Sam Angus was born in Italy, grew up in France and Spain and was educated rather haphazardly in most of these countries, at many different schools. She was asked to leave at least one school. She studied English Literature at Trinity College, Cambridge where she kept a dog until he was discovered being smuggled out of college in a laundry basket. So she was summoned and asked to leave Cambridge too. Unless the dog left, in which case she might stay.
She taught A level English before spending a decade in the fashion industry and now writes full time.
She lives between Exmoor and London with improvident numbers of children, dogs and horses.
Books
Please leave your reviews of Sam’s books in the reply box below.
Soldier Dog is a gripping World War I novel by Sam Angus set in Lancashire, England in 1917. Stanley Ryder, age 14, is a boy with a torn family. His elder brother, Tom, is fighting in Villiers, France. Da, his father, is mentally unfit due to his mother’s untimely death. Tom left home at the worst time possible, as his father starting letting out his grief and anger on the world.
His father, Da, keeps an array of dogs and horses for racing. When Da’s prize dog runs away and has pups with a lower breed, he gives away all the pups but one, which he vows to drown. This dog is called Soldier. Engulfed by his grief, Stanley runs away to join the army.
Our favourite bit of this book is when Stanley goes into army training and discovers the Messenger Dog Service. He gets assigned his first dog and is so fiercely determined to get to France. He overcomes all the odds and manages to train the most difficult dog on the force. This sheer perseverance inspires us and we are sure that it will inspire many others as well.
Soldier Dog is an enticing read and we recommend it to anyone who loves war novels. We love this author and her spectacular books and we completely recommend Soldier Dog!
“He will always be true, faithful and brave, even to the last beat of his heart.”
It’s 1917 and the Germans are attacking the French. Stanley is 14 years old and having a hard time coping with the loss of his mother. His brother, Tom, has gone to fight in the war. Rocket, their female dog, goes missing and comes back and has a litter of cross-breed pups. Stanley’s father threatens to drown Stanley’s favourite puppy, Soldier. Without his father knowing, Stanley goes off to war and to his destiny to find Tom. Can he find Tom and survive the war?
I recommend this book to people who like war books. Some parts of it I found unbearably sad, but I kept reading and it was definitely worth it! I give it five stars out of five!
Soldier Dog is a thrilling and sad book. The main character is a boy called Stanley. His brother is fighting in the war and his father is heartbroken from the loss of his wife. Their prize racing dog has puppies with a lower breed of dog. One of the puppies Stanley names Soldier. When Stanley finds his angry father trying to drown Soldier he runs away from home to join the army and find his brother, Tom.
Once in the army, Stanley sees a sign for people to join the Messenger Dog Unit. When he signs up and is assigned a dog called Bones, his wartime adventure begins. Will Stanley be able to survive a man’s war?
Read the book to find out what happens. This book is unputdownable!
Soldier Dog is a brilliant book of the action genre. It’s a really exciting story about a boy named Stanley. With his mother dead and his elder brother away at war, Stanley is stuck with his dad, tending to dogs…until his dad crosses the line.
This is one of the best books I have ever read. I strongly recommend this action-packed book to everyone. It is Sam Angus’ best book yet! I give it five stars out of five! Thank you to Sam Angus for writing this brilliant book.
Get ready to see through the eyes of a heartbroken soldier desperate to find his brother and come home. Stanley once lived a happy life with his mother, father and elder brother, Tom, but things take a turn for the worse when his nurturing mother passes away, leaving his father emotionally unstable.
Soon after the death of his mother, World War I breaks out and citizens all over rush to sign up. Tom leaves Stanley with Da, his father, who’s getting worse by the minute and taking it out on poor Stanley. Stanley finds comfort with Da’s prize racing dog, Rocket.
Rocket disappears while Stanley is caring for her and returns looking slightly fatter. Da rages at Stanley, blaming him for her unwanted pregnancy. Soon Rocket gives birth to an adorable litter of puppies, which Stanley names, Biscuit, Socks, Bentley and Soldier (the only boy).
Stanley brings up the pups to be strong and healthy, taking care of them as if they were his own, but Da plans to get rid of them. He sells the females and vows to drown the last pup.
Stanley struggles to believe that the last pup is gone and, unable to forgive his father, he flees home to sign up for the war. Stanley is taken in and makes incredible friends, who look out for him, realising that he is underage. But can he survive the horrifying emotions of war?
Soldier Dog is sad in parts, but it is still a phenomenal book. I would give it three stars because it is engaging, but some parts were too sad for me to enjoy. This book is probably best for readers age 10+ because younger readers wouldn’t cope with all the emotions it causes you to feel.
Prepare for your heart to melt with this wonderful heartbreaking story about a boy’s love for his dog. It’s 1917 and fourteen year old Stanley is yearning for his elder brother, Tom, who is fighting on the front line in France. His dad, Da, is heartbroken after his mother’s death and he is finding life tough. When Stanley believes his dad has drowned his dog, he runs away to join the army in order to find his brother. Will he ever be reunited with his brother in the chaos of the war?
Sam Angus tells a powerful story that I would give four stars (out of five). I recommend it for readers age 10+ as it is about war and some bits are very sad. Well done on writing a terrific book, Sam Angus!