Big Black Dog looks very scary, in fact he looks so scary that the mayor has given him the title Chief Burglar-Catcher. This is a sinecure because the town never has any burglaries as BBD is so scary. It is only his friend Emmeline, a fluffy poodle who owns the tea shop, who knows BBD's dark secret: he's afraid of just about everything - loud noises, spiders, strawberry jelly, and, especially, cats. But the idea of having to catch a burglar is particularly frightening. When Bad Cat Bling the Burglar King arrives on the scene and Emmeline is threatened, Big Black Dog comes up trumps and catches the burglar. He becomes a hero to the town. The subtle details in the illustrations will appeal to long-suffering parents faced with reading the book for the umpteenth time. The text, integrated with the colourful in-your-face illustrations, is full of humour but with a serious sub-text: 1) it is best to face up to your fears and 2) people are not always what they seem on the surface.