The Wrong End of the Dog

Coming a month before the special World Book Day publication is the fourth instalment of the silliest series on record: You won't find Grubtown on any maps. The last time any map-makers were sent anywhere near the place they were found a week later wearing nothing but pages from a telephone directory, and calling for their mothers. It's certainly a town and certainly grubby - except for the squeaky clean parts - but everything else we know about the place comes from Beardy Ardagh, town resident and author of these tales. As eye-witness Beardy Ardagh reports, when famous film star Tawdry Hipbone visits Grubtown for the world premiere of her latest movie, "For the Love of Ducks II", Mayor Flabby Gomez couldn't be more excited but, as usual, nothing goes to plan. Miss Hipbone's dog, Snooks, is snatched by a low-flying pelican, and it's a race against time to find him, in a rescue attempt involving Grubtown's usual ragbag of bungling buffoons. 'Philip Ardagh has invented his own style of storytelling' - Michael Rosen, Children's Laureate. 'Philip Ardagh is a national treasure' - Nicholas Tucker, Independent. 'Genius!' - Barney Harwood, BBC Radio 4. 'He's a bearded nutter!' - Flabby Gomez, Mayor of Grubtown.


Genre: Children's Fiction