A heartwarming—and heart-tugging—middle grade novel about love, loyalty, and what it means to be part of a family—from author Carolyn Crimi, with adorable illustrations by Melissa Manwill. Perfect for fans of A Dog’s Life and Because of Winn-Dixie. Miss Lottie’s home was for second chances. When she adopted Gus, Roo, Tank, and Moon Pie, Miss Lottie rescued each member of the pack—including herself, her helper, Quinn, and her reclusive cat, Ghost—and turned them into a family. But when a new dog, Decker, arrives and tries to hoard Miss Lottie’s heart and home for himself, the pack’s future is threatened. At first, Gus, the insecure pack leader, only notices little things, like tiny Moon Pie being kicked out of the bed and Ghost acting spooked (then again…Ghost is a cat). But things soon go from bad to worse as Decker’s presence causes disharmony in the group. When Decker convinces Moon Pie to embark on an impossible journey, it’s up to Gus to gather his courage, rally his splintered pack, and bring the little dog home. And with coyotes and cars on the loose, the pack must push through obstacles and dangers to reunite with Moon Pie before he can get hurt—or, nearly as bad, get his heart broken.

An illustrated fantasy story with science themes; friendship and science bring tiny magical robots to life for nine-year-old Penny Rose! In a new town with only the robots she creates for company, it only takes a little bit of magic to change everything for nine-year-old Penny Rose. With her new friend Lark--an eccentric tinkerer herself--the promise of joining a secret science club and her newly sentient robots, Penny Rose can't imagine how she was ever lonely. But a fateful misstep means Penny Rose will have to choose between the club she's always dreamed of and the best friend she'd always hoped for. And in the end, it may be her beloved little robots who pay the price. A magical story of friendship, growing up and how our choices affect those we care most about.