When Friendship Followed Me Home
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4.0 • 3 Ratings
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
A boy’s chance encounter with a scruffy dog leads to an unforgettable friendship in this deeply moving story about life, loss and the meaning of family.
Ben Coffin has never felt like he fits in. A former foster kid, he keeps his head down at school to avoid bullies and spends his afternoons reading sci-fi books at the library. But all that changes when he finds a scruffy abandoned dog named Flip and befriends the librarian’s daughter, Halley. For the first time, Ben starts to feel like he belongs in his own life. Then everything changes, and suddenly Ben is more alone than ever. But with a little help from Halley’s magician father, Ben discovers his place in the world and learns to see his own magic through others’ eyes.
Equal parts heartbreaking and heartwarming, When Friendship Followed Me Home is a must-read for dog lovers and fans of emotionally resonant middle-grade novels.
Paul Griffin is a teacher and a devoted helper of at-risk and special-needs teens. He works with organisations like Behind the Book and Literacy for Incarcerated Teens, focusing on helping young men and women tell their stories. He is the author of several novels for young adults, including Ten Mile River, Stay with Me, Burning Blue and Adrift. Paul lives in Manhattan.
‘Those familiar with Griffin’s books for teens know that Kleenex may be needed to successfully navigate this wrenching journey, which breathes fresh, warm life into what might have been an overworked cliché. Entrancing, magical, tragic, and uplifting.’ STARRED Review, Kirkus
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
After growing up in foster care, 12-year-old Ben Coffin is just happy to have a home and a loving mother; living in Coney Island is icing on the cake. Ben adores the beach, the boardwalk, and the local librarian, Mrs. Lorentz. When he meets her daughter, Halley, there is an instant connection, fueled in part by Flip, a dog Ben rescues from the street. Soon Ben and Halley are best friends, collaborating on a fantasy story and hanging out all the time, even as she undergoes chemotherapy. But Ben has learned that good things don't tend to last, and when his mother dies, and Halley's treatments begin to fail, he has to dig deep to find faith in people, the world, and himself. As in his young adult books, Griffin (Adrift) handles hard topics with penetrating insight and honesty, while balancing painful moments (and there are many) with levity, such as Flip's need to lick everyone on the mouth. Ben wrestles with big questions in relatable, realistic ways, and his huge heart and optimism will win over even the most hardened skeptics. Ages 10 up.
