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250 pp.
| Dial |
June, 2016 |
TradeISBN 978-0-8037-3816-4$16.99
(3)
4-6
When Ben's adoptive mother dies, he moves in with his aunt and abusive uncle; canine companion Flip offers comfort, as does Halley, a girl with terminal cancer. Though it's obviously a tearjerker, the book's characters feel real through plenty of ordinary, often funny moments. Frequent shout-outs to books, as well as a story Ben and Halley write together, add particular appeal for literary preteens.