THE BARKING PUPPY

With friends, dogs, and a little bit of initiative, there’s no challenge too big to overcome.

Eleven-year-old Sophie, her mom, and their beloved pups are moving from rural Vermont to Boston for her mom’s work and to be closer to Sophie’s godmother, Lori. Despite her nerves about entering a new school, Sophie’s looking forward to meeting neighborhood humans and dogs and, as the child of a white mom and Black dad, no longer being the only brown girl at school. Soon after they arrive, Sophie meets a teenage neighbor named Juno, who presents white, and her pug, Bonney. Bonney has a “compromised respiratory system,” and she might need a pricey surgery that Juno’s family can’t afford. The girls use canine alter egos to create the Barking Puppy, a funny newspaper “by and for dogs.” Sophie’s mom suggests that they parlay their creativity into a fundraiser for Bonney by selling the papers. Apart from some rudeness from a grouchy neighbor, the adults in the story are helpful and supportive, making this an emotionally reassuring read. Kid-friendly illustrations nicely break up the text, making this a good choice for readers who are building their chapter-book stamina. This feel-good dog story (inspired by the experiences of the author’s goddaughter) includes some conversations around identity that will invite opportunities for discussion, as when Sophie and Lori, who’s white and gay, talk about their shared experiences of feeling isolated and alone.

A gentle family- and community-centered read that dog lovers will lap right up.