By: Jo Lapthorn
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Jo Lapthorn was born at Cholwells in 1947 and spent her childhood on the family farm, thus establishing her love for animals, nature and the South Devon countryside. She and John have lived nearby during their 50 years of marriage. They have three children and eight grandchildren. Jo’s hobbies include beekeeping, beachcombing and birdwatching.
Sandy is an irresistible story for children told by the hero himself, an adventurous Cairn Terrier, trying his best to understand the ways of humans he knows and loves. The appeal is in the language which is immediately accessible for young readers, simple, as befits the magic of an articulate dog, humorous in the way he endeavours to explain his many purposes in life while attempting to figure out puzzling aspects of the world around him, and totally endearing in character. Idyllic life on a Devon farm soon turns into near tragedy with his first ‘adventure’, as Sandy calls it, yet a heart-stopping episode for any sensitive child by now desperately caring about the happiness and well-being of this delightful animal. It is through the inevitable but more lengthy second adventure that Sandy takes us into his wider environment gradually revealing a well known town by the sea. A child on holiday will be thrilled to identify beaches, ferries, a ruined castle on the rocks, not just from the descriptions but from the superb illustrations offering clues of Sandy’s perilous locations, while long time residents will be well acquainted with places and characters from the past. This is, after all, a true story. Sandy is a good listener to conversation and a canny narrator of his truly frightening experiences, he even knows the names of two local, similarly adventurous dogs but you need to read the book to find out more. What were those very loud bangs and why are they no longer heard? Children will love it, young-in heart-parents too.
