BOOK LAUNCH FOR P.J. LE POOCH

Knowlton, QC’s Famous Store Dog Comes Alive in New Novel

Morri Mostow will launch her first novel, P.J. le Pooch & the Magic Sketchbook, at Brome Lake Books in Knowlton, on Saturday, October 1, at 3 p.m. 

The novel, for children 9 to 13, features P.J., the well-known dog who greeted visitors to the England Hill store that once graced the top of the hill on Lakeside Rd. in Knowlton, also known as Brome Lake. The author’s friendship with storeowners Jean McLeod and her mother, the late Audrey Nevins McLeod, inspired the book’s main characters. Long-time Knowlton residents may enjoy recognizing themselves or others in this thinly veiled roman à clef, set in a fictional Brome Lake, called “Brine Lake.”

“Fond memories of my years in Knowlton compelled me to write this book, and launch it here,” says Morri. “The story weaves magic into the tale of a spunky 11-year-old girl who struggles to keep a rescued dog against her mother’s wishes, while also paying tribute to Knowlton’s recent past, when the town celebrated its Victorian heritage with an annual dog pageant and games.”