Oh my dog!

Twelve-year-old Caroline Kline and her father, who read as white, are still rebuilding their lives following her mother's death five years ago and the loss of their house in a hurricane three years ago. Chafing at the necessary frugality and quietly wishing for a more active social life, Caroline gets a job walking her new neighbor's dog Denver--with whom she can apparently communicate. She's even further astonished when Denver informs her that he has a message from the heavens: "the world is running out of belief... we need your help to bring it back." As she embarks on her quest, Caroline must find a way to balance making new friends, becoming a minor TikTok star, and rekindling her faith in the world. Via quietly heartfelt prose, Palmer (The Jules Verne Prophecy) presents a thoughtful meditation on connection, belonging, and people "seeing the goodness in themselves and others." Though brief temptations regarding the prospect of popularity and social media success jeopardize her existing relationships, and the pressure of her mission threatens to overwhelm, Caroline remains steadfastly good at heart, especially thanks to Denver's unwavering doggy support, in this positive story with an uplifting message. Ages 8--12. Agent: Fonda Snyder, Alchemy Ink. (Aug.)

A talking dog teaches a sixth grader about faith in humanity. Caroline and her widowed father survived the hurricane that hit the Gulf Coast of Texas. But now money is tight, and Caroline's 12th birthday present might just be jeans and underwear from the local mall. Her grieving dad tries his best, but his grocery store job only covers the essentials. Although Caroline's best friend, Yumi, who's Japanese and Jewish, is loyal and kind, Caroline, who presents white, wishes she were part of the popular crowd. She lands a job walking Denver, a rambunctious dog who shocks her by being able to speak--but only to her. He says he was sent with "a message from the heavens" to help Caroline remember that "goodness is out there." Denver persuades her with a miracle: raining down grape juice and cupcakes! Caroline ends up on a news broadcast as an eyewitness, and the in crowd notices her; it's hard to regain her belief in humanity when she's distracted by social status. Along the way, Caroline neglects Yumi, whose unselfconscious enthusiasm seems immature compared to the cool kids. Caroline's journey reflects positive values and messaging about one tween's impact on her community. Denver carefully tells Caroline that his version of faith refers to people's collective goodness, separate from religion, but Caroline and her father are Christian, which shapes her frame of reference. An imaginative novel that explores the path to finding faith after hope is lost. (Fiction. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.