September 2, 2024
The lives of four sixth graders and their dogs intersect during one chaotic June weekend in this upbeat romp. Kaleb and his Bernese mountain dog/Newfoundland mix Cup-Cup, whose friendliness matches her enormous size; Mei-Alice and her three-legged “corgi-adjacent” rescue pooch Panda, who has a forbidden craving for chocolate; and anxious Ezra and his chow-chow Mr. Cashmere are the top dogs at their Brooklyn dog park. But the arrival of newcomer Jilly and her grumpy old terriers Grover and Lottie throws a wrench in the established pack dynamics. Via multiple perspectives both human and canine, the group gradually come together to weather life’s ups and downs. As Jilly yearns to fit in, Kaleb and Mei-Alice clash during rehearsal for the school play, and, while searching for an on-the-run Mr. Cashmere, Ezra and Kaleb attempt to rebuild their friendship following an incident. Simple prose by Jenkins (the Upside-Down Magic series) conveys characters experiencing big emotions and finding common ground thanks to their canine companions, resulting in a tale that’s chock-full of heart and lots of good dogs. Illustrations by Preitano (Destiny, NY) depict a visually diverse community of pups and people. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8–12. Agent: Elizabeth Kaplan, Elizabeth Kaplan Literary.