Dog Star by Megan Shepherd

"If we can't stop the rocket, maybe we can get Laika out. We can't let her go on a mission with no chance of return. She isn't like the equipment you have in that capsule. 

She's a living creature."

Nina is old to enough to begin to question her life in the Soviet Union. Her best friend, along with her friend's parents, have recently defected to the US. Nina herself is being trained to be a good Soviet citizen. Her father works for the Institute of Space Medicine. The space race is in full swing. The Russians are desperate to be first. The Americans are planning to use monkeys and mice but in Russia a small stray dog is selected and trained. 

Meanwhile we meet a street dog, later to be named Laika. She longs to become a warm dog but when she is captured, she is taken to a strange place and put into a cage. Sharing this space are two other dogs. One has already been sent into space so she explains the three tests that Laika will undergo and how, if she can pass these tests, and travel into space the reward will be a real home with children to love her.

Bookseller blurb: Based on an incredible true story, Carnegie Medal nominee and New York Times-bestselling author Megan Shepherd crafts a harrowing, propulsive girl-and-her-dog tale that will linger in your heart long after the last page. Laika is a Cold Dog, a stray pup fighting for her life on the streets of Moscow. Then, one winter night, she is plucked from her alley to become a Starflyer, a dog trained to travel into space. Distrustful of people, Laika tries to do everything she can to escape. That is, until she meets Nina. Nina is a Cold Girl, lonely and full of questions. Her best friend has moved to America in a rush, leaving Nina to face the school bullies all by herself. Plus, her father's work as a scientist in the Soviet Space Program grows more secretive by the day. When the two meet in her father's laboratory, their growing bond slowly warms the chill that has settled in each other's hearts. As the Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union grows fierce, Laika and Nina uncover shocking secrets and hard truths that will test their friendship. How will they find the courage to chase their dreams all the way to the stars?

Have you ever thought about the idea of warm dogs and cold dogs. Warm dogs live with a family. They are fed, allowed to be inside and even perhaps sit on a couch and most of all they are loved, especially by children. A cold dog is a street dog. A dog that lives by scavenging and a dog that works hard to survive extremes of heat and cold. And it sure is cold on the streets of Moscow. Laika was a cold dog until the day she was captured for use in the space program.

The title comes from the third voice in we hear in this story - we hear Laika beginning when she is just surviving on the streets of Moscow; we hear Nina who is so upset about the loss of her friend and we read about her struggles to cope with the Young Pioneers; and the third voice is the actual dog star - a voice of encouragement and wisdom that only Laika can hear. 

The ending of this book is inevitably very sad - perhaps if you are recommending this book to a reader in your library you might decide to explain this. Laika was a real dog. She was sent into space from the USSR in 1957. An enormous amount of work went into preparing her for the journey, but it seems almost no plans were made for her return. No one knows when or how but Laika did perish on the voyage.

There is a strange but fascinating inclusion in this book - the book is from a US author but she has included an article dated November 27th, 1957, from our Australian Women's Weekly magazine.

Here are a couple of text quotes:

"Nina felt a rush of confidence now. She sat up straighter. 'Yes dogs. I can help my father with the dogs who will be sent into space! ... Through this, um, I can make the Motherland proud."

"In a few days Laika will travel to the cosmodrome. I wanted to do something nice for her first. One night to have a home away from the Institute. To just be a dog; to bark and play.' He knelt down, scratching Laika behind the ears. 'Can you do that for her, lapochka?"

"So many questions buzzed in her head. Their teachers taught them to respect even street dogs but didn't respect the students enough to tell them the truth. Maybe Ludmilla's family had left because they didn't feel safe in a country where information was so often kept secret. Now, like Ludmilla, would Laika disappear forever too?"

You can hear Megan Shepherd talking about her book here. Dog Star was published in 2023 but I picked up my copy in a bookshop earlier this year. 

The narrative alternates between Nina’s and Laika’s points of view; Laika’s perspective is anthropomorphized with inner monologue as well as dialogue between dogs, and this works to the story’s advantage in arousing sympathy for the small animal who was sacrificed for science. A poignant story that accessibly illuminates a milestone in space exploration history. Kirkus

Read more about animal astronauts here. Companion books:

I previously read Secret Horses of Briar Hill by Megan Shepherd:

The Secret Horses of Briar Hill

The Snow Dragon by Abi Elphinstone illustrated by Fiona Woodcock

"It was Christmas Eve, and Phoebe could see that the little town of Whistlethrop was covered in a thick layer of snow. It was the first snow of winter and it had come silently in the night, the way magic often does."

This opening sentence holds so much promise for a wonderful story. It is Christmas Eve - surely that means wishes can come true. The snow came silently the way magic often does - it is confirmed. Magic is coming. But who is Phoebe? Where is she living? Why does she need some magic in her life?

Phoebe lives in an orphanage and if you need confirmation that it is a horrid place just think about the name - Griselda Bone's Home for Strays. It seems the children who are taken there have to stay or stay that is, until Miracle Day.

As the story opens, it is Miracle Day, a day that happens only once each month. Today is Miracle Day but it is for Jack, Phoebe's friend. And now that he has gone, she is the last child left. All she has now is her little dog Herb. 

Griselda punishes Phoebe for using her imagination in a writing activity. She sends her to the dog kennels for the night. It is freezing cold and she is fastened with a metal cuff. Then something magical happens - you can see him on the book cover - the snow dragon.

WOW! This is a picture book I picked up a recent charity bookfair. I based this selection purely on the cover image. I didn't even bother to read the blurb on the back cover. What a fabulous discovery. This is a story about an orphan, it is about the power of dreams and imagination, and it has the most wonderful (and all important) happy ending.

Everything about this book, (which is an abridged version of a tale included in the collection, Winter Magic), is out of this world gorgeous. The telling is full of uplifting messages for youngsters, not least of which is that even in dark times ‘We all have the gift of wonder’ and mustn’t forget to look at the world’s natural beauty. ‘Be content. Be watchful. Be brave’ the dragon tells her. Red Reading Hub

The Snow Dragon was published in 2019 (it is still available) but the story originally appeared in an anthology entitled Winter Magic. Here is the webpage for Abi Elphinstone. I previously talked about her novel Sky Song.

Sky Song

Here is the webpage for Fiona Woodcock. Her work really shines in The Snow Dragon and here are some of her books which I will now hunt out:

This is just to say: Poems of apology and forgiveness by Joyce Sidman illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski

Although the poems can be enjoyed alone, readers will truly understand the magic of this book when they read the poem of apology and the response together.  For the Love of the Book

At first I thought this book was a collection of poems written by school students but then, after quite a long search, I discovered it was all written by Joyce Sidman - she was inspired by a group of fourth grades who she asked to write a sorry poem to her mother. 

"This made me think a lot about apology and forgiveness. What if all these sorry poems were actually sent to the people they were written to? What if all those people wrote back?"

So as the review quote at the start of this post says - it works well to read this book by flipping back and forth. There are 18 apology poems in the first half of this book and 18 responses in part 2.

Of course the first poem just had to be famous one by William Carlos Williams:

There are some big life themes covered in these poems so that is why I think this book will better suit upper primary and lower secondary readers or classrooms. Topics include bullies; rudeness to a teacher; greed; sibling rivalry; peer group pressure; accidents; euthanizing a pet; and possibly even suicide.

I spied this book in a discard pile in a library and when I enquired about it, I discovered it was considered not really appropriate for the younger readers who use this library. I was curious so I borrowed the book and YES this a poetry book but it is as I said, most certainly for readers aged 10+. This book was published in 2007 so it is now out of print but you might find a copy in a school or local library. You could adapt this book into a reader's theatre performance.

The illustrations created by Pamela Zagarenski are sketched beautifully. In many of the pictures there are newspapers that have been clipped that carry the definitions for apologies and forgiveness.  Name that Poem

The poems touch on many topics which will connect with readers of this age including dysfunctional families, hurting other’s feelings, disobeying, death of a pet, steeling, friendship and sports.  Throughout the book, Sidman incorporates various poetry styles including pantoum (Spelling Bomb), concrete (Dodge Ball Crazy), haiku (Haiku for Carmen) and couplet (Brownies – Oops! and A Waste of Heart). Lindsay Reads

Awards

• Claudia Lewis Poetry Award
• Cybils Poetry Award
• Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award Honor Book

I really like the premise of This is just to say. It reminded me of these two books:

The One thing You'd Save

Blurb from author page: The assignment: If you could give someone special in your life a present — just one gift — who would you choose, and what would it be? Discuss. Certain students know their answers right away. A few find their answers more slowly. And while some responses spark lively conversation, others are revealed only in the privacy of journal pages. But all of the choices are as heartfelt as they are unexpected. 

I am now really keen to this book from 2025 by Joyce Sidman and Melissa Sweet:

I have talked about Joyce Sidman previously and also Pamela Zagarenski.

Butterfly eyes

Also check out my post about Beth Krommes and her art

Winter Bees

The Whisper

The Unlikely Tale of Chase and Finnegan by Jasmine Warga illustrated by Vivienne To

“This is Finnegan,” Basma says to the security guard. “He’s our new cheetah ambassador dog.” Cheetah ambassador dog? Finnegan isn’t positive, but he’s pretty certain cheetahs are a type of cat. Why would he have anything to do with cheetahs? This must be a mistake. Maybe his nervousness is making him hear things.

It is very clear from the first chapter, where we meet Finnegan, that he is a stray dog and that he has been through some trauma with his previous owner, but Jasmine Warga uses so much restraint before using just one word to introduce her cheetah cub named Chase and reveal that she is living in a zoo - that word is enclosure.

Finnegan is rescued from the forest by Ryan. Ryan lives with Basma. Basma works at the zoo. Are you connecting the dots?

Jasmine Warga creates the most fantastic levels of tension in her book. There were times when I had to stop reading The Unlikely Tale of Chase and Finnegan so I could take a breath. Twice I anticipated that the storyline was taking me to a place of dreadful sadness. On page 80 I actually put this book aside and left it for a couple of hours. I was so worried about Finnegan and the bad choice he was about to make. It was tough to read all the ways Finnegan misunderstands his new family. It broke my heart when he thought their packing boxes meant they were tossing him away just like his previous owner Samuel. 

I am very conflicted about zoos and using animals to perform for visitors but putting those concerns to one side I love the relationship of Finnegan and Chase; I loved the way Finnegan describes or makes sense of the world and especially of human behaviour through his sense of smell; and the gently unfolding friendship between the young cheetah cub Chase and Finnegan. Listening to some of the birds in my neighborhood the other day I wondered if birds can understand one another. I am not sure if dogs and cheetahs can talk in 'real life' but as a reader I loved the way Chase and Finnegan share their own life stories and worries. Finnegan really cares about Chase - he gives her such a sweet nickname - Puffball.

The cheetah cub makes an odd noise. It’s not a meow. He thought she would meow because she is a cat. It’s a sound more like one a bird would make. It makes him want to laugh. He sticks his tongue farther out of his mouth, edging closer to her. “Your name is Chase?” She doesn’t answer. And she doesn’t make the chirping noise again, either. “How old are you?” he asks. The cub freezes. “You know I can see you,” he says. “Can you talk? Are you understanding me? I don’t know how to speak cat.” And then he adds, “Or bird. Are you speaking bird?”

I loved that Finnegan was a rescue dog with a hidden past; so many bad things can happen to dogs, and they can't tell their new homes about them! At least Finnegan can confide in Chase when his humans don't quite understand why he is so upset when they are packing up to move to a new home. Ms Yingling

At its heart this is a book that explores trust, communication, belonging, fear, self-doubt, and the ways we try to make sense of our world.

One of the strange things that happens to me when I read an eBook (on a Kindle or other device) is that I am reluctant to jump to the back of the book which is something I do with a paper book - reading the author notes either before I begin a book or while I am taking the journey. All the way through The Unlikely Tale of Chase and Finnegan I kept hoping that bringing together a cheetah and a stray dog would be based on real events - and (spoiler alert) yes, it is. 

Author Note: A few summers ago, I was visiting the Cincinnati Zoo with my daughters. We went to watch the cheetah run, and during the show, I learned about the practice of pairing cheetahs with rescue dogs. At some zoos across the country, cheetahs are matched with dogs to aid in their social development by becoming their playmates and companions. The dogs and cheetahs often become quite bonded as a result.

Blurb from the author page: Finnegan is a rescue dog with a broken heart. Chase is an anxious cheetah cub, newly orphaned. The two animals couldn't be more different. But one day, they are brought together for the unlikeliest of reasons: Finnegan must help Chase gain the confidence she needs to perform as part of an educational program for children at a zoo. Finnegan and Chase have each suffered losses and have trouble trusting. Yet somehow, they are just what the other needs. But if Finnegan isn’t able to help Chase overcome her fears, he won’t just be letting Chase down–he could be risking his new home as well.

The Unlikely Tale of Chase and Finnegan is a book to read and enjoy either alone, or in a family as a read aloud or as a shared book in a class. Because this book is very new and only available in hardcover (AUS$37-UAS$45) you will have to wait for the paperback to arrive here in Australia. 

I am not in favour of always dissecting and using a text to 'teach' things but there are some truly wonderful sentences in this book that you could share with a writing group:

His heart beats quickly beneath his rib cage and his belly rumbles. He shivers. The wind continues to howl, whipping and slicing and whooshing. The tree trunks bend and curve. With his paws, he digs to make space beneath a soggy log. He flops down, his belly resting on the wet, muddy earth.

Chase’s mother moves like liquid sunshine, like something molten instead of solid. It is mesmerizing to watch her.

Jasmine Warga beautifully describes all the different smells and the way Finnegan interprets them: 

His scent, which changed with his mood. But when he was happy, he smelled like oranges and soap. It was a good smell. The dog loved that smell.

The dog watches the stranger. His scent is soap and sweat. It is sandalwood and grassy soccer fields and chocolate cake.

He inhales the air. He smells the candle. He smells leftover food in the refrigerator. Mmm, he’s pretty sure it’s something cheesy. He loves cheese. Cheese is good. Cheese is happiness.

Finnegan has learned that Ryan, underneath all the spices, almost always smells faintly of chocolate cake, but the scent grows stronger when he is happy.

I picked up this book because Colby Sharp said it was fantastic! He is so right. 

Jasmine Warga sent Colby's Grade Five class 25 signed copies of her book.

An endearing, deeply moving story of healing. Kirkus Star review

"Jasmine Warga's brilliant and heartfelt storytelling made my heart soar. While spending time with Chase and Finnegan, words like friendship, family, connection, love, light, and joy kept racing through my mind. Most of all, the story filled me with HOPE!" ―John Schu, librarian and New York Times best-selling author of Louder Than Hunger

"An uplifting and heartwarming story about friendship and the way it can change lives for creatures great and small; sure to leave an impact long after the last page. Hand to fans of Katherine Applegate’s One and Only and Rosanne Parry’s Voice of the Wilderness series." ―School Library Journal (starred review).

Companion books:

The One and Only Ivan; The One and Only Bob; The One and Only Ruby; 

The One and Only family

Song of a Thousand Seas

Odder

The Way of Dog

Jasmine Warga recommends this book:

Jasmine Warga is such a talent - her books are all wonderful but also so varied.

A Strange thing Happened at Cherry Hall

A Rover's Story

Other words for home

One Big Open Sky by Lesa Cline-Ransome

Daddy says Momma (Sylvia), Lettie, Silas and Elijah are going to move. It is time to have their own land and not have to work for some else. There is no more slavery. It is time to be truly free. The journey will be long, but they have shelter in their covered wagon, and they will not be alone - this family group will travel with others all determined to reach Nebraska. Ten families heading West out of Mississippi to take advantage of the land promised by the Homestead Act of 1862. But food will be short, along the way small towns will charge enormous prices for basic supplies and there are dangerous rivers to cross. Luckily along the way they do pick up a young woman who is hard-working and wise. And when a dreadful catastrophe befalls the family, young Philomena is able to step in and help with their two faithful mules Charly and Titus. 

All the land you want 

Free 

he said to me 

All we got to do is go on and get it 

Take what’s ours 

I looked down at the paper 

that didn’t say none of what he was 

Any colored who want it 

Come with some money too right? 

I looked at his eyes 

shining in the lamplight 

bright 

Who was I to dim their light? 

To take from him what white men 

masters 

loss 

and years of fieldwork left of him 

He asked pointing down at the paper 

And they even give you a wagon?

Here is what they pack: 200 pounds of flour 10 pounds of rice 5 pounds of coffee 25 pounds of sugar 1 bushel of beans 20 pounds of salt 1 bushel of cornmeal 1 keg of vinegar 100 pounds of bacon 25 pounds of dried fruit Daddy’s good rifle and gunpowder two pistols lard, candles, lye powder matches and soap frying pans and a coffeepot our old stew kettle and Momma’s sharpest knife nails one washtub A tent and blankets blankets for Charly and Titus plus their feed too even the cradle Momma wanted was packed in tight.

The journey could take four or five or even six months. This story is about the journey not the destination but readers are left with enormous hope that the family will prosper in their new home. 

From where we sat we could see the lantern lighting up the cabin and imagine the warmth inside our new home in the West in Nebraska with a fire in the hearth and beds stacked with quilts Silas, Elijah, Momma and Miss Pratt inside But me and Sutter liked it best curled in close together warming each other best as we could in the tent Momma let me pitch outdoors.

There are three voices in this verse novel so you do have to pay attention at the start of each section or chapter. It is very significant that these are three women - Lettie is a young girl born after the end of slavery but also born into a time when women are expected to marry, have children, and of course have no rights and no vote. Her mother Sylvia is brave and loyal to her husband but she has to sacrifice so much to make this enormous journey to find a place her husband believes will be 'a promised land'. Philomena is a young, newly trained teacher who values her independence. She has been promised a teaching job in Nebraska and for Philomena this means she can support herself without the need for a husband. 

When I was in Primary School (Elementary) here in Australia I read and loved, like so many kids of my generation, books about American pioneers such as Little House on the Prairie and all the sequels but even more I loved Children of the Oregon Trail. That goes part of the way to explaining why I simply devoured One Big Open Sky. As usual I have no idea how I came across this book and then why I added it to my 'to read' list as a title I could pop on my Kindle. I started this book on a two-hour bus and train journey and then completed it on the way home. I am happy to see the paperback edition of this book is available [9780823460625].

Publisher blurb: Three women narrate a perilous wagon journey westward that could set them free—or cost them everything they have—in this intergenerational verse novel that explores the history of the Black homesteader movement. 1879, Mississippi. Young dreamer Lettie may have her head in the stars, but her body is on a covered wagon heading westward. Her father, Thomas, promises that Nebraska will be everything the family needs: an opportunity to claim the independence they’ve strived for over generations on their very own plot of land. But Thomas’ hopes—and mouth—are bigger than his ability to follow through. With few supplies and even less money, the only thing that feels certain is danger.

This map shows their journey:

This is a beautifully crafted novel in verse: Cline-Ransome once again demonstrates her incredible literary skills as characters’ personalities are revealed by their actions. The intergenerational voices provide depth as the events unfold, and the emotionally resonant writing is rich in details that add texture and meaning to this unique depiction of African American homesteaders that’s full of resilience and hope. Kirkus Star review

The vast amount of walking, the limited food supplies, the dangerous river crossings, and the various other threats to survival are all fascinating; I loved this type a book when I was in elementary school because I liked to think how I would fare under similar circumstances. Lettie is keeping notes about the journey and logging costs, and I love how interested she is in the one newspaper that her father buys for her. Philomena is a fantastic character who is taking control of her own life, and even finding romance with another traveler who accepts her as an equal. The challenges of the journey are not sugar coated at all ... Ms Yingling

In the final analysis, the entire book emphasizes the bonds of family, both immediate and extended. This exquisite novel is geared for children 8-12 years but can be cherished by readers of all ages. A classic, and in a perfect world it would be required reading in all elementary schools. Historical Novel society

Awards:
A Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book

Winner of the Virginia Library Association Cardinal Cup Award

A Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

One of Evanston Public Library's 101 Great Books for Kids

A CSMCL Best Multicultural Children’s Book of the Year

An ALSC Notable Children's Book

A CLA Notable Children's Book in the Language Arts

Companion book:

Prairie Lotus

Kid by Peter Carnavas

"They were so brave ... the bravest goats in the world! And I want to be just like them."

Now read the opening sentence of Kid: 

"There once was a small goat who lived on a farm, not far from the rugged mountain."

Ask yourself some questions - will this small goat have an adventure? will he travel to the rugged mountain? what will he find there? does he have a good life on the farm? are there any other goats there? does 'not far' mean this story will involve a journey?

Life on the farm is good. There are cows, sheep, pigs and hens. Oh, and of course there is a small goat - a young goat - a kid named Kid.

"He was barely taller than the hens, and not just because he was young. He was a small breed of goat - a miniature - so even when fully grown he would hardly peek over a bale of straw. For now he was still a kid, with gangly legs, ears that stuck out and two bumps on the top of his head. He couldn't see them but he knew they were there, and he dreamt that one day they would grow into big curved horns, strong and majestic."

Kid has dreams - big dreams. And these dreams are linked with the story of his parents. This is the story Audrey, one of the hens, tells him night after night. His parents were Buck and Bess and they heroically saved the farm from a fox but by chasing the fox they jumped over all the fences and "no one ever saw those brave goats again." Bess and Buck left their baby behind in the care of Audrey. "And you've been stuck with me ever since."

Kid has the care and friendship of Audrey and also of Harriet, a whitish-pink pig. So, the story is set. Kid would like to be heroic like his parents. He is sure his parents are living in the nearby mountains. Audrey needs to protect her young charge just as she promised his mother all those years ago and Harriet is keen to experience new tastes in the wild. But of course, there is a problem - well there are lots of problem but the biggest one of all is Farm Law. Note the capital letters. 

"Farm Law says that any animal who leaves the farm can never come back ... They'll bring danger to the farm - predators, or sickness from the wild."

"The adventures of Buck and Bess played in his mind. He had loved the stories, so wild and exciting, but he always dreamt that one day they would return to the farm. Now he knew he would never see them again, all because of a big white dog who didn't like goats."

Kid will not be stopped. Ma, the big white farm dog will not stop him. He jumps over the fence and ...

There are some sweet words of wisdom in Kid:

Audrey: "I was scared and I didn't want you to go. But then I asked myself what was more important: to follow the rules or follow your dreams?"

Audrey: "The world hasn't ended. You have a home and friends who love you - even when you're miserable. I didn't raise you to blob around like a snail without a shell. Get up and do something."

Cow: "Gavin (the great hawk) said you will find your family ... on the mountain."

I think I held my breath through the final chapters of this book - I know Peter Carnavas is a trustworthy author and he would give me that all important "happy ending", but I was so worried about little Kid - would Ma let him come back to the farm?

Publisher blurb: This is the story of a small goat called Kid. Ever since his parents chased away a fox and never returned, Kid has stayed with Audrey the hen in the chook yard. Audrey tells him stories of his mum and dad’s daring and bravery. She says they live on the nearby mountain, and Kid longs to leave the farm to find them. And then, one day, he discovers he is big enough to jump the fence … Will a wild adventure up the mountain help Kid find where he belongs?

