Luna Howls at the Moon [9780063018631]

Overview

The award-winning author of A Dog Like Daisy returns with a moving middle grade novel from the point of view of Luna, a Labrador therapy dog who accompanies her group therapy kids when they set off on an adventure across Austin, Texas.

Luna has always wanted to be a therapy dog at Therapy Dogs Worldwide. Now she’s a whisker away from reaching her fifty-visit pin that will make it official. But when her “clients”—the children who visit her—are put into a therapy group, Luna’s routine is upended.

Like the moon, Luna shows different faces at different times. And her clients each have different needs—Beatrice is tangled in knots of anger, Caleb rushes like a waterfall, Amelia carries fear heavy like a shadow, and Hector is quiet as a rock. To comfort the kids, Luna can be what they need her to be, but can she be everything to them all at once?

When Hector doesn’t show up to a session one day, the kids set off on an unexpected quest to find him. Luna joins to keep them safe, and they must work together to almost learn the truth.

* Banks Street Best Children's Books of the Year *

• A Dog’s Point of View: Experience this moving adventure through the eyes of Luna, a therapy dog who understands feelings better than most people—and is determined to protect her kids, no matter what.
• An Unlikely Friendship: Four kids who have nothing in common—angry Beatrice, anxious Caleb, silent Amelia, and quiet Hector—must learn to trust each other on a quest through the streets of Austin.
• A Story of Courage and Empathy: A heartfelt journey about facing your fears, finding your voice, and discovering that the best way to heal yourself is by helping your friends.
• Emotional Learning for Kids: A gentle and moving exploration of big feelings like anger, anxiety, and trauma, perfect for starting conversations about mental health with middle grade readers.