Boots is a true English gentleman: sophisticated, noble, living in a country house and fond of hunting. He loves having tasty morsels tossed under the table for him and occasionally howls at the moon. But most of all, he loves his owners, especially the little one who was once brought home in a carriage on wheels.
As you might have guessed, Boots is a dog, a lovely Scottish Terrier through whose eyes the reader will view the world. The little dog is quite eloquent, as he speaks with the voice of Rudyard Kipling himself!
There are a great many dogs in this book; first, because Boots is not the only pet his owners have—there is also Slippers, who looks exactly like him. (Yes, Boots and Slippers—that’s right!) Secondly, Boots has a wide social circle: he is friends with both local hounds and mongrels alike.
This book is about a dog with a well-settled life, its daily routine, little mischiefs, and big events, such as fox hunting or the arrival of a new family member. It is not a humorous story in the literal sense of the word, but you will smile more than once at Boots' amusing way of expressing himself.
There is a sad moment in the book—the death of one of the characters; not a main one, but still, sensitive readers should be morally prepared.
But on the whole, a dog's life is a good thing!
"Thy Servant a Dog" for primary school age
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