The Underdogs of Upson Downs

December 4, 2023
Eleven-year-old Annie Shearer’s family farm, located in the desperately parched Australian town of Upson Downs, is at risk of being sold to greedy landowner Earl Robert-Barren in this warm and sincere tale from Silvey (The Amber Amulet). When her canine companion Runt aces a doggie obstacle course at the local fair, Annie realizes that her pet’s hidden talent could be her shepherding family’s ticket out of debt, and her admirable drive to “fix everything” prompts her to enter Runt into competitions to raise money to help alleviate her parents’ financial burdens. There’s just one problem: Runt will only perform when no one but Annie is looking, and only under the near-magical guidance of Annie’s index finger. In a flurry of brief, propulsive chapters, Annie and her daredevil older brother Max devise a clever workaround to Runt’s performance anxiety, rally community support, and land a spot at the prestigious Krumpet’s Dog Show in London, drawing the ire of presumptive champion Fergus Fink. Forgoing nuance for charm, Silvey uses broad strokes to craft slightly cartoonish yet joyful characters who propel this affirming small-town adventure that radiates good humor and a generous spirit. Primary characters cue as white. Ages 8–12. Agent: Lesley Thorne, Aitken Alexander Associates.

January 1, 2024

Gr 3-7-Annie Shearer's family lives on a sheep farm in Upson Downs, a small town in the Australian countryside. Annie is great at fixing things but is troubled by a problem apparently beyond her skills. It hasn't rained in Upson Downs in so very long, and the only source of water has been siphoned off by a greedy neighbor. Businesses are closing, and townspeople are moving away. To help bring rain, Annie builds a rainmaker machine. But rain still doesn't come to the town. At a local fair, Annie has a new plan to get money for her family-she enters her dog, Runt, in an agility contest. Runt is fast, but Runt trusts only Annie and freezes when other people are around. Amazingly, Runt wins the agility contest at the fair and goes on to win at a countrywide contest as well. This win propels Annie and Runt to an international championship in faraway London. Annie is keen to go as she figures the prize money will help her family keep the farm. A series of circumstances causes Runt to lose the final competition, but all is not lost as rain finally comes to Upson Downs. Previously published in Australia as Runt, this novel was named the Book of the Year at the 2023 Australian Book Industry Awards. Giving the characters names like Earl Robert-Barren and Basil Peppercorn, Silvey crafts lyrical prose and leaves hidden gems for readers young and old. This novel will keep middle grade readers wishing for more stories about Runt and Annie. VERDICT A delightful novel about a girl and her dog that will capture the imaginations of readers.-Charla Hollingsworth

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January 1, 2024
Grades 3-6 Eleven-year-old Annie Shearer and her adopted stray dog, Runt, live with her family in Upson Downs, Australia. Their sheep ranch has seen better days; drought and an aggressive neighbor (who has diverted the town's water supply to his own property in hopes of buying out everyone) have made life difficult, spurring Annie's efforts to fix things for her family. Annie and Runt enter the agility contest sponsored by Krumpet's Dog Show in London, hoping for the grand prize, which could save the farm. Silvey's heartwarming story features cleverly named characters (evil neighbor Earl Robert-Barren; nasty dog-show competitor Fergus Fink), a direct and often slyly humorous writing style, plenty of local color, and a plethora of groan-worthy puns (""Horrific Axe-ident at the Woolarama Leg Chop!""). What shines through the witticisms, however, is this family's love and their ability to work together, which holds them in good stead throughout their travails. With a satisfying (although not entirely predictable) ending and a cute dog, this one is sure to please middle-grade readers.

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Starred review from January 15, 2024
Never underestimate the underdogs. 375 days. That's how long it's been since it rained in the Australian sheep-farming town of Upson Downs. Businesses have shuttered, and multigenerational farms are being gobbled up by the aptly named Earl Robert-Barren. Eleven-year-old Annie Shearer is eager to help her family save their farm. She and former stray dog Runt, who's her best friend, have an unshakable bond that makes them a skilled herding and agility duo. Yet no one knows that, because Runt freezes when anyone but Annie is watching him. Then an opportunity comes up for Annie and Runt to qualify for the prestigious Krumpet's Dog Show in London--with a grand prize of $250,000. The Shearer family bands together to bring their hidden talents into the spotlight. The novel reads like a well-designed agility course, complete with engaging challenges and pacing that reward focus as well as speed. Expository chapter headings function as an aperture, offering pleasing wit and levity before jumping into the action. Obstacles posed by the aforementioned land-grabber and a peacocking pedigreed-dog handler heighten the tension as the stakes rise. Annie and Runt are the main attractions, and their relationships with the other scrappy Shearer family members--especially Annie's aspiring botanist dad--are authentically drawn and lovingly flawed, making them easy to cheer on and adding depth to a beautiful, rewarding narrative that's a fresh addition to the genre. Main characters read white. A perfect run of a novel with the heart of a champion. (Fiction. 8-12)

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