Dot the Dalmatian loves visiting the children of Wallaby Ward, but her work doesn’t stop there – when one of her patients is in trouble, it’s up to Dot to save the day.
Here are the children in Wallaby Ward,
Most of them happy but some of them bored.
A girl’s feeling shy and a baby is howling,
A toddler’s cross and a teenager’s scowling.
A visitor’s jumping about like a frog.
But looks who’s arrived! It’s the hospital dog.
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Julia says ... |
I got the idea for this book when I was visiting a children’s hospital and saw a picture of their visiting dog on a notice board. I then found out that the dog Nala and her owner Sandy lived very near me, so I persuaded them to take me on a ward round. Here is a picture of us all.
As you can see, Nala and Sandy don’t look at all like Dot and her owner in The Hospital Dog, and I changed their names too – but the book is dedicated to them.
You can see me telling the story and Sara Ogilvie drawing in this broadcast.
The Hospital Dog has won the 2021 Indie Book Awards for Best Picture Book
