Jackie French, pillar of Australian juvenile fiction, brings us the second in her series of historical tales told from the point of view of animals. Through the eyes of a lap dog called Folly, French paints a visceral portrait of the last years of the dispossessed Mary Queen of Scots. As with the last instalment, the story tells us more about the feel and lifestyles of the age than any historical fact. This is balanced by a dense, 30-page dump of information in the closing author’s note. Suitable for eight-to-14- year-olds, this title offers the animal insights we have loved in French’s former works, including Diary of a Wombat. The dog becomes more than merely a vehicle for historical observation-Folly is an adorable and irrepressible lead character who should be able to captivate boys and girls alike. The book will complement more factual works found on the same shelf, such as Terry Deary’s Horrible Histories and French’s own Fair Dinkum Histories. At the same time, its engaging narrative approach makes it a candidate for an enjoyable and light holiday read.

Nathan Farrow is the manager and buyer of Bray’s Kids’ Books, Balmain, Sydney

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