Dogs in Space: The Amazing True Story of Belka and Strelka
Vix Southgate and Iris Deppe
Wren & Rook
We’ve already had picture books about Laika (notably Owen Davey’s Laika the Astronaut) but now this, author Vix Southgate’s debut, celebrates two canine heroes from Moscow, Belka and Strelka, the first living creatures to actually survive being hurtled into space to orbit several times before being brought safely back to earth.
That though is getting ahead of ourselves so let’s go back to earlier in their amazing lives when the two stray dogs were roaming the streets of Moscow. From there they were picked up and taken to Moscow’s Space Centre for training to become part of the Russian Space Programme. The two little dogs were, so a space centre scientist Oleg decided, just right as they were clever, brave, calm and obedient; perfect characteristics for Space Dogs.
They were then subjected to all kinds of scientific experiments and a training regime before being blasted off in a rocket in August 1960. As Belka and Strelka orbited in space there were anxious times on earth; so still were they, that it was feared they’d not survived the launch. All was well however
and after circling Earth many times, the two dogs started their descent – a dangerous operation – but finally …
History had been made.
The book doesn’t end there though: we learn that Strelka gave birth to six healthy puppies, both dogs lived long happy lives and that their incredible adventure acted as a trailblazer for Yuri Gagarin, Valentina Tereshkova and other astronauts. All this and other key events are presented, timeline style, in the final pages.
A real life story, engagingly and dramatically presented both in words and Iris Deppe’s pictures. It’s a fascinating and exciting way to introduce young children to the history of human space exploration.
each loves the other and all is well. One night Bell asks her friend to show her that magical-sounding world and together they fly far across mountains, seas and forests. 
Each night thereafter, they journey and at dawn Bell is safely back home. For sixty years they explore the galaxy until Bell begins to fade, growing more and more frail 
till it is time for one final farewell tale from a mournful moon before Bell’s soul takes flight on its last journey. A journey that takes it far, far out into space wherein it comes to a special resting place – a ball of light among the stars. ‘ The darkness soon began to clear,/Then the moon did reappear./Upon the light its eyes did dwell,/Within it, it saw Little Bell. /And as the Moon shone back at Bell/They both felt all was well.’ A deeply affecting and tender story of life’s journey, ageing and death. The latter can be a tricky topic for young children. Here though, with poetic text and powerful atmospheric scenes, author and artist have created a safe place from which to explore the inherent themes. Definitely one for the spirituality bookshelf at home or school: a book that resonates long after its reading. 
and at the princess’s request, the two explore the city together. At the palace however, her parents are inundated with suitors, each one showing something wonderful. No matter how amazing the items proffered by the endless stream of prospective bridegrooms, 
nothing seems quite right to the by now, completely overwhelmed, king and queen who then decide to call off the search. First though they must locate their daughter to tell her of their decision and it is only when they locate her and find themselves face to face with a young man claiming to have found what they are seeking, 
that things feel right. For what he tells them is absolutely so. It’s then that the eyes of the king and queen are finally opened and all ends, in true fairytale fashion, with a happily married couple adored by all in their kingdom. Angela Barrett’s exquisitely detailed, mannered illustrations grace the pages of Vivian French’s enchanting and admirably crafted telling of this wondrous fairy tale, seemingly given an Italian setting here. For romantics and lovers of fairy tales especially, no matter what their age.
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