Booklists

CCBC Review:

Laura, 11, called 911 after she couldn’t wake her parents. Now she’s staying with her Titi Silvia, a virtual stranger, while her parents are in rehab for drug addiction. Laura’s social worker says that she’s lucky, but it doesn’t feel that way. Puerto Rican American Laura is worried her parents are angry with her, and wonders when she’ll get to see them again. She also resents Titi Silvia’s many rules and can’t imagine her aunt actually wants to take care of her. When Laura finds a puppy, she’s surprised Titi Silvia says she can keep it. Laura names him Sparrow and plans to train him as a therapy dog. Her new friend Benson, who is dog-savvy, agrees to help. But Benson (Black), who has sickle cell anemia, is clearly upset when Laura later notes that the two of them are friends “for now”—because she hopes to return home with her parents, and to her old friends, soon. Laura’s observant first-person voice is full of uncertainty, hope, and longing in this novel-in-verse about the impact of parental addiction on Laura’s outlook and sense of security as she navigates being in kinship foster care. Honest regarding the struggle of overcoming addiction, the story offers a welcome, hopeful, but realistic ending, with Laura and her aunt building a loving relationship, Laura and Benson building a solid friendship, and Laura’s parents still trying to get better—for her sake and theirs. ©2023 Cooperative Children’s Book Center  

CCBC Age Recommendation: Ages 9–12
Age Range: Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10) Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-13)
Format: Novel
Subjects: Addiction Aunts Drugs and Alcohol Foster Families Grief and Loss Guilt and Remorse Illness and Disease Mental Health and Illness Novels in Verse Pets Puerto Ricans Resiliency Separation Trauma Worry
Diversity subject: Latine Psychiatric

Publishers: Penguin Random House, Random House
Publish Year: 2023
Pages: 248
ISBN: 9780593566183
CCBC Location: Fiction, Arango

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