Finding Lost

by Holly Goldberg Sloan

A stray dog leads to major change for Cordy and her grieving family in this heartwarming new novel by the beloved author of Counting by 7s.

Cordy is looking for good luck, looking for the feeling of safety she lost when her father died in a fishing boat accident, maybe even looking for a hint of magic—anything that will stop her mom from wanting to leave the coastal town she and her brother have always called home. What Cordy finds is a muddy, hungry little dog who ends up bringing all the luck she could want, and more.

Holly Goldberg Sloan writes family stories that wrap around your heart and make you laugh out loud—stories about people you dearly wish lived next door to you. You will fall in love with Cordy and her family as quickly as they fall in love with the stray pup named Lost. Full of unexpected, unforgettable moments, this is a tender and endearing tale of coping with loss and making peace with the inevitable truth that change is a constant.

Genres: Middle Grade, Dogs, Childrens, Contemporary, Death, Realistic Fiction, Family

208 pages, Hardcover

Published October 7, 2025

About the author

Holly Goldberg Sloan was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and spent her childhood living in California, the Netherlands, Istanbul, Washington, DC, and Oregon (where she graduated from high school). She wrote the screenplay for Angels in the Outfield and directed The Big Green, as well as a number of other successful family feature films.

The mother of two sons, Holly lives with her husband (the writer/illustrator Gary Rosen) in Santa Monica, California. I'll Be There was her debut novel. Her next book, Counting By 7s, was Amazon's best novel of the year for middle grade. Her book Just Call My Name is a follow up to I'll Be There and takes place several months after the ending of the first novel.

Appleblossom the Possum was written by Sloan and Illustrated by Rosen and comes out of Sloan's love for Charlotte's Web. Her next novel will be published in January of 2017 from Dial/Penguin Random House.

Reviews

[Lyon.Brit.andthebookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Report: Finding Lost

My Thoughts: Finding Lost has all the heart I love in Holly Goldberg Sloan’s stories 💛In a small Oregon coastal town 🌊🌲Cordy stumbles upon a scruffy stray dog 🐶and with him comes the start of healing for her grieving family. I adored the calm…quiet ease of this story the way it unpacks heartache…new beginnings and the joy a pet can bring ✨🙌🏻 The setting was so vivid I felt like I was right there alongside Cordy and Lost.

My Question for Holly: What inspired you to set this story in a small coastal Oregon town?

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[Jan Raspen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally sweet and lovely, with some truly beautifully written passages. I'll add them once I sync my kindle. Perfect for upper elementary and lower middle school.

I have't yet figured out how to get highlightes from an ARC to show up on GR (I don't think it's possible, but if you know how, lmk!), so here are some of my favorite lines:

Chapter 10: The reason to have a best friend is to help pull yourself together.

Chapter 12: "I'm... I don't know what to say..." I stumble over the words. Mom jumps in. "You say thank you." I mumble, "Thank you." But I'm so mad. This guy is making it impossible to hate him. Only I'm not giving up.

Chapter 17: Right before my best friend left, she said she knew I had a big life ahead of me. I'm not sure what she meant, because the world feels smaller without her in it. But I'm going to try to believe her.

[Leisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Sometimes you just need a good middle grade novel to warm your heart. This one does it so well. Loved it.

[Richie Partington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richie’s Picks: FINDING LOST by Holly Goldberg Sloan, Penguin Random House/Rocky Pond, October 2025, 208p., ISBN: 978-0-593-53025-2

“Ch-ch-changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-changes
(Where's your shame, you've left us up to our necks in it)
Time may change me
But you can't trace time”
– David Bowie, “Changes” (1971)

“5.8 million dogs and cats entered shelters and rescues in 2024.”
– ASPCA

“I go to Siuslaw Middle School.
It’s part of the Siuslaw School District in the coastal town of Florence, Oregon: Population 9,577. The Siuslaw were one of the tribes of the indigenous Siletz people who were the first to settle this area. All the schools here have a Viking as their mascot.
There were no Vikings in the state of Oregon.
But ‘cultural contradictions are part of life.’
I didn’t come up with that. Dad did when I asked him about the Viking thing. One of the most famous Vikings was named Ivar the Boneless. He was a choice in last year’s ‘Famous People to Learn About’ project. After I heard the name, I wasn’t interested in researching the guy. I was hoping for Jane Addams, who was a ‘Pioneer for Social Change,’ and won the Nobel Peace Prize. But Riley Moshofsky was given Jane Addams. She was happy because her great-grandma was named Jane. I got Albert Einstein. I didn’t pick him; he was assigned to me. I did a good job of telling the class about one of the most influential scientists to live. The quote from Mr. Einstein that I like best is: ‘I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.’
I’m not sure I’m passionately curious, but I do have a lot of questions about things.”

I suspect that there’ll be a segment of the parental population who will not be happy about Holly Goldberg Sloan’s FINDING LOST. I am referring to moms and dads who are going to be dealing with their children’s incessant begging to adopt a dog like Lost, the petite, scene-stealing, old stray-on-the-street mutt with bad breath who stars in this heartwarming tale about an Oregon middle schooler facing big changes.

FINDING LOST is told in the first-person by Cordy (Cordilia) Jenkins, a girl whose father–a commercial fisherman–perished off the coast in a boating mishap two-plus years earlier. Times have been tough for Cordy since The Accident, despite loving and supportive grownups in their small town at the mouth of the Siuslaw River. She encounters Lost on her way home from school one day, and decides she’s gotta take him home with her.

It is her little brother Geno who discovers the brochure for the once-a-month free animal clinic in town. Their mom, who had to quit nursing school, move the kids into a converted old boathouse, and become a waitress, after her husband’s demise, is persuaded to let Cordy take a day off of school to attend the clinic to check on the dog’s health and breath. This soon leads to Mom meeting the super-good-guy veterinarian who examines Lost and goes all-out to resolve the dog’s medical problem without it costing the family money they don’t have.

Cordy is angry and suspicious when Mom and Taj (the vet) seem to hit it off. FINDING LOST is not as much about the dog as it is a coming-of-age tale about Cordy coming to terms with change (and more change) in their lives.

But the memorable little dog at the epicenter of those changes totally rocks, and I guarantee you that there’ll be a few less dogs in shelters after elementary- and middle-school readers discover this gem of a tale.

Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus

Cordy Jenkins lives with her mother, Casey, and brother Geno in Florence, Oregon, a small coastal town. Her father had been a commercial crab fisherman, but died in a boating accident. Casey had been in school training to be a nurse, but after the accident had to take a job at Curly's Seafood to make ends meet. In order to save money, she is also the caretaker for the McKearn's "Big House". She doesn't get paid, but the family can live in the boat house and doesn't have to pay for utilities. Cordy attends Siuslaw Middle School with her best friend Button, but it's hard to connect with other classmates while dealing with her grief over her father and her family's straitened circumstances. One bright spot is finding a small stray dog named Lost that her mother reluctantly lets her keep. Cordy's afraid of the water, but when Lost runs off, she sees a pink dolphin in the river. Intrigued, she visits the library and borrows a few books from Mrs. Hunt, who also gives Cordy her own backpack (claiming it is from the lost and found), after Cordy mentions her own has broken, and she's upset at having briefly lost Geno. Geno has been at a presentation about community resources, and finds that there is a free veterinary clinic. Cordy's mother can't get off work to take Lost, but lets Cordy skip school to go. The vet, Dr. Taj Mazari, is very nice, and tells Cordy and Casey that Lost needs expensive dental extractions, but they could be pro bono if they can bring Lost to the university where he teachers. Cordy wants to hate Dr. Mazari when he and Casey seem to have a good time talking to each other, but she is able to accept the relationship after talking to an elderly neighbor who tells her that her mother deserves some happiness. When her friend Button moves to California, Cordy is devastated, but there is a bright side to life when the McKearns want to sell the Big House, and Cordy's mom and Dr. Mazari buy it together, and Casey goes back to nursing school.
Strengths: There is an interesting author's note that this book was inspired in part by the death of two people on a crabbing boat. This was very atmospheric, and spending time in Florence, Oregon was interesting. I wanted a nice bowl of soup (maybe not clam chowder) at Curly's, because I felt cold all the time I was reading this. Lost is an engaging dog, and it's very realistic that he needed dental work, which is freakishly expensive. It was good to see that the Jenkins have a few people who are helping them, like Mrs. Hunt and Mrs. Crowley. The romance between Casey and Dr. Mazari is nice, and Cordy has age appropriate mixed emotions.
Weaknesses: This ends rather abruptly; I knew that Casey and Dr. Mazari would end up together, but it happened rather suddenly.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed King's Benny on the Case, which involves a seafront village, or Fusco's The Secrets of Honeycake, which had a similar sad feel to it. -

[Lizz Axnick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is definitely a Holly Goldberg Sloan book. It hits you in all the feels and you really feel like you're with the protagonist, holding her hand to navigate troubled times. At least this one did not make me cry but did leave me with a buoyant, fuzzy feeling of calmness.

