Most children love funny and exciting books about animals so it is wonderful to see the story of Jake, the unusual dog with a zest for live who likes to save the day, reappear into print. Only this time, he appears in colour for the first time with illustrations by the author’s husband Nick Butterworth, one of the UK’s biggest and best names in children’s book illustration. Jake in Action and Jake the Good Bad Dog are published simultaneously. This one finds Jake digging up the roses, eating too much chocolate and ready for a game of football in the park until he discovers that the Council wants to sell the park for building. It just can’t happen.
Jake is back again, digging up the roses, eating too much chocolate and always ready for a game of football. But the football pitch is threatened – the Council want to sell Jake’s park and build on it! Everyone is determined to save the park, but it seems their luck is out. Jake is a very special dog - but can he save the day?
Annette Butterworth and husband Nick Butterworth have always kept dogs, and the Jake stories are inspired by two dogs in particular: Jake and Sheppy. Nick is a best-selling author worldwide for his Percy the Park Keeper stories, plus The Whisperer, QPootle5 and Tiger. Annette's stories were first published by Hodder Children's Books in the 1990s when Jake the Good Bad Dog was shortlisted for the Red House Children's Book Award.