Time to Fly: Smarty Pup 5

Time to Fly: Smarty Pup 5 by Anh Doh, illustrated by Anton Emdin, (Allen & Unwin 2025) PB RRP $16.99 ISBN 9781761069932

Reviewed by Sylvia Forbes

Time to Fly is book 5 in the Smarty Pup series from mega-best seller author - Anh Doh.  It’s a series that hits the perfect spot for young readers, fulfilling their love for excitement, adventure and undiluted fun.

When Miss Anne announces the whole class will be dancing at the awesome Schools Concert, everyone's excited! 

But the amazing routine finishes in a pyramid ... with JJ at the very top.

Can JJ conquer his fears and become Top Dog?

Starring JJ (AKA the Pawsome Genius - who has a high IQ and the ability to talk), Time to Fly presents another vibrant non-stop action adventure - with challenges and situations needing to be overcome, jokes and laughter with every page turn and an unwavering camaraderie and a positive, can-do attitude, it is guaranteed to enthral both new and old fans of the series alike.

Upon successfully forming a pyramid on their very first attempt, and hearing that they're going to be flying to the awesome Schools’ Concert, the kids are so excited that they forget where they are -- causing the pyramid to topple - and because he was at the very top, poor JJ falls the hardest and is nervous about being at the top again. After trying out several other positions in the pyramid - without success - JJ refuses to try again. When his fear of heights is revealed, his teacher and classmates rally round him - offering other options so that he can continue to be involved in the concert. And he takes on the role of costume designer with great relish (and with dazzling results!)

Then, (200-odd pages later) after setbacks and struggles, stepping out of comfort zones and not giving up, Time to Fly concludes on a heartily satisfying note - a wonderful testament to the power of working together for the greater good of the team. 

Anton Emdin's illustrations are the perfect fit for this series - instantly engaging, in full, hyper-bright colour and brilliantly larger-than-life, they capture the action-packed excitement and energy of the text. 

With its lovable characters, heartwarming moments and themes of friendship, loyalty, bravery and team support, Time to Fly manages to deliver some important messages in a way that doesn't jar with the joviality of it all. 

This is an excellent read for kids who are just starting to sink their teeth into chapter books. Long with the dynamic illustrations, it has a good amount of text without being too text-heavy - making it ideal for reluctant readers. too.

Featuring an amazing lenticular animated cover, this book is set to fly off shelves. Suitable for a 6-10 year aged readership.