Cordy is still grappling with the loss of her father. She lives in a small town on the Oregon Coast, Florence, OR. Her father was a crabber and passed in a boating accident. Since she lives right next to the water, it is an ominous reminder of her father on a daily basis. Her mother is struggling in her own way and trying to make ends meet. They live in a boathouse behind "The Big House" and are caretakers of seasonal property owners. Cordy's mom Casey dreams of getting away from Florence and starting her next steps in her new life without her husband.

As Cordy is walking home from school one day, she is followed by a stray dog. She takes him home and begs her mom to keep him. He aptly becomes named "Lost," especially since Cordy's mom thinks someone will claim him. However, it soon becomes clear Lost is now part of the family and becomes an unknowing catalyst to the life Cordy's mom dreams of when she meets the good natured veterinarian who helps lost at the free clinic.

Out of the thousands that are likely to read this, I am rather familiar with Cordy's life since I went to high school in Florence. It is a truly small town where everyone knows everyone, there are lots of retired people and it truly does rain a lot of the time. I have been to multiple places mentioned in this book and like Cordy's mom, I also lived in Coos Bay. Having this background made the book so much more enjoyable because I understood the wind Cordy describes frequently. I felt like it was windy every day and even if the summer it could be cold. I used to volunteer at the humane society where Cordy takes lost to the clinic. It felt like a little stroll down memory lane.

I adored all the characters in this book. While everyone has their own personal problems, there are a lot of helping hands and good people. Lost steals the show with his silly antics and his collecting of water bottles as toys (I also had a dog that loved these!).

This was just a relaxing, fun read, though tinged with sadness. It is something I would definitely read again.

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story about what happens after death, when you have to go on without the person, in this case Cordy’s father. She refers to his death as The Accident, and it marks the before and after in her life. When she had to go from having a dad and mom, to having a mom who has to work in a diner, instead of completing her nursing degree.


Cordy doesn’t so much dwell on it, but she seems to be drifting through life. She misses her dad, but no one wants to talk about it, and life is hard.


Then she finds a dog. Or a dog finds her. She names the dog “Lost” and thus, as she points out in the book, begins the series of coincidences and experiences that if they hadn’t happened would have not brought the change she needed. Lost gives her someone to be with, someone to care about. And in caring about him, she does certain things, that move the plot along.


Death and dying in middle grade fiction is very common. It is as common as stories of friends no longer being friends, and moving to new schools. What I like about this book is that it is about two years past the time of the death. People have stopped brining buy food and cookies. People have just stopped talking about it. But, as Cordy points out to her mom “I used to have a dad. You used to have a husband.”


Really well written, quick book to read. I really enjoyed how the story progressed, and especially the little dog “Lost.”


Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out on the 7th of October 2025.

[Pam O · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

Cordy (our main character and narrator) is trying to navigate life as a young girl in a coastal town in Oregon. Her father was a crab-fisherman and he unexpectedly passed away when a rogue wave capsized and sunk his boat. She, her brother Geno, and her mom are trying to move forward from their grief and make it through each day. One day Cordy comes across a lost dog, names him Lost, and he becomes an addition to their family. And Lost helps the somewhat broken family repair a bit.

This book is so adorable. I really like Cordy's character, and her voice is completely age appropriate. Sloan does such an astute job of capturing the competing and complex emotions a young girl might feel dealing with grief, adolescence, friendship, fear, intelligence, and life. Cordy is a very bright and self-aware character, who has a deep love for animals and nature. Had this book been around when I was 11-13 I would have seen myself in Cordy a little bit, but also wanted to be her best friend.

There are also some beautiful one-liners in this book that reminded me how complicated yet wonderful life can be.

If you are looking for an easy-to-read, heartfelt, coming of age story with tenderness and just the right amount of depth, I would highly recommend reading Finding Lost.

[The Page Ladies Book Club · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finding Lost by Holly Goldberg Sloan is a story that totally snuck up on me. It’s sweet, funny, tender, and real. Holly Goldberg Sloan has this gift for writing families that feel like your own, and main characters who feel like your little sister or your childhood best friend.

Cordy is going through it, grieving her dad, holding tight to her little brother, and desperately trying to keep her world from changing any more than it already has. Her mom is talking about moving, and Cordy wants to stay put. Enter: a muddy, scruffy little dog who Cordy names Lost. Yes, Lost. It's actually perfect!

What unfolds is this honest, warm, sometimes messy journey of healing, growing up, and finding little bits of magic in unexpected places, like in a dog’s wagging tail or a moment of laughter with your family. It’s one of those books that reminds you change is hard, but it doesn’t have to be scary. Sometimes, it even brings good things. And if you're someone who loves a dog story? Get ready. Lost is an absolute scene-stealer.

My final thoughts: it's heartwarming without being too sappy, full of little moments that’ll make you laugh, and so full of love you’ll want to hug the book when you’re done.

⚡️Thank you StoryGram Kids and Holly Goldberg Sloan for sharing this book with me!

[Beth Mendelsohn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Cordelia “Cordy” Jenkins lives with her little brother, Geno, and their mom. Things have been difficult since Cordy’s father died in a boating accident two years ago. The family is living in the Oregon coast boathouse on the property of a wealthy family in exchange for being the caretaker of the “Big House.” One day, Cordy finds a little stray dog she names Lost. Mom reluctantly agrees that they can keep Lost since no one has come forward to claim him. Lost is an older dog and has some dental issues. Geno finds out at the library that the animal shelter has free veterinary care for low-income families once a month so Cordy takes advantage of it. There she meets Dr. Taj Mazari who explains to Cordy and her mom that Lost has several rotted teeth and will try to arrange for the procedure to be done at the university where he teaches so that it wouldn’t cost the family anything. Dr. Mazari and Mom have formed a connection that Cordy does not want to acknowledge or accept, but over time, and with the advice of her elderly neighbor, Cordy realizes that her mom deserves to be happy again.

This a very sweet story about moving on after a tragedy. It was a quick read and I really enjoyed it. I would definitely recommend it to readers in grades 4 and up.
#FindingLost #NetGalley

[R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this in 2 sittings! ❤️ this book. Thanks Holly for the arc. I met her at Yallwest and she graciously gave me her only arc she brought to Yallwest, signed it, and took a picture with me!

Reminiscent of Hercules Beal, Cordy has lost her dad to a fishing accident. We meet Cordy, her younger brother, and mom 2 years and 4 months after The Accident. Cordy has her support system: mom, genial brother, local librarian, best friend, and nearly blind neighbor. And, then enters Lost, the abandoned dog she finds. Lost brings comfort to all her family, but his health needs attention. Cordy meets the volunteer veterinarian who ensures Lost will be well with some extra care.
What does family mean? What happens when someone dies? How long do you mourn? Do you find happiness again? How observant is the community and can they help?
All these questions are addressed in typical Counting by 7s author Holly Goldberg Sloan style. Masterpiece! Kleenex warning.

[Stephanie Fitzgerald]

Squeeee! (That’s my ten-year-old inner me after finishing this book).
Cordy (never Cordelia!) has been through a lot of changes in her young life. Some of them were not for the better, so she really prefers her routine life the way it is; shock/jump scares are not her thing.
Upon finding a stray dog on the Oregon beach near where she lives, in a kind of shack, with the “worst kitchen in the world”, her world does begin to become different. Finding “Lost” will change his life, and that of Cordy’s family, in ways they would never have imagined when she brought home the small dog with very stinky breath…
And the cover art is gorgeous!
Memorable Quotes:
“It’s hard to be mad at someone who has so much love to give”.
“ You draw a picture in your mind every time you remember. Maybe the more it means to you, the stronger the picture becomes.”

* I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.”

[Karol Silverstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gentle as a wave, Cordy's journey to find her way following her father's death will wash over your heart and leave you refreshed. She rescues a shivering stray dog in a steady rain, naming him Lost, but it's really this new pet who saves her - and her family. Cordy's love for her family - sunshiny little brother Geno and her hardworking mom - drives this story. They're all hurting, and Cordy seems determined to take on the weight for whole brood. Her conflicted feelings when her mom and a local vet who treats Lost take a liking to each other is achingly realistic. She wants her mom to be happy, of course, but is being happy about this new romance a betrayal of her dad?

Holly Goldberg Sloan has a knack for deeply moving family tales that run on raw emotions and realistic scenarios. Breathtakingly unique and yet universally relatable, Finding Lost is a fitting and worthy addition to her admirable body of work.

[Vicky · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a heartwarming book about family, loss, grief, and new beginnings when Cordy finds a dog whom she names Lost. When Cordy realizes something’s wrong with Lost, she finds a veterinarian at the humane society. He tells her the dog has rotten teeth and needs dental surgery. When her mom talks to the vet, Cordy notices her mom is happy. Things begin to change after the dog has dental surgery. Cordy is not sure how she feels about the vet. A friend tells her your mom deserves to be happy since your dad died. When they all go to the beach, something happens that changes the way Cody feels about the vet. What happens?
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Kim Wilch · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you believe everything happens for a reason, you’ll love this one—because Lost, the stray dog, shows up in this family’s life at the exact moment they need him most. What follows is a heartfelt journey through grief, change, and finding unexpected magic (the kind only a dog can deliver).

Yes, it’s about loss, and yes, it tugs at the heart, but it’s also warm, funny, and real. Lost is an absolute scene-stealer, and the way he helps this family heal will make you want to hug your own pup—or at least this book. Sweet without being sappy, it’s the kind of story that leaves you smiling through the tears.

[Kristen | citruschapters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holly Goldberg Sloan does it again with a beautiful, thoughtful story about an eccentric kid. Finding Lost is perfect for upper elementary and middle school readers. In a style similar to Counting by 7s, it’s filled with tender relationships and shows just how much community matters. Sloan effortlessly captures the youthful voice and inner world of a young girl navigating grief, big transitions, and the ups and downs of being an older sister.

Thanks to NetGalley, Penquin Young Readers Group, and Holly Goldberg Sloan for the ARC!

[Sara Hudson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holly Goldberg Sloan is one of the very best at creating quirky characters you want to hang out with, and Cordy Jenkins is no exception. A daughter grappling with the death of her father, a big sister to the sweetest little brother, a new owner of a "Lost" dog - Cordy is many things. But mostly, she is an inquisitive girl trying to find her way. A little bit Because of Winn-Dixie, a little bit Anybody Here Seen Frenchie?, a little bit Counting by 7s - but mostly a whole lot of heart. A winner.

Thanks to Libro.fm for the advanced listening copy.

[Nicole Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book for my honest opinion.

What a moving book. The book flows with a natural progression with Lost being the central point moving the family forward. I loved that one kindness to a lost dog manifests into a better future for all. I loved the big community in the small town, how Cordy feels separate from everyone after the death of her father and yet the community comes together to find ways to help the family when they can. I’ll admit I am a little biased as I grew up on Oregon, but I loved the beautiful exploration of the Oregon coast that is usually known only from Goonies. I also went to Oregon State and loved that it got some of the recognition it deserves. I loved all of this book, especially that it was an easy and quick read on a heavy topic. Another movingly beautiful book from Sloan.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was definitely a middle grade, and not a young adult novel-- I went into it with the wrong mindset! However- for a middle grade, this was quite good. Sloan expertly tackled the heavy subject of grief and coping. I loved Lost and loved watching Cordy's character growth throughout the novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finding Lost is a heartwarming story about working through grief while helping someone else, or in this case a dog. Cordy has been the rock for her younger brother and sometimes for her mother after "the Accident." But she has buried her own grief very well. A lost dog and some help from unexpected places help Cordy journey to new possibilities and hope for herself and her family.

[Emily McKee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, but not memorable, story of a family’s rebirth after finding a dog. First person narration, which can be annoying if you don’t like being trapped in the mind of a 12 year old, even a very sweet 12 year old.

Go ahead and let your kids read it if this is their kind of thing, but don’t go out of your way to get it in their hands.

[Kim Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although she used the word "sweet" too many times, Sloan wrote a beautiful, touching story about loss. The little dog was adorable, along with Geno, the little brother. I thought Cordy was realistically portrayed in her grief and had reasonable reactions to the things going on around her.

I will recommend this to kids looking for a quick, entertaining, realistic fiction book.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A girl lives with her mom and little brother after her dad dies in a boating accident. She is grieving and finds/adopts a little dog she sees one day. Through different circumstances the dog helps her to find her bravery and joy again. VERY sweet and great writing!

[Tori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes the soul just needs a precious middle grade novel that tackles grief and the magic of adopting a dog (the dog lives)! Shout out to LibroFM for the ALC and providing my heart with a hug via this book!

[Dale Barlow]

(JF) 10.05.2025: per Sunday NY Times Book Review this dog-centered novel is a follow-up to a 2000 published JF novel "Because of Winn-Dixie"; this one not yet out, but ordered locally...;

[J. S. Seebauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say, HGSloan is brilliant at writing this style of book.

[Elisabeth Lovelace · Rating 1 out of 5]

it was a basic, parent dies and the surviving one finds a new person --> could have been more unquie and less copy paste.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A super sweet story that is perfect for tweens!!

[Leslie Basney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve liked every book I’ve read by this author but I love this one. It has a dog, 🐶, a family and is set smack dab in my neighborhood.