Caleb and Ronan are best friends. It doesn't matter that Ronan is a dog and Caleb is a middle-school kid. They've been together their entire lives. Nothing can keep them apart. Even when Caleb's family moved overseas, he chose to stay behind and live with his poppy because Ronan was too old to travel that far.
When tragedy strikes Poppy and he's rushed to the hospital, the safe little world that Caleb has built collapses. He is sent to stay with other family, and Ronan is left behind in the chaos. Not about to wait to be found (or fed), Ronan takes off after Caleb only to end up lost and alone in the woods.
Caleb is frantic-with Poppy gone, it's up to him to find Ronan before it's too late. But it's an impossible journey filled with deadly storms, unpredictable predators, and uncertainty. Just how far will Caleb have to go to save those he loves?
Critically acclaimed and beloved author Martha Brockenbrough weaves a heart-pounding adventure that is equal parts survival story and finding your place in the world.
Martha Brockenbrough is author of The Game of Love and Death, Finding Bigfoot, The Dinosaur Tooth Fairy, and Devine Intervention, books for young readers. For adults, she has written Things That Make Us [Sic], a hilarious guide to things that can go wrong with English, and It Could Happen to You, a diary of her first pregnancy. She's the founder of National Grammar Day and SPOGG, the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar.
I'm a 31 year old woman and my 9 year old niece bought this for me at her scholastic book fair. Cute! so I said I'd read it and then give it back to her and she can read it and we'd talk about it. I left her little notes as I read. This book made me cry 4 times and I totally love so many of the things it said. Great character development, big and tense moments, love the dog's perspective. I genuinely really really loved this book. Well done niece for picking out a real winner.
Told in alternating voices of Ronan the great Irish wolfhound and Caleb this is an exciting adventure story of Caleb trying to find his dog after having to leave him behind. Caleb is staying with his grandfather while his parents are in Vietnam for work. But the avian flu outbreak sends grandpa to the hospital and Caleb to his great aunt who hates dogs. Ronan escapes and is struggling to survive in the woods while Caleb learns Ronan escaped and also escapes to look for him. The dialogue is snappy and perfectly sarcastic. I recommend anyone for who loves adventure or dog stories.
Writer of everything from silly picture books that make littles laugh to novels for older teens and non-fiction for all ages, Martha Brockenbrough’s At the Edge of Lost is written for those in grades 4-7ish and for those who love Gemeinhart’s Good Dog, all of McCall Hoyle’s dog forward heart-warmers and Kristin Tubbs’ Zeus, Daisy and Luna books.
Caleb and Ronin have been the best of friends for Caleb’s whole life and both, because of Caleb’s parents’ jobs with the state department, have traveled all over the world together, but for now, the two are living with Poppy in his retirement community while Mom, Dad, and little brother Ezra are in Vietnam. Life is moving along with few bumps in the road-school starting and Caleb is actually going to the same one, best friends Gen and Liv are right there beside him, and Ronin and Poppy are always there at the end of every school day. The bumps begin when birds start dropping from the sky, Avian Flu crosses into the human population, Poppy falls ill and may be one of the first to be infected. With his grandfather hospitalized, Caleb must go stay with his estranged Great Aunt Pat until his mom arrives from overseas and Ronin is not welcome. Left alone in Poppy’s home, Ronin breaks out and determines to find Caleb but is struck by a car and forced to seek a place to rest and recover. The how of the duo’s reunion makes up the bulk of the novels 240 pages.
Caleb and Ronin take turns telling their part of the story and using that dual first person/dog perspective allows readers to know exactly what each character is thinking and provides an in-depth look at the heart of both. The two never lose sight of the ultimate goal of finding one another but there are detours along the way. Caleb discovers that his aunt is not the hard-hearted woman he expected and Ronin, a mighty beast of a dog, is injured and requires the help of a tiny cat in order to survive. Brockenbrough’s novel is filled with human and pet love and is sure to warm readers’ heart and just when you might think that all the good feelings might be coming on just a little too heavily, she throws in a hilarious dog under the influence of pain meds scene that had me laughing out loud!
Great characters, solid friendship trio who are truly there for one another in the best ways, and a relatively low page count all combine to make this a solid purchase for libraries, whether they be home, school or public ones. Text is free of profanity, sexual content and the only violence is the fights between Ronin and the coyote dubbed Yip.
Thanks for the eARC, Edelweiss and Scholastic Press.
Caleb's parents work for the State Department, and are currently on assignment in Vietnam with his younger brother Ezra, so Caleb has gotten clearance to stay with his grandfather, Poppy, in his Washington State Leisure World retirement community for the year. Caleb's Irish Wolfhound, Ronan, who is 11, is with him as well. Some chapters are from Ronan's point of view, so we hear about his aches and pains as well as his devotion to Caleb and Poppy. When an avian flu causes birds to fall out of the sky, Poppy falls I'll, most likely due to his interactions with crows on the beach. He ends up in the hospital, and Caleb's parents send a friend from the State Department to deliver Caleb to his Great Aunt Pat's house on Bainbridge Island. The friend and Pat insist that Ronan remain at Leisure World, but make no plans for him other than leaving food and water. Caleb is unhappy, but there is little he can do. His friends Liv and Gen make plans to free Ronan and take him to Gen's basement, but are caught by Leisure World security guards and get in trouble. Ronan has already managed to break out of the apartment, and has taken off, getting hit by a car and injuring his leg. In the woods, he is befriended by a pregnant cat named Jade who brings him small animals to eat and keeps him company. Ronan isn't thrilled with cats, but comes to enjoy Jade's friendship. Ronan attends school virtually, texts Viv, and tries to get along with Aunt Pat, who is very different from her brother. Caleb's mom is on her way back from Vietnam, but keeps getting delayed. Pat tells Caleb that she wants to be a better aunt to him, but won't accompany him to search for Ronan. One night, Caleb sneaks out, steals a dinghy that probably belongs to Poppy, and searches for his beloved dog. He makes it back to the area near the senior facility, and finds Jade and her kittens. Eventually, he finds Ronan, who has been badly injured by a wolf or coyote he calls Yip. After hearing an alert on his phone that a man about his grandfather's age has succumbed to the avian flu, Caleb is anxious to find out about the fate of his grandfather. Strengths: I'm not usually a fan of chapters written from the dog's point of view, but Ronan was surprisingly philosophical and mellow, and I rather enjoyed his observations, especially about Jade. This was particularly intriguing, since early on Ronan opines that "Cats do not have the soul to fill up a raindrop"! (From the E ARC.) Poppy and Pat were both interesting characters, and Caleb's interactions with them were realistic. It was good to get a glimpse of Caleb's friends as well. The COVID pandemic is mentioned, and we get just enough information about the effects of the bird flu, which worked well. The pacing was quick, and the cover will draw in readers right away. Weaknesses: While middle schoolers will find it entirely plausible that Ronan was left alone in Poppy's apartment, I could not believe that anyone would leave a dog that big alone for an undetermined amount of time. Not only would the mess be enormous, but Poppy's neighbor's would have complained right away. I would have preferred it if Caleb and Ronan could have had their survival adventure together. Also, the odds of Caleb finding Ronan outside seemed slim. What I really think: Dog books and survival stories are both very popular with my students, and I frequently have dog books on display. This will be a great one to add to that collection, along with Hashimoto's Off the Map, Smith's Stranded, Goebel's Back Country, Mason and Hines-Stephens' Evacuation Order, and Rudd's How to Stay Invisible.
I listened to this book using Hoopla from my public library.
I was moved by the plight of Caleb after his dog has to be left behind in the house. With his grandpa being taken away by ambulance for possible avian flu and his parents in Vietnam, Caleb must go stay with an estranged Aunt, his grandfather's sister. Caleb frets over his dog who he now knows has escaped the house and is likely afraid and alone. Caleb goes out in a storm to try to find his beloved Wolfhound. His friends try to help virtually to update him on the storm, but his phone is lost and all communication ends. The scenes of Caleb risking his own life to try to find and help his pet are gripping and engaging. Unfortunately for me, the alternating view points of Caleb and his dog did not sit as well for me. I do like that the dog acts his age and sounds like a grandpa. I did have all the feelings no matter which narrator was leading the story, but I did not fully engage with the dog.
If you have readers who like adventure, tell them to be patient as it is a bit inside the book that adventure happens. There is certainly adventure! If you have readers that love animals, there is much in here to grab at their hearts. If you have readers who want to feel seen, the characters in this story may be what they want to find. It is a good book and I will recommend it if people ask about it, but I won't add it to my collection.
This was such a good book! I was kinda astonished when I saw that I have the book before it was published lol.
(Spoilers past this part)
This book was so sweet and the bond is very realistic. I have a dog and I’d do anything for him jsut like he’d do anything for me. There was a few parts that were a bit overdone with drama, such as when he was on his grandfather’s dinghy (how the orcas splashed up, he lost his phone, he almost got ran over by a ferry, he was almost caught by the coast guards, him thinking his grandfather is dead etc. and then him finding Jade injured AND his great aunt finding him is just ALOT to take in. But it’s fine cuz I love drama lol). Some people don’t like when a lot of major events are squeezed together. It was fine for me tho. The Avian Fluenza was also a bit nerve-racking for me, and kinda creeped me out a bit, but it didn’t kill me. This book was amazing and I’m not surprised i read it in under 2 days.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I am glad to report that I did not have to be like Elisabeth Wheatley's Book Goblin and have to "put Book in time out". I was afraid that it was going to head in that direction! For those of you who just had a Steve Rodgers's moment (i.e., "I understood that reference"), yes!
Because this book is overall realistic fiction, I cannot put this book in fantasy even though we do get Ronan's, a dog, point of view. It's not like he is talking in English to Caleb or Caleb is talking whatever universal language that animals talk in or at least those in the same taxonomic order share the same language. That is not clear, because I do not think dogs and cats can talk to squirrels and mice.
Verdict: This was a good book! Also, it is practically a universal truth in fiction (and maybe in real life) that an old warrior is an old warrior for a reason.
Doubly-narrated by middle-schooler, Caleb, and his old dog, Ronan, this adventure is full of heart, humor, and sensitivity. When Caleb’s Poppy ends up in the hospital with Avian Flu, the boy is taken in by crusty Great Aunt Pat, but Ronan is not welcome. The dog runs away to find his beloved boy, but gets hit by a car and straggles, badly injured into the woods. There he meets Jade, a cat who feeds him, and is about to birth five kits. Now it is she who needs protection from a hungry wild coyote. Caleb is so desperate to find Ronan, he goes out in the middle of the night and crosses Puget Sound in his Poppy’s dinghy to find his friend. Written with care, the novel bursts with adventure, but also gets her protagonist’s emotional tone just right. All the while exploring the immense power of love, the inevitability of change, and the great glory of the universe. Noble themes, indeed.
So this was a featured book at our Book Fair in the fall but I finally got around to reading it tonight. It gutted me!
The story was so captivating. I was sobbing at one point. I was afraid to continue to read but yet I couldn't put it down. Then I had to pick up my cat and hold her against my face for a full minutes after I finished the book.
I feel kind of weird saying I loved a book that did all that but I feel like the fact that it affected me so much shows how great the story was.
Makes me think of the meme:
"this book brutally ripped out my heart and tore it to shreds then stomped it into the ground as I drowned in a sead of my tears and basked in eternal sorrow.
Caleb lives with his Poppy and dog Ronan while his parents and little brother are overseas, but when Poppy gets sick with a new virus, Caleb and Ronan are separated and try desperately to be reunited. This book references the challenges kids had during the Covid-19 pandemic and fears Caleb has that the world may shut down again with the new virus. His isolation is palpable in his chapters. The alternating chapters are from Ronan's point-of-view, and animal-lovers may get emotional knowing his every thought. Each of their adventures tests their strength and loyalty to each other, their friends, and family.
This novel for your readers had moments of humor, tenderness, and adventure. But it also had moments of disrespect, disobedience, self-centeredness, and violence.
The plot centers around a middle-school boy, Caleb, and his dog, Ronan. I was disappointed in the character and ethic of the boy. I typically don't like story's where the animal speaks and communicates with other animals, but Ronan was the star of this novel. He was the hero that I rooted for, the character with the best worldview, the most courage, the greatest compassion, and the purest altruistic spirit. I loved the dog's sense of humor.
I felt so bad when Ronan ran away and even worse when Gen and Liz tried to go get Ronan to take care of him and he wasn’t there. 😭 It was so sweet of how Ronan and Jade got along too and they took care of each other. And on Caleb’s side of the story of how he gave Great aunt Pat a chance and they got along very well. When Caleb went to go save Ronan, that showed true friendship and love. All in all, this was a very sweet, heartwarming, page turner, book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Very good middle grade adventure. A great dog (and I'm not really a dog person); though I don't entirely like stories from the animal's point of view, this one was well done, told in alternating chapters of dog and boy POVs. Children who were traumatized by the COVID pandemic may find this a bit triggering, as it features a fictional avian flu outbreak among humans, but for most of us, it provides a realistic challenge.
Corbin picked out this book for me to read with him as it is what he is reading in school. I like seeing things from a dog’s point of view. It was endearing how Ronan changes his hatred of cats to love. Grandson, Grandpa, Aunt, Mom,Dad brother and friends make this a heartwarming story. First book I’ve read that has tales about bird flu, Covid and a new made up flu to thicken the plot!
I love this book! Middle grade readers will love it, my wife will love it. The family and school friend relationships, the voices (including the dog's), the danger and suspense all hit just the right notes. A good story, well told! This would be an excellent choice for Chat 'n' Chew lists next year.
1st finished book of the new year, I finished it in a day. It's very much a gen alpha version of the survivalist books I read in upper elementary. I would recommend this to any kid/reader that enjoys a good adventure book, and anyone who loves dogs. It's amazing, and the dog lives.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Quite the adventure! Caleb and Ronan (his dog) are separated after Poppy goes into the hospital. Caleb has to stay w gr.aunt who said no dogs. Ronan runs away from house looking for Caleb. What happens?
Beautiful storytelling and simply some great writing. Very good page-turning story with all kinds of unexpected outcomes. 5th grade and up will love this book.
This was okay; I can’t believe they left a dog locked in a house when they weren’t sure how long he would be in there. It was a quick read with action; I will probably purchase.
"An ideal pick for readers drawn to stories of animal loyalty or classics like White Fang. A timely, heartfelt, and emotive adventure." [School Library Journal]