Appletree Animal Agency

The first book in a new series by award-winning creators Katya Balen and Gill Smith, featuring heart-warming adventures for readers who love animals. When Mattie wishes on a shooting star for a puppy, she knows her wish is hopeless. Her dad just doesn't believe Mattie is responsible enough to look after a puppy. She finds the next best thing when she and her friend Zoë start helping the new vet and animal rescuer, Dr Polly. Mattie still may not have a pet of her own, but she has amazing adventures rescuing a runaway ferret, trying to stop a greedy goat from eating everything in the garden and looking after an adorable puppy with a hurt paw. But as the animal rescue gets more and more crowded, Mattie, Zoë and the vet's son, Casper, realize that they need to do something more. Can they help the animals find their forever homes?

About the author

Katya Balen is an award-winning author of books for children. Her debut novel, The Space We’re In, was highly commended for the Branford Boase Award; October, October won the Yoto Carnegie Medal and the UKLA Book Award; and The Light in Everything was shortlisted for the Yoto Carnegie Medal. When she’s not writing books, Katya likes to scroll through dog-rescue websites, bake and attempt to keep her house plants alive.Whilst working initially as a primary teacher, then within community arts and theatre, Gill Smith pursued illustration and achieved an MA with distinction in Children’s Book Illustration at the Cambridge School of Art. She was shortlisted for the Batsford Illustration prize and a winner of international competition, "Picture This". She illustrated Maria's Island, a retelling of Victoria Hislop's bestselling book, The Island, reimagined for children. She also illustrated Saving the Butterfly, which was shortlisted for the Klaus Flugge Prize.

Product details

• Authors: Katya Balen
• Assisted by: Smith Gill (Illustration)
• Publisher: Walker Books Uk
• Languages: English
• Age Recommendation: ages 7 to 9
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 06.03.2025
• EAN: 9781529519181
• ISBN: 978-1-5295-1918-1
• No. of pages: 160
• Series: Appletree Animal Agency
• Subjects: Children's and young people's books > Non-fiction books / Non-fiction picture books > Animals, plants, nature, the environment; JUVENILE FICTION / Social Themes / Emotions & Feelings, JUVENILE FICTION / Social Themes / Friendship, JUVENILE FICTION / Animals / Pets, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Nature and animal stories, Animal Stories (Children's/Ya), Family & Home Stories (Children's/Ya), Children’s / Teenage general interest: Pets and pet care, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Friendship stories