This was a personal favorite of the 2024 Nutmeg Intermediate Nominee list. I read the book for pleasure and read it again aloud with my class of 5th grade students. It was a text that brought up multiple social issues including: financial challenges, loss of family members, guide dogs and visual impairment, trauma, and different types of living styles. Although it covered many different challenging topics, it was a pleasure to read because of the characters wit, positive attitude, and being centered all around dogs! Who doesn’t love a cute puppy story!

One of my favorite parts of the book was the way the author used different types of text (bold, italics, font, and page structure) to write in different ways and convey ideas. For example, she had the main character write letters, make lists, write songs and poems. It added a nice dynamic to the text and allowed the reader to get inside Olive, the main character's mind.

I also loved the relationship between the sisters, Olive and Maudie. You could feel their challenges and growth of relationships throughout the book. As a read aloud some prompting questions that I used were…
1. How did Maudie and Olive’s relationship change throughout the book?
2. How did Maudie act like a mother, but still a sister and friend to Olive?
3. What are some of the challenges Olive had to face trying to raise a guide dog? How did it help her grow as a person?
4. What was unique about the Stay Awhile home? How is it similar or different to other types of homes? ( )

Olive is facing a very different life: her father died of cancer and her adult half-sister Maudie (whom Olive met two weeks before their dad died) is now her guardian. They move to a house where they rent a couple of rooms, and Olive will start at a new school. With all the changes, Olive really wants a dog but Maudie is against it. After Olive meets a group of puppies who will go through guide-dog training, she joins the dog-training program. Dog-loving kids will enjoy Olive's journey as a trainer and her earnest voice; they may even be inspired to look into a similar program in their area. ( )