Here is the trailer - this is sure to make you fall in love with this book:

This book will be published next week - do not wait - run to your independent bookstore or local library and order a copy of Kid by Peter Carnavas. I really wish I lived in Queensland so I could participate in some of the launch events for Kid. Huge thanks to UQP for sending me an advance copy of Kid. I devoured it in one sitting and then went back and read it all again today. There are extensive teachers notes for Kid BUT really my suggestion is just read this book - to your young reading companion, to your class or to your library group. Don't dissect it - just enjoy the writing, the friendships, and the very special voice of young Kid.

This one is just a delight from the first page to the last and your young readers will find it entirely satisfactory and, very likely, the kind of book that they will return to again and again. Just so Stories  (You can see art from Kid in this review)

Kid gives us plenty to love especially for the confident junior reader, animal lover, and those searching for their own g.o.a.t mini-hero to emulate. Dimity Powell  (G.O.A.T stands for Greatest of all Times)

In the UK Kid from Pushkin Press has a slightly different cover. I love talking with students about covers - design, appeal, font choices and the way covers can influence our reading choices. The US edition will come from Groundwood Books in 2027! Kid is published in hardcover and the beautiful pastel colours reminded me of my old copy of Heidi (I have put this image at the bottom of this post).

The publisher and Peter Carnavas himself (quite rightly) links Kid with two very famous books:

Charlotte's Web

You may know this book became the movie Babe.

Peter Carnavas says: After writing my last book, I promised myself I’d take a quiet break from writing, 

but then a small goat trotted into my thoughts. I’m not sure where he came from but I remember what I was doing at the time – I was reading Edwina Wyatt’s book Cub and Brown. Edwina’s story has nothing to do with goats but for some reason, halfway through reading, I put down the book, opened my sketchbook and drew a goat.  Up until now, my novels have centred around quiet children and relationships, so I wanted to try something different with my goat – I wanted an adventure! I started drafting ideas based on the structure of the hero’s journey: I gave him a call to action, a merry band of accomplices (each with their own strengths), a wise elder, a series of trials and an exciting climax. 

I really appreciate having maps in books. The map at the beginning of Kid reminded me of this book:

Map from Kid (found in the teachers notes)

Try to find this picture book too:

Albert and Lila

Check out all the picture books by Peter Carnavas and then look for his terrific novels:

Leo and Ralph, My Brother Ben, The Elephant

Kid is published in hardcover and the soft pastel colours used on the cover reminded me of my old copy of Heidi. Just a small observation of mine - Kid doesn't have any actual links with Heidi!

Away by Megan E Freeman

“For several months, the governor’s office and the Colorado Investigation Bureau have been monitoring a series of credible threats across Colorado. 

On Friday, we received intelligence of an imminent threat jeopardizing the safety of thousands of residents. We immediately launched a noncombatant evacuation operation named Operation Relocate Freedom. 

We do not know how long evacuations will last, and the state remains on emergency alert.”

Each section in this book begins with a definition such as this one:

There are four kids voices in this hybrid verse novel and Megan E Freeman makes it easy to keep up with each kids because they each use a different form of writing. The kids are Ashanti Johnson, aged 12, her mum is a doctor; Grandin Stone, aged 14 - his parents are farmers; Harmony Addams-Paul, aged 12 - she aspires to be a journalist, she has a fabulous teacher and mum her is a pastor; and Teddy Brenkert, aged 11 - he is homeschooled and lives with his grandmother who is a local amateur theatre producer. All of these kids live in Colardo. Ashanti and Grandin use free verse to tell their story; Teddy writes film proposals and scripts and often references famous classic movies and as you would expect Harmony writes as though her pieces are ready for publication in a newspaper. Then comes:

These four kids plus Harmony's little sister Pax, are thrown together when everyone in their area is evacuated due to some unexplained toxic danger. Along with many other people they are taken to a holding camp where they are given food and safety but no one is allowed to use a mobile phone, the authorities do not answer any questions and they are kept there for over two years!

