Description:
Alex is twelve years old and an only child. He spends a lot of time with his dog, William, which the family got from the SPCA a few years ago. But only Alex knows William’s secret: he understands human language AND he can talk! William reveals this to Alex in the car on their very first trip home from the SPCA. But Alex learns even more secrets about his dog in this book, the first of a series featuring the Alex and William’s adventures all over the world.
Under the pretence of going on a soccer tour Alex and William, who is a dog detective (“dogtective”), make arrangements to travel to Istanbul, where, in true espionage-style action, William’s contact awaits. From there the hunt for the villain Scurvy Scabscratch take them to Venice, Paris, Amsterdam and finally to London, where Brumbum’s mansion holds the key to the disapperance of the Silver Tulip.
Review:
DOGTECTIVE WILLIAM TRAVELS THE WORLD by Elizabeth Wasserman, illustrated by Chris Venter (Tafelberg 2013)Translated from Speurhond Willem op reis
“William’s character is based on the Wasserman’s family dog, a rather lethargic blue roan cocker spaniel with a taste for cupcakes.” (Somewhere in between Hercule Poirot and Paddington Bear?) How encouraging that we can still dare to publish books intended to reward the sheer fun of reading! This is lightly and constantly enjoyable, as dogtective and boy companion visit Istanbul, Venice, Paris, Amsterdam and London. (Sugar-coated geography?) Originally in Afrikaans – so 7 more to come, one hopes. [PR] www.bookchat.co.za/reviews
Available at: