CHESTNUT

A young girl living on a struggling farm desperately wants a dog.

Twelve-year-old Meg Briggs lives on her family’s Christmas tree farm in North Carolina. Her family constantly worries about money and their farm’s financial solvency, leaving Meg acutely aware of this unease. One cold morning, Meg finds a beautiful brindled Plott hound, which she names Chestnut, on a remote corner of their property and decides to keep him—even if it means lying to everyone she loves. Meg schemes to make and sell ornaments for money to keep Chestnut and help the farm. Soon she is overwhelmed by her own fibs and punishing schedule. When her family’s farm is in further jeopardy, will Meg be able to both keep the dog she loves and help her family retain their ancestral home? Meg is a complex character who makes understandable missteps; while she is cognizant of her family’s troubles, she often relies on manipulation. Shotz’s canine confection has rapid pacing and short chapters fueled by high drama and emotional tension. For readers who enjoy the thrill of a “will-they-or-won’t-they” tale, this should keep pages flying as Meg and Chestnut endure an unrelenting cavalcade of challenges. Although teeming with melodrama, Shotz’s cloying prose can be stilted and overly formulaic, appealing perhaps most to those who appreciate familiar tropes or to established fans of this series. Characters are presumed White.

Best suited for the most ardent dog or Christmas fans.