Our Field
Our Field is a picture book based on the story by the Victorian children’s author Juliana Horatia Ewing. Three children rescue a drowning dog and try desperately to persuade their parents to let them keep it. Perfect for any child who loves animal stories and stories about dogs. 5+
Sadly, Our Field is no longer available, although you may be able to find secondhand copies on Amazon or elsewhere.
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We never knew who had drowned Pierrot, but it was Sandy who saved his life and brought him home.
Our Field was also published in Germany, Japan and South Korea.
Our Field was shortlisted for the Sheffield Award, 1997.
Two brothers and a sister rescue a drowning dog and then do everything they can think of to persade their mother to let them keep him. This absolutely lovely story was originally written by Juliana Horatia Ewing, who lived from 1841 until 1885. Collins asked me to retell it for children today after the success of Old Father Christmas, which was also originally written by Juliana. All I have done is to make the language a little simpler for children today to understand. I fell in love with the story as soon as I read it, and I’m sure anyone who loves dogs, or wild flowers, or simply playing out in the country, will want to read it and share it. It takes you back to a time long before computers or televisions, but the story of longing to keep a stray dog and give him a home is as moving today as it ever was.
Robin Bell Corfield’s gorgeous watercolour illustrations are perfect.
Perhaps you could write about a dog who needs a home with a loving family. Try to describe him so the reader feels they can see him and would fall in love with him.