First published 2020
Lydia arrives at Aunt Brat and Eileen's Connecticut farm carrying secrets and grief after losing her mother. The thirteen-year-old tries to find her place with her welcoming but quirky new family, which includes their elderly landlord Elloroy. Days after Lydia's arrival, the women bring home a large yellow dog with a troubled past. The dog refuses to trust anyone, escapes into the woods, and barks at invisible threats. Lydia doesn't consider herself a dog person and views this newest addition as unwelcome competition for her aunts' attention. She hides important things from her new family: the mysterious box of papers under her bed, the growing hole behind her bedroom poster, and something she took from the yellow dog. This stolen item might unlock the dog's history, but using it could cost Lydia the belonging she desperately seeks. As both girl and dog struggle with their damaged pasts, they must decide whether to trust their new family and each other.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Connecticut, Farm
Period: Contemporary
400 pages · Kindle Edition · Katherine Tegen Books