First published 2009
Sammie's world turns upside down when her parents decide to separate. She has to move from her familiar home to New York City with her mother. The thought horrifies her. Nobody asks what she wants. At least her beloved Labrador Penny can come along. The big city feels overwhelming and foreign. Making new friends seems impossible in this strange place. Then Sammie meets Phoebe, an eccentric girl who has theories about which dog breed each person would be if they were a dog. She also encounters Eli, a quiet boy who might not be as weird as he first appears. Slowly, Sammie discovers that her first summer in the city brings unexpected connections. The move she dreaded starts revealing surprising possibilities. Even when your family falls apart and everything changes, new relationships can bloom in the most unlikely places.
Genres: fiction, coming-of-age, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: New York City
Period: Summer
205 pages · Paperback · Carlsen