'The best books, reviewed with insight and charm, but without compromise.'
- author Jackie French

Wednesday 22 February 2012

Review: Fearless in Love

As soon as I saw this book, I had a smile plastered to my face. Dogs represent all that is good with the world. Loyalty, love and forgiveness. C'mon, look at that little bulldog face ... I am already in love with Fearless.

Fearless is a beautiful, sweet and warmhearted puppy.  He came from a very big family where him mum didn't always have time to tell him everything he needed to know. The one thing he does remember is something that his mum said to him "Life is much nicer if you love everyone."

"I can do that, " Fearless thought.

If only someone explained to him exactly what love is.

When he went to live with his new family he had so much love, he hardly knew where to start. He loved his bed ... so much that he ate it. He loved his new mum's big orange jumper ... he snuggled up to it and somehow it got a bit chewed.

Then he loved mum's slippers, dad's socks, the big boy's homework and the big girl's lip gloss. Loving everyone might make life nicer but it's exhausting, makes you fat and seems to make your family cross. Maybe he wasn't listening properly when his mum was telling him about love.

It was when Fearless ate the lottery tickets that his family got so cross that they locked him outside until past dinner time.

Sad, alone and now sitting in the rain Fearless begins to think. "Maybe it would be better if I just loved some things."

He thought about the things he didn't love.  Birds, handbags and medicine. When Fearless stopped thing about the things he didn't love it had stopped raining.

Then all of a sudden, there is digging and wriggling coming out of the dirt. What could it be?

Loving everyone was much more complicated than Fearless had imagined ... until he met Primrose.

I am utterly charmed by this gorgeous book. What a sweet, sweet dog. Still smiling. Thanks Fearless.


Title: Fearless in Love
Author: Colin Thompson
Illustrator: Sarah Davies
Publisher: ABC Books , $24.99 RRP
Publication Date: February 2012
Format: Hardback
ISBN: 9780733329517
For ages: 4+
Type: Picture Books