Runt and the Diabolical Dognapping by Craig Silvey

"How are you feeling?

Annie looks down.

Nobody looks back up at her.

Because there is a Runt-shaped hole in her world."

Recently Craig Silvey spoke at an event here in Sydney and a few days later I bought myself a copy of his new book (sequel to Runt). I started my reading that day but after just 31 pages I stopped. I first read Runt back in 2022 and since that time I have read hundreds of other books and so many small plot details from Runt have evaporated from my memory. Thank goodness the library where I work as a volunteer had a copy of Runt and so on Tuesday last week I revisited the first installment of Runt. With 342 pages, and a few detours into other books on my enormous to read pile, I finished Runt for the second time on Sunday morning. It is now Tuesday afternoon and I have just finished Runt the Diabolical Dognapping which has a whopping 406 pages. Readers do need knowledge of the first book about Runt to really appreciate all the twists and turns and motivations and drama of the second installment. 

Craig Silvey has done it again. He kept me reading and reading desperate to discover how all his disparate story elements could possibly reach that all important happy ending. This is also one of those books where the clock is ticking - Annie only has one month to win another competition and hopefully be reunited with her precious friend. 

This latest book is filled with heroes, tales of past deeds, deceptions, new friendships, puns, jokes, determination, and of course it culminates in another all-important dog competition. The story rips along because it stars Annie who we all adore from the first book but in this tale Runt is missing. As the title tells you - he has been dognapped. Of course, this new story does need a dog - we met this puppy at the end of the first book. She arrived with Bernadette Box - her name is Little Annie. Oh, and there is also a new competition - have you heard of this - it is called "dances with dogs" and yes, it is a real thing. Craig Silvey explained in his Sydney talk that he watched hundreds of hours of competitions so that he could include accurate details in his story.

BUT wait there is more to Runt and the Diabolical Dognapping. If you have read Runt you may have been left with a few questions - the answers to all of these and many more form the framework for the second book. I wonder if Craig Silvey is a plotter - did be map all his story threads out before writing his book?

Here are some of the questions that you might want answered (but there are lots more):

• Where was Runt before he met Annie?
• How did Runt learn to perform 'tricks'?
• What makes Runt such a loyal friend?
• Why does Runt adore Mush dog food?
• And there is question (spoiler maybe) about the real fate of the terrible villain - Earl Robert- Baron?

I love the cast of characters from Upson Downs. The policeman Detective Bayleaf reminded me of the bumbling policeman in the television show Doc Martin: Joe Penhale the local police officer in the town of Portwenn. The Mayor Barry Casserole made me think of the local politician Bill Heslop from Muriel's Wedding and also one of the pompous judges from Strictly Ballroom - Barry Fyfe with (in the movie) his silly toupee. It is easy to see that this second book is very cinematic - I know there is a movie of Runt and a play will be presented in 2026. After reading this second installment I'm sure there will be a second movie. 

In this book I also enjoyed all the puns, funny names with double meanings, foreshadowing, subplots, flashbacks and side stories, and the way Rupert Broadsheet sounds like he has swallowed a thesaurus. 

Another thing that Craig Silvey includes in his book are heaps of wonderful descriptions of clothing - they are all so 'over the top' and yet it is funny that at every author event Craig himself always wears the same plain long-sleeved navy tee shirt. Here are a few examples:

"Camilla is resplendent in a cream satin dress and a silver necklace. Doreen is vividly tropical in a teal polyester pantsuit, neon mango lipstick and polished brass seashell earrings. She has a fresh perm, a teased fringe and a voice like a started macaw."

"Barry wears a yellow shirt tucked into high brown shorts. His head is host to a thick and conspicuous toupee. His large glasses slide slowly down his nose, causing him to periodically scrunch his face in a manner that reminds Annie Shearer of a nervous rabbit."

"He wears a peach short-sleeved shirt, a eucalyptus green tie, mustard coloured shorts, white knee-high socks, black leather sandals and his official chain of office."

"The man wears a powder blue seersucker jacket, plum corduroy pants, a crisp cream shirt and leather loafers. He is tall, with ivory skin and a sensible haircut."

If you are looking for a fantastic present for a young reader why not buy both books about Runt. I adore their cover illustrations by Sara Acton, and the publisher has added a dust jacket which is a rare thing here in Australia, and the end papers are perfect and if you pop these two books side by side on your bookshelf they will look very impressive. Here is the Instagram account for Sara Acton where you can see some illustrations from the second book about Runt.  Note if you are in the US Runt has a different cover, title and a different illustrator. 

IBBY Australia are holding an online auction as a fund raiser. If you are reading this post in Australia between 14 and 28 November 2025 take a look at our Auction page. This is the illustration kindly donated to the auction by Sara Acton.

There is a link to the very detailed teaching notes on the publisher web page and also an interview with Craig Silvey and the notes also have some video links to explore.

Publisher blurb: Six weeks have passed since Annie Shearer and Runt competed valiantly at the Krumpets Dog Show. The town of Upson Downs is rejuvenated. The grass is green. The rivers are flowing. And a Tournament of Champions has just been announced, with the world's best canine talent invited to showcase their skills in the Grand Ballroom of the abandoned Robert-Barren estate. But as preparations for the event get underway, Runt mysteriously goes missing, and a trail of suspicious clues surround his doghouse. Annie's worst fears are confirmed when she discovers a ransom note with a peculiar demand: she must win it all to see her friend again. It's up to Annie and her brother Max – now an intrepid investigative reporter with the Upson Downs Speculator – to rescue Runt before it's too late.

