A DOG NAMED 647

In Kay’s middle-grade novel, an indefatigable Missouri girl takes on a puppy mill.

Twelve-year-old Mia Mancinelli has a delightful encounter in the woods when she spots and then cozies up to a golden retriever with a quiet charm and a swollen, pregnant belly. There’s not much Mia can do, however, when a man shows up, says the dog is his, and leads the expectant mother away. Mia can’t have a dog of her own, as her mother is deathly afraid of them. But she also can’t forget the golden retriever’s pleading look as the man took her, so Mia, who names the dog Scout, vows to find her. With her best friend, Cassie, in tow, she tracks down the kennel where Scout likely is, only to realize it’s a puppy mill. There are a lot of mistreated dogs there, and the friends will need some help if they want to save them all. But will Scout be there? And will she still remember Mia if the two reunite? The plucky young hero and narrator of Kay’s story infuses the narrative with abundant buoyancy. She can be overly dramatic: “I swear, I’ll die if she’s not here.” She is also quick to recognize her own flaws and expresses gratitude for all the help she gets. Dynamic supporting characters surround her, including Cassie, who’s evidently the only Jewish student in their 7th-grade class; Mia’s mom, whose fear of dogs stems from a childhood incident; and Mia’s estranged dad, who’s not entirely out of her life. Concise prose and succinct chapters make this a quick read without sacrificing the finer details (“Cassie and I scramble up the stairs. My body’s all energized like the time I had to get an epinephrine injection after a bunch of wasps stung me.”).

A heartfelt and entertaining tale of the human-animal bond.