Jan and Patch

Steve Pitt is a Toronto-based freelance writer and an award-winning journalist. He has written many young adult and children's books, including Day of the Flying Fox: The True Story of World War II Pilot Charley Fox.

Jan is a young girl who desperately wants to own a pet pooch.
Unfortunately, neither Jan’s mother nor grandmother wants a dog in the
house. Frustrated, Jan hangs around the local pet store until she is on
a first-name basis with the owner and all the animals. One mottled
little mutt particularly captures Jan’s heart. He wags his puppy tail
every time Jan enters the store and whines sadly when she leaves. Jan
calls him Patch and longs for the day she can take him home. In the
meantime, Jan offers to take Patch for a daily walk, but the owner
thinks she is too young for that responsibility. An unexpected emergency
gives Jan an opportunity to demonstrate her maturity to both the pet
store owner and her mother.

For young readers who know what it is like to have an unfulfilled
dream, this tale will ring true. Even after proving her worth, poor Jan
never does get to own Patch, but this story is more about hope than
about getting what you want. This chapter book is kept upbeat by
humorous plot turns and superb comic illustrations. Highly recommended.