“This is the Colorado National Guard. Mandatory evacuations are now in place for your area. Proceed immediately to designated embarkation zones for further instructions. Local law enforcement will provide additional guidance specific to your location. ... The specific cause of the evacuations is not yet known, but there are unconfirmed reports of a pipeline explosion, possibly multiple explosions. Sources at the state capitol say a major threat could be imminent, and terrorism has not been ruled out."

"Cell phones have been compromised and are not safe to use. As a matter of state security, all cell phones must be deposited in designated receptacles located throughout the station. Compliance is mandatory."

These kids all have talents which when combined are able to work out not just what is going on but also how to inform the adults and how to expose the conspiracy and they also luckily do find a few left-over pieces of technology which they are able to put to good use.

We are going to be muckrakers. Shine a light on what’s wrong in the world. ... Journalists who specifically investigate and report on stories to expose corruption or exploitation or other stuff like that. They rake the muck of society.

As you might expect there are lots of theories and rumors about why whole communities have been evacuated:

One girl said she’d heard a train carrying chemicals had derailed. Another heard there had been explosions in a mine shaft and a dam had broken. Someone else said a pipeline had burst. A kid from the Western Slope insisted “nonhuman biologics” were colonizing remote parts of the Rocky Mountains. One boy said his mom thought it was a nuclear accident, like the ones in Fukushima and Chernobyl. Do we even have nuclear reactors in Colorado? I have no idea.

Publisher blurb: After an imminent yet unnamed danger forces people across Colorado to leave their homes, a group of kids including an aspiring filmmaker and a budding journalist find themselves in the same evacuation camp. As they cope with the aftermath of having their world upended, they grow curious about the mysterious threat. And as they begin to investigate, they start to discover that there’s less truth and more cover-up to what they’re being told. Can they get to the root of the conspiracy, expose the bad actors, and bring an end to the upheaval before it’s too late?

Away is the companion volume to Alone - companion volume means while you do need to read BOTH books the order does not matter. 

Alone

In my review of Alone I said: I did want that all important happy ending but somehow the final three pages let me down. I wanted to know more. I need know why!

And now I do know why because I have read Away.

A couple of weeks ago I had a long ten-hour journey by bus, plane and train. It is always SO good when I have an engrossing and brilliantly constructed book like this to pass the time. I absolutely devoured Away. You can see I have given Away five stars but I do agree with Kirkus who say: The plot and the whole scenario require a major suspension of disbelief, but to readers who can roll with it, Freeman delivers an engaging tale in which young crusaders strive to overcome both parental passivity and corrupt authorities to discover and expose a dastardly scheme.

Here is a long interview with Megan E Freeman where she talks about Away and Alone. You can either listen or read the transcript. 

Awards for Away:

• Instant New York Times Bestseller ​
• Barnes & Noble Best Book of 2025
• Amazon Best Book of 2025
• Barnes & Noble Children's Book Award Shortlist
• Golden Kite Award Finalist
• Reading the West Awards Shortlist
• TOME Society Junior Book Award Winner
• KNEA Reading Circle Choice for 2025
• Colorado Children's Book Award Shortlist
• Horace Mann Upstanders Award

This unique story is about friendship, survival, and how curiosity can lead to revelations, and the power of hope. Away was hard to put down because you need to know what is happening and why. Youth Services Book Review

The voices of the different characters are all very unique, and they are easy to tell apart. ... This is a good choice for readers who like dystopian books ...

The voices of the different characters are all very unique, and they are easy to tell apart. Ashantae doesn't use capitalization and references lots of mythology, Grandin is very matter-of-fact, Teddy often frames scenes as storyboards or film scripts, and Harmony's point of view is delivered in letters or news reports. The evacuation is realistically portrayed; if someone came to my door and told me I had to leave, and I saw all of my neighbors packing up, I probably would, too. Camp Rogers slowly evolves over the long time that people are there, with everyone pitching in to help out. ... This is very different from Alone, but readers who picked up that story will find it interesting to see what the experience of others who were not abandoned was. Ms Yingling