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Sammy and the Extra-Hot Chilli Powder: New for 2024, a delightfully funny, heartwarming sniffer-dog story, perfect for younger readers aged 7-9
A warm and brilliantly funny family comedy told from the perspective of Sammy the sniffer dog – perfect for younger readers aged 7 and up
Setterpoo Sammy has a BRILLIANT sense of smell. She can sniff out ANYTHING – watches, explosives, even parrots!
But one day, Sammy sniffs some EXTRA-HOT chilli powder and loses her sense of smell COMPLETELY. It’s up to Sammy’s Best Human Friend, Beanie, to help her get it back.
And when Sammy finds out that someone is planning to steal a precious DIAMOND, she’ll have to use ALL her instincts to save the day!
Setterpoo Sammy has a BRILLIANT sense of smell. She can sniff out ANYTHING – watches, explosives, even parrots!
But one day, Sammy sniffs some EXTRA-HOT chilli powder and loses her sense of smell COMPLETELY. It’s up to Sammy’s Best Human Friend, Beanie, to help her get it back.
And when Sammy finds out that someone is planning to steal a precious DIAMOND, she’ll have to use ALL her instincts to save the day!
163 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 15, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 5, 2024
A surprisingly constructed doggie drama. Sammy is at first the naive narrator, as she doesn't realise quite what is happening – and what that is is her training to be a sniffing dog at Heathrow Airport. In a way then we get a training montage, and then a work montage – and finally a strong bit of plot, as a case of extra hot chilli powder both ruins Sammy's sense of smell, perhaps for ever, and then causes an international incident. Sammy is off the programme – and thus we have a new-friends montage, as she gets farmed off to a Cotswolds village and the cafe-running family there. And we're not done before a montage-of-investigative cases for Sammy and the girl at the cafe. After the final bit of oomph we see the whole thing was a set-up for a future series, destined to feature warm-hearted friendships (Sammy has a best dog friend as well as a best human one; her old handler obviously has a crush on another character…) and the cosiest of cosy crime.
For yes, this has had to prove to be as grit-free as possible. Nobody is allowed to have drugs on them at Heathrow, it has to be much more innocent contraband; anything happening about the village that even nudges towards proper nastiness has to be glossed over quickly. And I don't really mind that this was definitely on the twee side, as this might appeal as appropriate for young thriller readers. What I minded most was the lack of coherent narrative – even with the callbacks during the finale to the relevant details earlier in the book the whole is a jumble of episodic portions followed by another jumble of episodic portions. Had it been strung together better it might have strung me along to want a sequel, but as it was it really failed to inspire me with such a proposal. Two and a half stars.
For yes, this has had to prove to be as grit-free as possible. Nobody is allowed to have drugs on them at Heathrow, it has to be much more innocent contraband; anything happening about the village that even nudges towards proper nastiness has to be glossed over quickly. And I don't really mind that this was definitely on the twee side, as this might appeal as appropriate for young thriller readers. What I minded most was the lack of coherent narrative – even with the callbacks during the finale to the relevant details earlier in the book the whole is a jumble of episodic portions followed by another jumble of episodic portions. Had it been strung together better it might have strung me along to want a sequel, but as it was it really failed to inspire me with such a proposal. Two and a half stars.
June 15, 2024
Highly recommend this for all children aged 7+ (and adult readers too!).
The story is told through the POV of Sammy, a sniffer dog who is not quite destined for domestic life. She is trained to work at Heathrow Airport and she does quite well until she (slightly hilariously) sniffs some hot chili powder, completely losing her sense of smell as a result. But what may seem like a tragedy is the beginning of the most exciting parts of her story: more adventure, mysteries to solve and new friendships. Sweet and funny all in one, I think animal lovers and readers who enjoy humorous stories will love this and will be buying copies for my two nephews.
Thank you Charlie P. Brooks, Steve May, HarperCollins and Netgalley for the advance reader copy.
