Strays
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- Pre-Order
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- Expected Jun 2, 2026
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- $8.99
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- Pre-Order
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
“Strays is perfection.” —Barbara O’Connor, New York Times–bestselling author of Wish
“Funny. Touching. Empowering.” —Ellen Hopkins, New York Times–bestselling author of What About Will and Closer to Nowhere
A girl learns the true meaning of home after forming a life-changing relationship with a stray dog in this irresistibly endearing middle-grade novel, reminiscent of beloved and bestselling stories like Wish, Pax, and Because of Winn-Dixie.
Campbell Cole has a big heart for all living things, especially strays. It might be because her father, the director of the local animal control, is as aloof as they come, so Campbell knows what it’s like to feel alone.
When she spots an adorable dog being dumped on the street, the last thing Campbell can do is tell her dad. He might take the pup straight to the shelter, where new rescues have just three days to be adopted. The only person she can trust with the truth is her best friend, Luz.
The more time Campbell spends trying to catch the dog, the more he starts to trust her, which is both great and terrible because Campbell knows she can’t keep him. But perhaps she doesn’t have to. With the help of Luz’s father, an army vet grappling with PTSD, she just may find a solution that benefits not only the dog, but everyone else, too.
Gia Gordon’s Strays is a beautifully written, heartfelt novel about friendship, family, and finding the courage to stand up for what’s right, that will resonate with anyone who has ever struggled to find a place to call home.
If you loved Strays, don’t miss Gia Gordon’s acclaimed middle-grade debut My So-Called Family.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Gordon (My So-Called Family) artfully balances weighty themes with gentle humor in this heartwarming story about a white-cued tween resolving to rescue a stray dog. While walking home from school, Campbell Cole witnesses a puppy being tossed from a moving van. The daughter of an animal control director, Campbell knows that many unclaimed strays are euthanized. With this in mind—and with help from her best friend Luz—she secretly saves the pup. As the besties work to help the frightened pooch, Campbell also struggles to navigate her fraught relationship with her father. Still reeling from the sudden death of her estranged mother, he remains emotionally distant, leaving Campbell resentful of both his job and his silence. She escapes the tension of home by spending time with Luz's bustling, joyful family—though Campbell begins to sense that all is not well there either, as Luz's father, recently returned from an extended military deployment, struggles to settle back into family life. Affable, accessible prose deftly addresses difficult realities surrounding peoples' handling of unhoused animals and challenges faced by families coping with grief and mental health. It's a compassionate narrative about responsibility, friendship, and empathy. Ages 8–12.
