Pia’s Pet Club: Puppy Problem – at a glance
The School Reading Lists’ five word review: animal lover, family relationships, responsibility.
Children’s book title: Pia’s Pet Club: Puppy Problem (Sample chapters 1 – 3).
Children’s author: Serena Patel.
Children’s illustrator: Emma McCann.
Genre: Children’s fiction.
Published by: Usborne.
ISBN: 9781805312437.
Recommended for children aged: 7-10 year-olds.
First published: Paperback May 2025.
This children’s book is ideal for: anyone who loves animals, especially the most common domestic pets.
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Our review:
It’s the start of the summer holidays and almost Pia Patel’s tenth birthday. She knows exactly what she wants too: a pet. Any type of pet would be fine, but even she realises it’s highly unlikely she’ll get one. Her mum and dad have recently separated, and both refuse point-blank to even consider it. To make matters more complicated, Pia and her big sister, Anjali, spend half the week at each parent’s new home.
While at her dad’s, Pia spots Hari, a classmate from school, who has a puppy! When Pia learns that Hari must train his puppy, Luna, very quickly or his mum will take her back to the breeder, she offers to help. Unfortunately, that’s where the problems begin!
Our verdict:
As I’ve only read a sample of this book, comprising the first three very enjoyable chapters, it’s difficult to fully grasp what will happen next. However, what comes across clearly is that Pia is an articulate, confident, and almost ten-year-old who knows exactly what she wants for her birthday. Pia’s mum refuses to even discuss the matter, but there’s a hint in the third chapter that she is scared of animals herself, particularly dogs, and is convinced her daughter will get hurt if they have one.
The first chapters set the stage for what promises to be a story full of mayhem, doggy destruction, and heartfelt conversations between Pia and her mum about her fears. The expectations and confidence Pia displays suggest she’ll need to learn about other people’s concerns and their instinct to protect themselves and their loved ones — even if, to a ten-year-old, that feels very unfair!
This is the first book in Pia’s Pet Club by Serena Patel, who also wrote the award-winning Anisha, Accidental Detective series.
Teaching points and book club discussion ideas:
- Looking after an animal is a big responsibility. If you have a pet, what do you need to do to help care for it?
- If you don’t have a pet, what do you think would be the best and worst things about owning something that relies on you for everything?
- Some people are scared of animals for various reasons. What pets would you like to own, and which ones would you prefer to avoid entirely?
- Owning a pet can be very expensive. What items would need to be bought regularly, and what could they do without?
Many thanks to Usborne Books for the review copy.
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