The heart-warming tale of one girl and her dog exploring farm life from War Horse author, Michael Morpurgo and award-winning illustrator Patrick Benson. Lula always likes me to go with her to the end of the lane.

She loves a bit of a cuddle and a lick or two before the school bus comes. "Oh Russ," she whispers. "A horse. It's all I want for my birthday." And I'm thinking - 'Scuse me, but what's so great about a horse?

Isn't a dog good enough. Once again, Michael has produced a gem of a picture book.

In this most charming of dog stories the former children's laureate recounts the tale of Russ the collie, capturing the essence of farm life and the Great British countryside.

Beautifully illustrated by Patrick Benson, this picture book is sure to captivate dog lovers aged 3+.

A classic read that children will want to return to again and again. Look out for Michael's other picture books Jo-Jo the Melon Donkey, Mimi and the Mountain Dragon, The Best of Times, and The Goose is Getting Fat. Michael Morpurgo is the master storyteller of Kensuke's Kingdom, An Eagle in the Snow, Listen to the Moon, Shadow, and An Elephant in the Garden.

Michael has written more than a hundred books and won the Whitbread Award, the Smarties Award, the Circle of Gold Award, the Children's Book Award and has been short-listed for the Carnegie Medal four times. Patrick Benson was born in 1956 and was educated at Eton.

He studied classical drawing in Florence, and continued studying Art at Chelsea Art School and St Martin's School of Art.

In 1984 he won the Mother Goose Award, given annually to the most promising newcomer in children's book illustration for William Mayne's 'Hob Storie's.

He gained further acclaim for illustrating 'Owl Babies', written by Martin Waddell, 'The MinPins' by Roald Dahl and since has illustrated many other titles, including 'The Little Boat' by Kathy Henderson and 'The Sea-Thing Child' by Russel Hoban, both shortlisted for a Kate Greenaway Medal. 'The Little Boat' also won the 1995 Kurt Maschler Award.