It was a noisy night at Cowfork House. The rain poured and the wind blew. Every so often, a small branch would crack and I’d hear the rustle and crunch as it hit the ground. It was so noisy that I didn’t hear the midnight train go through from Doggeroo Station.
When rough weather hits, Dr Max finds that his arthritis really bothers him. Trump feels sorry for Dr Max, but as she helps Dr Jeanie do her rounds she realises that it’s not just humans who can be affected by arthritis, when she meets an aging dalmatian. Also having trouble in the stormy weather is Helen, a pregnant mare expecting her first foal. Can Trump and Dr Jeanie help Helen and Paris (the Dalmatian) through their ordeals?
The Mare’s Tale is the second in the Pet Vet series from Darrel & Sally Odgers, who are also the creators of the ,I>Jack Russell: Dog Detective series. Trump is a likeable first person (fist canine?) narrator, who takes her new job as an Animal Liaison Officer at the Pet vet Clinic very seriously, even when she’d rather stay in bed out of the storm, or chase the rats she can hear in the stable. Her animal friends each have their own foibles and oddities which make for an appealing cast of characters.
As well as being entertaining, the series is informative, with Trump offering explanations of animal and veterinary terms, and hints for animal care.
The Mare’s Tale, by Darrel & Sally Odgers
Scholastic, 2008
This book can be purchased online at Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.