SPARROW, ALWAYS

An impulsive fourth grader attempts to reconcile her independent streak with expectations at school and at home.

Sparrow’s adjusted to her family’s move to small-town Maine and her new baby brother—events detailed in earlier series installments—but she’s still got plenty on her plate. Miss Eileen, the new tenant in Sparrow’s two-family house, is training a yellow Lab named Toby to be a guide dog, and Sparrow’s helping to walk the pup. Though Sparrow’s an enthusiastic student, her emotions often get the better of her, and her inability to focus frequently lands her in trouble. She’s invited to join a friendship group led by the school social worker and given a sticker chart to help monitor her actions; the reward for accumulating five stickers in a week will be a slumber party with Toby. Earnest Sparrow struggles to stay on task, but she desperately wants that sleepover—and she’s a good kid at heart, as Donovan’s quiet, sensitively crafted prose makes clear. Though she clashes with some of her peers, including Orion, a member of the friendship group, the deeply perceptive Sparrow also picks up on his feelings of loneliness. The depiction of everyday school drama rings true, while tidbits of information about guide dogs will appeal to canine fans. Case’s sunny, grayscale illustrations depict white-presenting Sparrow and her family, her diverse community, and Miss Eileen, who’s cued Korean American.

Animal lovers and youngsters who march to the beat of their own drums will find a kindred spirit here.