“I’m Tom’s dog, and he’s my human. We belong to each other.”
Rebel is a good dog, and he loves his simple, perfect life on the farm with his owner Tom – until one day the war comes too close… Now Tom is determined to join the rebellion to defeat the king’s men. But Rebel knows war is dangerous, and he will stop at nothing to save the human he loves. Rebel must bring Tom home before it’s too late.
I knew from the summary that this would be an emotional book, and I was right. Ross knows exactly how to invoke feelings as he writes, making this story a really involved read. Rebel's love and courage shone so brightly, and the rest of the characters were amazing too. Also, look at that cover! Shades of Greyfriars Bobby right there.
Be warned, there's a small amount of violence here; there's some bullying by soldiers in power, and the aftermath of several attacks during a rebellion are shown as clearly as a dog can understand them. There's also a scene where Rebel visits the afterlife and meets a god figure, so be aware of that.
This book can sit proudly alongside anything that Michael Morpurgo has produced, and would actually be a great companion to some of them. It's the kind of story that I hope makes it onto school library (and regular library) shelves, and I think it'll do very well. Highly recommended.
I am Rebel publishes on the 6th of June, 2024. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.
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