Valerie: Australia's Bravest Sausage Dog
Lucinda Gifford
| Publish Date | 10 February, 2026 | |
| RRP | $19.99 |
Living the beach life and riding the swells.
Practising backstroke and digging up shells.
Dining on oysters and fancy ice cream...
Valerie knew she was living the dream.
Suddenly, Valerie heard urgent cries.
Hastily, Valerie grabbed a disguise.
'What missing doggie? I don't think that's me...
I'm on an adventure with lots more to see!'
All over Australia and all around the world, people fell in love with Valerie - the bold-hearted dachshund who escaped a campground on Kangaroo Island and roamed the wilderness for over 500 days before being reunited with her loving owners.
In this gloriously warm-hearted romp of a picture book, bestselling author and illustrator Lucinda Gifford has imagined Valerie's adventures and brought them to vivid and hilarious life, as she befriends dolphins, eats her fill, and explores the wilds... before finding her way safely home again.
Why you will love Valerie:
- Full of grit, determination, curiosity and joy (and a keen interest in sausages), Valerie is a hero for the ages.
- Told in rollicking and delightful rhyme, this picture book is perfect to read aloud at bedtime, or anytime.
- Everyone who was glued to the true story of Valerie's escapades on Kangaroo Island will enjoy this fanciful retelling of a very Australian story.
- Worthy to join the classic canon of famous picture book dogs, like Hairy Maclary and Harry the Dirty Dog.
- A true classic in the making
This is an independent and unofficial work, not authorised by, or associated with, the subject.
Practising backstroke and digging up shells.
Dining on oysters and fancy ice cream...
Valerie knew she was living the dream.
Suddenly, Valerie heard urgent cries.
Hastily, Valerie grabbed a disguise.
'What missing doggie? I don't think that's me...
I'm on an adventure with lots more to see!'
All over Australia and all around the world, people fell in love with Valerie - the bold-hearted dachshund who escaped a campground on Kangaroo Island and roamed the wilderness for over 500 days before being reunited with her loving owners.
In this gloriously warm-hearted romp of a picture book, bestselling author and illustrator Lucinda Gifford has imagined Valerie's adventures and brought them to vivid and hilarious life, as she befriends dolphins, eats her fill, and explores the wilds... before finding her way safely home again.
Why you will love Valerie:
- Full of grit, determination, curiosity and joy (and a keen interest in sausages), Valerie is a hero for the ages.
- Told in rollicking and delightful rhyme, this picture book is perfect to read aloud at bedtime, or anytime.
- Everyone who was glued to the true story of Valerie's escapades on Kangaroo Island will enjoy this fanciful retelling of a very Australian story.
- Worthy to join the classic canon of famous picture book dogs, like Hairy Maclary and Harry the Dirty Dog.
- A true classic in the making
This is an independent and unofficial work, not authorised by, or associated with, the subject.
Lucinda Gifford is the author and illustrator of many well-loved books for kids. In the 90s, Lucinda studied architecture in Scotland, where she learned to draw fancy buildings and moody scenery. Many years later, she put some of her best drawings in a folio and started looking for work illustrating children's books. Lucinda Gifford has since illustrated over 40 books, ten of which she has also written. She works from her studio in Melbourne's north and especially enjoys making books about chickens, wolves, dogs, cats and magical creatures. Lucinda loves her new job and plans to write and draw for the rest of her life, or until her hand drops off, or both.
| ISBN | 9781761182594 | |
| Pages | 32 | |
| Publisher | A&U Children's | |
| Format | Hardback |