Finally, after a long and harrowing search, the pair are reunited. The difficulties in communication and the cultural differences are intriguing and will be a real point of interest for younger readers. The twists and turns that the story takes from this point are what makes it a gripping read. Just when Dion has raised enough money to bring Gobi over from China, Gobi goes missing. At the end of the race, Dion and the dog whom he has named ‘Gobi,’ after the desert that they’ve been running through, have become so attached that Dion becomes determined to take the dog home with him to Edinburgh.ĭion goes back home to Scotland to get the bureaucratic wheels in motion to allow Gobi to travel, leaving Gobi to be looked after by a woman he met during the race. Dion starts taking notice of the dog and looks after it at the end of the day. The dog keeps Dion company for miles and miles and lifts Dion’s spirits during the long hours of the race. The story starts during one of Dion’s races in China, when he notices a friendly dog who seems to enjoy running too. Dion Leonard is one of those amazing ultra-runners who loves running long distances day after day. What is more, the story of Finding Gobi: The True Story of One Little Dog’s Big Journey just happens to be, as the subtitle says, true.

Who can resist a story about a devoted little dog and a man who finds himself travelling half way around the world to find his canine companion?

Finding Gobi: The True Story of One Little Dog’s Big Journey, by Dion Leonard (HarperCollins)

Finding gobi picture book