A delightful and inspiring coming-of-age novel that showcases the power of community.
In Rich’s middle-grade series-starter, a young teenager moves to a new town, adopts a dog, and undertakes an investigation into why so many local pets have disappeared.
Thirteen-year-old Tori Leonhart is a newcomer to Maple Valley, and she’s a bit nervous about attending a new middle school, filled with people she doesn’t know. Her dad is still grieving her mom, who passed away more than three years ago. One of the first stops they make in the new town is at the local animal shelter so that Tori can adopt a dog, as her father promised. She chooses a German shepherd mix and names him Nick. Soon, she’s taking courses at a nearby dog-training facility to learn how to train Nick properly, and before long, they’re working on agility training together. Tori also becomes aware that many other dogs are going missing around town—apparently stolen from the shelter and from fenced backyards. Tori and her new school friends, including fellow dog owner and mystery lover Laura, start to investigate, and when Nick disappears from Tori’s yard, she and her friends employ the skills that their dogs have learned to try to locate and rescue the missing pups. The training techniques mentioned in the book are accurate and described at the right level for tween readers. The narrative draws on entries from Tori’s journals, which give readers additional insights into her thoughts and emotions as she bonds with her new pet; the story also effectively shows her character growth as she builds a stronger relationship with her grieving dad. Although the book is geared toward middle-grade readers, families and even dog-loving adults will also enjoy this fun and informational book, and they’ll relate to Tori’s and Nick’s struggles and triumphs.
A delightful and inspiring coming-of-age novel that showcases the power of community.Pub Date: March 17, 2026
ISBN: 9798994596302
Page Count: 252
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Sept. 8, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: yesterday
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant.
Robot Roz undertakes an unusual ocean journey to save her adopted island home in this third series entry.
When a poison tide flowing across the ocean threatens their island, Roz works with the resident creatures to ensure that they will have clean water, but the destruction of vegetation and crowding of habitats jeopardize everyone’s survival. Brown’s tale of environmental depredation and turmoil is by turns poignant, graceful, endearing, and inspiring, with his (mostly) gentle robot protagonist at its heart. Though Roz is different from the creatures she lives with or encounters—including her son, Brightbill the goose, and his new mate, Glimmerwing—she makes connections through her versatile communication abilities and her desire to understand and help others. When Roz accidentally discovers that the replacement body given to her by Dr. Molovo is waterproof, she sets out to seek help and discovers the human-engineered source of the toxic tide. Brown’s rich descriptions of undersea landscapes, entertaining conversations between Roz and wild creatures, and concise yet powerful explanations of the effect of the poison tide on the ecology of the island are superb. Simple, spare illustrations offer just enough glimpses of Roz and her surroundings to spark the imagination. The climactic confrontation pits oceangoing mammals, seabirds, fish, and even zooplankton against hardware and technology in a nicely choreographed battle. But it is Roz’s heroism and peacemaking that save the day.
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant. (author’s note) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9780316669412
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
A deeply imaginative journey that puts the “cat” in cathartic.
A loyal black kitten’s boy is under supernatural attack.
Eleven-month-old Nimbus loves Fletcher, the boy who nursed her back to health following life-threatening injuries. When Fletcher becomes curious about a strange jar and opens it, releasing a terrible goblin, loyal Nim protects Fletcher, taking heavy damage in the process. But Fletcher’s aunt, who’s caring for him over spring break, believes Nim attacked Fletcher and dumps her far from home. Rhett, a stylish rat with star quality, befriends injured Nim and leads her to a witch’s house. While the witch cares for Nim, the witch’s cats (maternal Fern, bookish Rochester, standoffish Bianca, and openly hostile Abraxas) teach Nim important cat skills. She also discovers she has a supernatural ability: In destroying one eye of the nightmare demon in the fight to protect Fletcher, Nim gained its “dream sight.” But she also learns it might come back for Fletcher, who no longer has Nim to protect him, posing a time-sensitive, high-stakes threat. Even though the witch’s home is nice and magic itself seems to be telling her to stay put, Nim wants to find a way back to Fletcher. As a hero, Nimbus is as gritty and determined as she is adorable. Tear-jerker moments explore pet abandonment—readers may want their own pets on hand to hug—all the way through the magical, action-packed finale. Fletcher and the witch read white.
A deeply imaginative journey that puts the “cat” in cathartic. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9780062680372
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2023
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