Synopses & Reviews
In books, when you read something like, “everything is great,” you just know that something terrible is about to happen. But in real life, you can miss the warnings. And then, wham
, slam
, sneak attack. Everything skids out of control.Before the first day of seventh grade is over, Kat Randalls year is nearly ruined. When her beloved dog, Cheddar, is run over by a woman with Alzheimers disease, Kat reacts impulsively, leaving school on a “borrowed” bike to get to the vet. Then the bike gets stolen. Kat often does the wrong thing for the right reason, but now she has gone from being a person you can count on to someone you probably shouldnt. Suddenly she is looked at differently by everyone at school—even the police are keeping an eye on her. If “one of the best years” of her life starts out like this, whats next?
Review
Booklist Genuine kid humor and a good-hearted, all-too-human heroine distinguish this middle-grade novel about an unlikely juvenile delinquent. Seventh grader Kat Randall is not your typical criminal. Her good reputation begins to unravel, however, after her dog Cheddar gets hit by a car and her integrity is trumped by impulsiveness. Wild to find out how her injured dog is faring, she cuts classes to visit the vet--on a borrowed bicycle, no less. When someone steals the borrowed bike before she can return it, Kat's moment of haste manifests itself as a police record. This is serious, (very serious, Mom adds), but Kat manages to mitigate the circumstances with a good sense of humor--something she will need while baby-sitting for the rest of her life to pay for the stolen bike. On the road to restitution, Kat learns a few lessons about compassion--for the woman with Alzheimer's who was driving the car that hit Cheddar, and even for an actual bike thief who is roaming her town. A well-rounded offering. School Library Journal On her first day in seventh grade, Kat Randall learns that her impetuosity can lead to serious consequences. After her beloved retriever is hit by a car driven by an elderly woman with Alzheimer's, Kat cannot wait any longer to hear about her dog's condition; she "borrows" a bike from school grounds and heads to the vet. Cheddar will ultimately pull through but Kat's troubles have just begun, because the bike gets stolen and she must earn the money to replace it. More bikes are taken from school and the police view Kat as a suspect. She becomes increasingly involved with Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence (the woman who hit Cheddar), staying with her so that her husband can occasionally get out. Kat's generous, impulsive nature is still in evidence, but she slowly learns responsibility, realizing that everyone deals with issues of one sort or another. Ultimately, the thieves are caught, Kat is exonerated, and she regains her sense of being a person who can be relied upon to do the right thing. Kat is a funny, warmhearted character whose voice immediately grabs readers. Snappy dialogue, sympathetic adults as well as unpleasant ones, and descriptions of the ways in which an action can have major repercussions all add to this touching, perceptive, highly readable novel that is sure to strike a chord with readers.
Review
“Swallow introduces a sympathetic and candid young narrator in this skillfully shaped novel that examines the consequences of acting impulsively.”—
Publishers Weekly“Genuine kid humor and a good-hearted, all-too-human heroine distinguish this middle-grade novel about an unlikely juvenile delinquent. . . . A well-rounded offering.”—Booklist
“Kat is a funny, warmhearted character whose voice immediately grabs readers. Snappy dialogue, sympathetic adults as well as unpleasant ones, and descriptions of the ways in which an action can have major repercussions all add to this touching, perceptive, highly readable novel that is sure to strike a chord with readers.”—School Library Journal “I laughed out loud. Pamela Curtis Swallow has captured the nuances of funny, as well as heartbreaking, situations. Bravo—what a wonderful book!”—Ann M. Martin, Newbery winner and author of A Dogs Life
“Funny and caring, Kat is worth knowing. Pamela Curtis Swallow has created a character that readers will want as a friend.”—Paula Danziger, author of The Cat Ate My Gymsuit
Synopsis
Before the first day of seventh grade is over, Kat Randall's year is nearly ruined. When her beloved dog, Cheddar, is run over by a woman with Alzheimer's disease, Kat reacts impulsively, leaving school on a "borrowed" bike. If "one of the best years" of her life starts out like this, what's next?
Synopsis
Before the first day of seventh grade is over, Kat Randall's year is nearly ruined. When her beloved dog, Cheddar, is run over by a woman with Alzheimer's disease, Kat reacts impulsively, leaving school on a "borrowed" bike. If "one of the best years" of her life starts out like this, what's next?
Synopsis
A dog in peril. A girl in big trouble. These two best friends will need a miracle to get out of this mess.
About the Author
Pamela Curtis Swallow, author of
A Writer's Notebook and
Leave It to Christy, lives in Flemington, New Jersey. This is her first book for Roaring Brook Press.