Dogs of the Deadlands

‘This book! It broke my heart and then splintered it back together again. Full of hope and love and wildness. Can’t even describe the plot but it has dogs and wolves and it’s set in the aftermath of Chernobyl. It’s just MAGNIFICENT. Imagine Watership Down meets The Animals of Farthing Wood but fiercer.’

-- Hannah Gold, author of The Last Bear

‘Steeped in Richard Adams’ Plague Dogs and Watership Down, yet wearing all the hallmarks of Barry Hines at his finest, Dogs of the Deadlands is a wonderful thing. It moved me and stayed with me for an awfully long time.’

-- Phil Earle, author of When the Sky Falls

‘I was completely blown away by this brilliant, beautiful story. I was propelled back to reading Watership Down as an eight year old – this gave me that same feeling of having been indelibly changed by a story. It's a rare and special thing for a book to do.’

-- Catherine Bruton, author of No Ballet Shoes in Syria

‘Raw, unflinching, and blisteringly well written, Dogs of the Deadlands is already certain to be one of my books of the year! Just WOW.’

-- A. M. Howell, author of The Garden of Lost Secrets

‘Beautifully written and emotionally devastating.’

-- Bookseller, Most Anticipated Children’s & YA titles 2022

‘A truly unforgettable tale of hope in the wilderness. This story feels classic, timeless. It will be read and read and read and loved by so many readers for a long time to come.’

-- Keith Gray, author of Ostrich Boys

 ‘Best for readers of 12 and up, this visceral story of heartbreak and survival, complemented by Robinson’s sharp images, has the memorable feel of a classic such as White Fang or Watership Down.’

-- The Guardian

‘The devastation the explosion caused is hauntingly described… There is, though, a lot of hope here too.’

-- Literary Review

‘Dogs of the Deadlands is extraordinary – exciting, brutal, heartbreaking, it carries you along with every howl, every bite and every moment of joy. Wonderful!’

-- Alastair Chisholm, author of Orion Lost

‘Loved Dogs of the Deadlands – swept along by the story – powerful telling of dogs’ survival in the wilds against the backdrop of Chernobyl and the spaces humans left behind.’

-- Gill Lewis, author of A Street Dog Named Pup

Praise for Anthony McGowan:

‘The Carnegie medal winner McGowan is superb at stories about children who do not have all the advantages.’ Sunday Times

‘McGowan's prose is beautiful in its brevity and devastating in its emotional impact.’ Bookseller