LOVE ROLLS IN

Twins endeavor to help a paralyzed puppy find a home.

Fifth graders Henry and Ruby are opposites. Henry enjoys school, while Ruby fidgets and struggles to stay on task as her mind races with ideas. Ruby excels at caring for the animals on their family’s farm; Henry completes chores reluctantly. But when their veterinarian mother brings home a puppy whose back legs are paralyzed from a spinal injury, the twins share a mission: acclimate the puppy to new places and people before the quickly approaching adoption fair. That task proves challenging when the pup, whom Henry names Arlo, has trouble keeping up with the other animals. Ruby’s solution, building a homemade wheelchair, looks promising. But as Arlo gains independence and friends, including “the world’s bossiest cat” and “a llama who thinks he’s a human,” Henry wishes they could keep him. Henry’s rapport with Arlo makes him feel special; for once, an animal likes him more than Ruby. Their parents say the farm is too full, however. So where will Arlo’s forever home be? The answer, some convenient coincidences notwithstanding, is heartwarming. Henry’s and Ruby’s alternating perspectives sympathetically show their distinct personalities. Ruby’s desire to help Arlo be “part of the group” touchingly reflects her feeling like “the lone, bold, bright watermelon” among group-project classmates who “fit together like four peas in a pod,” and readers will cheer Ruby’s growing self-confidence. Characters’ appearances are not described.

A warm and fuzzy read.