By Alice Bowsher

Published by Cicada Books

Review by Derek Brazell

This charming tale has our curly haired/bearded hero feeling the need for a canine companion. He’s not that fussed what it will look like, as he’s a scruffy kind of guy himself.

So, Scruff the dog joins him – but he’s not like the other dogs, who love making a mess and dashing madly around. Could Scruff’s concerns be around his disheveled appearance? Alice Bowsher’s bold, free line work is pleasingly spontaneous looking, and her simple characters have life and verve (especially the dogs).

There’s a solution to Scruff’s issues, and it involves makeovers for both him and his owner (who both embrace nail polish), and the possibility of winning a prize.

A fun book, well paced and great for reading aloud.