October 6, 2026 by Godwin Books
E ARC provided by Netgalley
In this novel in verse, Tiana is used to traveling with her parents, who are conservationists. They are teachers, and spend the summer volunteering on various projects. This summer, they have come from Canada to the Sierra Nevada mountains to help count Pacific fishers alongside Dr. Iris Journey. The family has green cards, and are considering if they want to become US citizens. The father's family immigrated from Cuba, and Tiana's mother's father left the US in 1969 to avoid the draft. It's a little lonely not being at home near her friends from gymnastics, but when she finds a dog in a tree, she manages to convince her parents to let her keep the dog at camp. The dog had previously belonged to an older shepherd who had to retire due to health issues; at one point, Tree Dog even finds the man in the forest, since his memory issues caused him to wander off, and he couldn't find his way back. Tiana is glad for the company, and even learns that some dogs can be trained to help find endangered species.
This is a very philosophical, lyrical book, and Tiana ponders many topics of current interest. I would have loved to see more about the grandfather who moved to Canada; the only book about a Vietnam era conscientious objector I have seen is Kurlansky's Battle Fatigue. Since I had a good friend who spent over twenty years in Cananda because he would not serve in the military, it's something I'd like to know more about. Readers who like Engle's Mountain Dog (2013) or Silver People (2014) will want to take a look at this new title. My readers who request dog books usually want more action and adventure in traditional prose, so I will pass on purchase.
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