This sequel also delivers in spades Silvey’s trademark sharp wordplay and clever wit. This story is a shining example of the power of unwavering kindness, selfless compassion and empathy. It illustrates how these virtues can be a catalyst for profound change to embrace the gift of second chances and experience life with a renewed purpose and richness. Reading Opens Doors

With a cleverly constructed plot, hilarious, corny characters, and more mysteries than you can shake a bone at, this sequel left me with warm fuzzies from top to toe. There are stories within the story which are wonderful themselves, which are then effortlessly woven into the heart wrenching finale. What Book Next

Craig Silvey event October 2025

Last night Craig Silvey spoke at an event organised by his publisher Allen and Unwin and a small independent bookstore in North Sydney or more specifically McMahons Point - Blues Point Bookshop.  The owner Helen Baxter has a long association with Craig Silvey. His first book was Rhubarb (2004) written when he was just 19.  The focus of the event last night was his new book Runt and the Diabolical Dognapping - second in the series about the little country dog Runt. On this tour Craig is also visiting Castle Hill; Katoomba; and four locations in Western Australia.

I was excited to attend this event because I adored the first book and was so lucky to read an advance copy back in 2022. But my connection is even stronger because IBBY Australia had a post card sized piece of art by Sara Acton on our last Mini Masterpiece art auction and I was the highest bidder.

AND this year for our second Mini Masterpiece art action we have another little picture of Runt. 

I was hoping to share this with both Craig Silvey and Helen (the owner of the bookstore) but unfortunately, they were both too busy with their event guests. Sadly, too, Helen had not heard of IBBY which is such an important international organisation and I guessing she has no idea about my blog. Here is the web page for IBBY Australia.

I talked about Runt in this blog post and then on Instagram Craig responded with these words:

"Thank you so much @momotimetoread! So delighted you found Runt such a compelling and joyous read! Means the world."

Here are a few things Craig Silvey shared in his talk:

• He hopes Runt and the sequel will be shared in families - he coined the term "camp-fire read".
• The title of the second book matches the tin - you know in advance what you will get - a dognapping!
• The sequel needs to connect with the first installment but also expand on characters and add in new ones. A theme in this second book is truth - it can be distorted or skewed but it is always inside us.
• The town of Upsdowns is an amalgam of the county towns in Western Australia where Craig lived as a child - towns like Colley and the delightfully named Dwellingup.
• Craig Silvey has three young daughters but no dog.
• Craig filled his conversation and answers with such rich language - whimsical; idiosyncratic; unmitigated joy; duress; beguiling; and nominative determinism. It was a delight to listen.
• He watched hundreds of hours of real dog dancing competitions when researching this for the sequel to Runt. 

The children in the audience last night impressed me with their intelligent questions. Here are some that I didn't get to ask Craig Silvey:

• Can you talk about the impact of winning the CBCA (Children's Book Council of Australia) Book of the Year award - Younger Readers in 2023
• Which of your books has reached the highest sales?
• Can you please talk about the different cover used on the US edition (see below)
• Did your publisher ask Sara Acton to illustrate your covers?
• How do you respond when people say (with a slight scoff) 'Oh you've written a kids book'.
• Did you expect more of your adult audience (last night) to have read Runt?
• Do you have a favourite children's book featuring a dog? (mine is Because of Winn Dixie)
• You moved around a lot as a child - did you have access to books and libraries? Were you a reader as a child? Do you have a childhood book that has stayed in your memory?
• When you speak you use a very sophisticated vocabulary - can you explain this and does it link with your own reading life?
• What was your involvement in the movie? And what is your involvement in the play at the Sydney based Belvoir Street Theatre which will presented in 2026?
• Were you thinking of adult readers and parents when you created all the funny names for your characters?
• Has your book Runt been translated into other languages? Do you see any issues with this process given the colloquial language and Australian setting?

Read more about the US edition here

Here is a Facebook entry about The Blues Point Bookshop - if you are in the area you might like to drop in and take a look:

Helen Baxter’s Blues Point Bookshop and its blue neon sign have been at the heart of the McMahons Point community. In three decades of devotion to the printed word, Helen has read around 20 books every month. She still hand writes the reviews that adorn her green shelves and the price tags on the back of the books. ...  This charming old-world bookstore is located at McMahons Point but will instantly transport you to the streets of London or Paris. A treasure trove for book lovers, Blues Point Bookshop houses a wide selection of classics, non-fiction, fiction and children's books, with friendly notes and recommendations from the shop's owner Helen Baxter. The comfy armchairs are the perfect spot to while away an afternoon.

Helen Baxter has run over 300 author events -that's so impressive. Craig Silvey has 2 titles in the top 25 of the ABC Radio National top 100 list - that's also very impressive. 

Craig Silvey is an author and screenwriter from Fremantle, Western Australia. His critically acclaimed debut novel, Rhubarb, was published in 2004. His bestselling novel, Jasper Jones, was released in 2009 and is considered a modern Australian classic. Published in over a dozen territories, Jasper Jones has won plaudits in three continents, including an International Dublin Literary Award shortlisting, a Michael J. Printz Award Honor, and a Miles Franklin Literary Award shortlisting. Jasper Jones was the Australian Book Industry Awards Book of the Year for 2010. Craig's third novel Honeybee was published in 2019 and won Best Fiction for the Indie Book Awards 2021 and Dymocks Book of the Year 2020. His much-loved family favourite Runt was published in 2022 and has won multiple awards including Dymocks Book of the Year for Younger Readers 2022, Best Children's Book and Book of the Year at the Indie Book Awards 2023, Book of the Year: Younger Readers at the CBCA Awards 2023, Children's Book of the Year at the BookPeople Book of the Year Awards 2023, and Book of the Year for Younger Children at the Australian Book Industry Awards 2023. Runt was adapted into a critically and commercially successful film in 2024.