For young adventurers and explorers. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews