What do you think?
Rate this book
Golden Boy
For the first printing only! This hardcover features sprayed stenciled edges while the special edition supply lasts. When the beloved family golden retriever becomes human, a girl's relationships with her family and herself transform in ways she never thought possible in this "fun, fast-moving" (School Library Journal, starred review) young adult novel. Science-obsessed, teen-genius Emma Branch is used to being the odd one out--in her family, among her classmates, and in her small town that only ever seems to care about football. She doesn't mind being all alone; in fact, she prefers it. Besides, who needs friends when she has a best friend already--her golden retriever, Hudson. But when Hudson gets into an accident, Emma can't bear to lose her only friend. Luckily, she's been working on an experimental substance for her school science project that could help him out. All it was supposed to do was heal Hudson, not...turn him human?! Emma, her family, and the whole town is about to learn just how a golden retriever can change hearts and minds for the better--that is, after causing a big, old mess first.
1 pages, Audio CD
Published August 25, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 2, 2026
Thanks to Simon Teen for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
Golden Boy had such a bizarre and fun premise. It reminded me of those old movies in sepia tones where weird things keep happening, yet everyone just turns around and carries on without questioning anything. Emma, a science- and animal-obsessed girl, accidentally turns her beloved golden retriever into a human. I really wanted to love their bond and see how they would navigate the world after this transformation, but unfortunately, the execution didn’t quite work for me.
I liked Emma as a character and appreciated her enthusiasm for science. The whole concept of a golden retriever suddenly becoming a teenage boy was definitely entertaining, and there were some genuinely funny moments. But the family drama was a lot. Emma’s father and brothers were cruel, dismissive, and openly misogynistic toward her for most of the book. Honestly, every member of this family was rude to one another. The way the father was essentially whitewashed by the end was really unsettling. It also took me a while to figure out whether the story was set in the South or the 1980s, the way everyone seemed stuck in time made me uncomfortable. Emma also gives up her dream of going to vet school so easily, and then it’s barely mentioned again. The eventual change in her family felt far too sudden to be believable.
This is the kind of book where the more you stop and think about it, the weirder it gets. I couldn’t quite figure out whether the story wanted to be funny, emotional, or both, and unfortunately, I don’t think those elements blended very well. Too many half-developed subplots happened at once, and not all of them made sense. I wish the emotional changes had more room to develop instead of just throwing Hudson onto the football field. There are some good messages about kindness, family, and being willing to let people into your life, but they felt a little too heavy-handed for me. A younger audience might enjoy this book way more.
Golden Boy had such a bizarre and fun premise. It reminded me of those old movies in sepia tones where weird things keep happening, yet everyone just turns around and carries on without questioning anything. Emma, a science- and animal-obsessed girl, accidentally turns her beloved golden retriever into a human. I really wanted to love their bond and see how they would navigate the world after this transformation, but unfortunately, the execution didn’t quite work for me.
I liked Emma as a character and appreciated her enthusiasm for science. The whole concept of a golden retriever suddenly becoming a teenage boy was definitely entertaining, and there were some genuinely funny moments. But the family drama was a lot. Emma’s father and brothers were cruel, dismissive, and openly misogynistic toward her for most of the book. Honestly, every member of this family was rude to one another. The way the father was essentially whitewashed by the end was really unsettling. It also took me a while to figure out whether the story was set in the South or the 1980s, the way everyone seemed stuck in time made me uncomfortable. Emma also gives up her dream of going to vet school so easily, and then it’s barely mentioned again. The eventual change in her family felt far too sudden to be believable.
This is the kind of book where the more you stop and think about it, the weirder it gets. I couldn’t quite figure out whether the story wanted to be funny, emotional, or both, and unfortunately, I don’t think those elements blended very well. Too many half-developed subplots happened at once, and not all of them made sense. I wish the emotional changes had more room to develop instead of just throwing Hudson onto the football field. There are some good messages about kindness, family, and being willing to let people into your life, but they felt a little too heavy-handed for me. A younger audience might enjoy this book way more.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Life is richer with a dog by your side. What if you could learn to look at life through the eyes of a golden retriever? And what if he could talk back to you? This Golden Boy- and his best friend Emma- have stolen my heart - and the football!
This is a stay-up-late laughing and crying, heartwarming science experiment and football adventure that reminds us that the best way to be human is sometimes to be more like a dog.
This is a stay-up-late laughing and crying, heartwarming science experiment and football adventure that reminds us that the best way to be human is sometimes to be more like a dog.
September 3, 2026
Very enjoyable story. A. J. Symon really understands the magic of Golden Retrievers and the love between them and their people!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews