Home Alone Harry – A Review

A book for a younger audience is presented here in the latest review. Home Alone Harry appealed to me both as a parent, and a dog lover (we currently count two dogs as part of our family). The book is a collaboration between Jerry Rhodes, Rachael Messiter, and Nicky Hill, and is one of Rachel’s current book tours.

Summary

Harry is a mischievous young dog, adored by his family, Dad and Mum, Maisie (8) and Max (5). When the family leave him on his own he creates chaos. Dad demands, “That bad dog must go!” Alone and sad in bed that evening, Max asks, “Can anyone help?” How will the Thunkies respond to his call?

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Review

This is an enjoyable children’s book, which captured our son’s imagination with the bright illustrations, and lively story. Anything concerning animals is always a winner, and our son certainly engaged with Harry. Indeed, the book was first choice for bedtime reading for several consecutive evenings. The story flows naturally, combining helpful advice on living with a dog within the narrative. The language is suitable for a younger audience, both for reading out loud, and for children who are able to read themselves. Although we did find that for reading aloud, the names of the four different Thunkies were a little cumbersome to use.

So, a well written book. This is where my ‘but’ comes in. The subject matter is important and I’m not sure whether having input from Thunkies fits this particular story. Having any animal is a big commitment. It’s a shame that the father’s first reaction is to say they must get rid of Harry, after he wreaks havoc while the family are out. With so many unwanted animals waiting for forever homes, this threat is, sadly, one which some people do follow through on.

The Thunkies suggest that the parents try to understand Harry’s behaviour and work to overcome it. I would have preferred to see the parents take this approach from the outset, without Thunkie intervention. Working together as a family, they understand Harry’s motivations and address his behaviour. In doing so, they find out about differences between the way that dogs and humans think. I’m sure there is a role for the Thunkies for learning in children’s books. I’m just not sure this is quite the right context.

Nevertheless, the book holds an important message for anyone involved in animal care. We all communicate differently, and have different ways of expressing ourselves. Behaviours have a reason behind them. Part of the role of carer is to understand this, and work to address undesirable behaviours. Home Alone Harry is a valuable means of introducing this concept to a younger audience.

Meet the team

Jerry Rhodes

Jerry Rhodes’s life-long research and teaching is the inspiration behind ‘Home Alone Harry’, this first book in a series for children featuring the cartoon characters, Thunkies®. After completing his degree and teacher training at Oxford University, Jerry’s career as a school-master was cut short by polio. He changed course to a management career in industry, discovered his talents for creativity, and formed his world-wide consultancy to collaborate with international organisations. A special project with Philips led to the discovery of ‘Thinking-Intentions’, to which he has now given the playful name, Thunkies®. Jerry writes his books from his weather-beaten old farmhouse in the Gloucestershire Cotswolds.

Rachael Messiter

Rachael Messiter, a Dog Listener, uses the approach known as Amichien® Bonding, pioneered by Jan Fennell. Her practice, Talking Paws, is based in Staffordshire. Rachael lived with wolves for nearly two years in Colorado, USA, to learn how packs work. She has identified a group of issues that dog owners experience that are due to the well-meaning but flawed behaviours of owners, rather than ‘nuisance’ dogs. How to properly avoid and resolve such troublesome issues will be the theme of each book in the series Thunkies® love Dogs.

Nicky Hill

Nicky Hill is an illustrator and storyteller from Winterbourne near Bristol. Her artwork is featured throughout the Thunkies® Love Dogs books, bringing a bright, vibrant style that captures the imagination. A great lover of animals both wild and domestic, Nicky also illustrates and writes her own series of books about ‘The Wotton Pack’; a group of inquisitive pooches who spend their days and nights having many adventures. She currently lives with her own pack of three dogs in Wotton-under-Edge, a small town in Gloucestershire, where she also co-runs the shop called ‘The Collective’.

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