"As Geno and I walk to get our strawberry
cheesecake Blizzards, the wind hits the road
signs, and they make a rattling noise. Cars go
inside. Where are they going and what kind of
lives do they have? How many of them like
pasta salad called rotini with green olives and
red peppers and chunks of smelly cheese?
How many of the people listen to thrash metal
music from a band called Tankard? Have any
of them ever seen dolphins in the Siuslaw?
How many lost a parent when they were a kid?"
It's been more than two years since Cordy's dad died in a boating accident while he was out making a living on his fishing boat. Her mom quit nursing school to support herself and her two children. They live in the boathouse of a rich family, whose main house her mom takes care of while they live somewhere else for most of the year. It is a dreary life in a wet and often dreary small town in the Pacific northwest. It's been a lot of change for a young girl to handle.
When a small, unkempt, and hungry dog follows her home from school one day, Cordy hopes they will not find the dog's owner. Lost, appropriately name for his circumstance, fits right in with the whole family in no time at all. It is only great good luck, with some needed research and help from her younger brother Geno, that brings Cordy and Lost to a free vet clinic one day. She has learned that Lost's terrible breath may be a sign of poor health. Dr. Mazari proves to be just what the family needs. Lost has many infected teeth, and it will take a great deal of money to have them pulled.
Cordy's mom and Taj (the vet) discuss ways the family might handle the financial difficulties. Their meeting at the clinic leads to more visits and changes in the family dynamic which bothers Cordy. She isn't sure about Dr. Mazari, or about the way her mother is becoming close to him. Through some obstacles, the family perseveres and the changes that finding Lost brings make for fine storytelling.
The Oregon setting is a vital part of this warm family story. Readers have their senses awakened through being a part of the natural world that Cordy loves. All characters are valid and worth knowing. They care for each other as they all adapt to meaningful changes in their lives. Realistic and truthful when dealing with the grief and struggles following her father's death, Cordy is a character whose first-person voice and expressions will have readers cheering her on, and hoping for the best.
It is a warm and memorable read.
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