The story is told through the POV of Sammy, a sniffer dog who is not quite destined for domestic life. She is trained to work at Heathrow Airport and she does quite well until she (slightly hilariously) sniffs some hot chili powder, completely losing her sense of smell as a result. But what may seem like a tragedy is the beginning of the most exciting parts of her story: more adventure, mysteries to solve and new friendships. Sweet and funny all in one, I think animal lovers and readers who enjoy humorous stories will love this and will be buying copies for my two nephews.
Thank you Charlie P. Brooks, Steve May, HarperCollins and Netgalley for the advance reader copy.
February 10, 2024
I love this book because it is a story about a dog for children but unlike the billions of books on dogs for children out in the market, it is about a sniffer dog. The build-up is a bit long but it is told with humour, so in spite of its length, the build-up is fun to read too. But for a book of such a short length, it might be better to get the build-up a tad shorter.
I love the illustration too.
I love the illustration too.
April 2, 2024
3.5 stars
This is a gorgeous story about a canny sniffer-dog whose life is turned upside down when one of his jobs goes wrong… and his sniffer-dog job is ceased. I loved Sammy and Beanie! This has a gorgeous voice to it and I loved the illustrations!
This is a gorgeous story about a canny sniffer-dog whose life is turned upside down when one of his jobs goes wrong… and his sniffer-dog job is ceased. I loved Sammy and Beanie! This has a gorgeous voice to it and I loved the illustrations!
March 30, 2024
When Charlie P Brooks began writing for children it was with his Holly Hopkins series. Now he has a new character and a brand-new series opener. Sammy and the Extra-Hot Chilli Powder is the first book to feature Sammy and it truly is as funny, as silly, as the title suggests. It’s illustrated too. It really is the perfect combination all wrapped up in a delightful package of a book with a cover that will have you guessing about what is going to happen to Sammy and her human and why anyone would want extra-hot chilli powder, surely just plain and simple chilli powder is enough? Well, when you are a sniffer dog, and yes, that is what Sammy is, then something as strong as extra-hot chilli powder gives off the perfect scent for your nose. That nose is going to need it too for this is no ordinary family comedy featuring a dog. No, this is a fast-paced, action-filled, let’s foil the robbery plot story!
Sammy is a Setterpoo, a cross between a red setter and a poodle and she is full of life as well as some very sniffing skills! But what happens to a sniffer dog who loses their sense of smell? She sets out to get it back, that is what. And luckily for Sammy she is not alone in her quest, she has the help of her best human friend, Beanie. Together they start out by trying to get Sammy’s smell back and before long find themselves on the trail of thieves plotting to steal a precious diamond. Can Sammy learn to use her other doggy instincts to stop the thieves? This book will have you laughing out loud which in turn is going to prompt questions from the family about why you are doing that. The solution? Share the book. Yes you did read that correctly, this lovely story is a delight to share with the family, to read aloud so that everyone can share in the shenanigans! After reading this story, whether you are a doggy family or not, you will never see dogs in quite the same way again, or diamond thieves. Then there is the conundrum of knowing you need to wait for the next book… So why not just start this one all over again, for more adventures and giggles!
Sammy is a Setterpoo, a cross between a red setter and a poodle and she is full of life as well as some very sniffing skills! But what happens to a sniffer dog who loses their sense of smell? She sets out to get it back, that is what. And luckily for Sammy she is not alone in her quest, she has the help of her best human friend, Beanie. Together they start out by trying to get Sammy’s smell back and before long find themselves on the trail of thieves plotting to steal a precious diamond. Can Sammy learn to use her other doggy instincts to stop the thieves? This book will have you laughing out loud which in turn is going to prompt questions from the family about why you are doing that. The solution? Share the book. Yes you did read that correctly, this lovely story is a delight to share with the family, to read aloud so that everyone can share in the shenanigans! After reading this story, whether you are a doggy family or not, you will never see dogs in quite the same way again, or diamond thieves. Then there is the conundrum of knowing you need to wait for the next book… So why not just start this one all over again, for more adventures and giggles!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews