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At the Edge of Lost
How far would you go to rescue your best friend?
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.
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.
240 pages, Hardcover
Published October 21, 2025
4 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
About the author
Martha Brockenbrough
35 books436 followersMartha 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.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 22, 2025
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 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.
July 28, 2025
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
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.
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.
October 25, 2025
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.
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.
October 19, 2025
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.
(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.
October 2, 2025
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 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!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews