Gooseberry

by Robin Gow Narrated by Krystal Hammond

Overview

A moving new middle-grade novel about a young nonbinary person searching for family and finding it with a sweet rescue dog named Gooseberry

B has lived with so many different foster families and youth programs that they have to invent nicknames for them to keep track. Their parents died in a car accident when they were four, and they've been moved around ever since. And even though some foster families don't really*get*B or why they haven't picked a new name yet (though B has been grappling with that for a while), B tries their best to stay positive. They try to keep a list of names that might fit, and they dream of being able to live in a home where they could adopt a dog and teach him all sorts of tricks. So when they meet Gooseberry, they know they have to adopt him and give him a loving home.

But training a dog isn't as easy as B first suspected. Gooseberry is anxious and barely even wants to let B pet him. But the queer couple B is staying with, Eri and Jodie, help them to adopt Gooseberry and start training him. Even when Gooseberry snaps and growls, B doesn't give up. But is this new home enough to change things for good for B and Gooseberry?

Moving, heartwarming, and full of hope,*Gooseberry*is a friendship story classic in the making!

Editorial Reviews

Booklist

***STARRED REVIEW***
"Gow’s latest middle-grade novel (Dear Mothman, 2023) continues delving into the intersection of transgender or nonbinary identities with autistic and ADHD neurodivergence, and while B thinks no one would be able to understand their brain, autistic readers especially will find much that is both relatable and validating."

From the Publisher

***STARRED REVIEW***
"Gow’s latest middle-grade novel (Dear Mothman, 2023) continues delving into the intersection of transgender or nonbinary identities with autistic and ADHD neurodivergence, and while B thinks no one would be able to understand their brain, autistic readers especially will find much that is both relatable and validating."—Booklist

***STARRED REVIEW***
"B’s struggle to find home and acceptance will have readers rooting for them and Gooseberry the dog. A must-purchase realistic fiction title for all middle grade collections."—School Library Journal

"B’s search for self-identity is artfully written..."—Publishers Weekly

"A sensitive exploration of autism, gender identity, and dog training."—Kirkus

School Library Journal

★ 05/01/2024

Gr 4–8—B has been in foster care since age five when their parents died. Although they have had several placements, none have felt right. When their last placement ends in a disastrous family outing involving a dog named Gooseberry, B is placed with a new family, where it begins to feel like home. B has always had an ambition to be a dog trainer. Their meeting with Gooseberry leads them to believe that Gooseberry is the dog they are meant to train. Unfortunately, like B, Gooseberry has gone through trauma that left him mistrustful of people. As B begins Gooseberry's training, they find that overcoming trauma is not a quick process, but with love and patience, progress can be made. B is nonbinary and goes by B as they try to find their true name. Their latest foster parents are a lesbian couple, one of whom is transgender. B is surrounded by a group of gender-diverse friends that help them as they deal with bullies and the transition to a new home. Gooseberry's struggles with trust and overcoming trauma parallel those of B and provide them an additional coping mechanism as they begin to realize they've found their home. VERDICT B's struggle to find home and acceptance will have readers rooting for them and Gooseberry the dog. A must-purchase realistic fiction title for all middle grade collections.—Ashley Leffel

Product Details

BN ID:	2940191377377
Publisher:	Spotify Audiobooks
Publication date:	05/28/2024
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	10 - 13 Years

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