Eleven-year-old Poppy Ray longs to be a veterinarian, but she’s never had a pet. This summer, she’s going to spend a month with her uncle Sanjay, veterinarian and owner of the Furry Friends Animal Clinic on an island off the Washington coast.
Poppy is in for big surprises. She loves tending to the dogs, cats, and even a bird, and she discovers the fun of newborn puppies and the satisfaction of doing a good job. But she learns that there’s more to caring for animals than the stethoscope and cotton swabs in her Deluxe Veterinarian First-Aid Kit. She’s not prepared for quirky pet owners, gross stuff, or scary emergencies. With help from a boy named Hawk, a chunk of seaglass, and a touch of intuition, Poppy gains a deeper understanding of the pain and joy of working with animals.
This book will especially appeal to children who love animals, but anyone who is young at heart will also enjoy the story.
SEAGLASS SUMMER
Wendy Lamb Books/Random House, 2010
Middle grade novel, 163 pages
Ages 7- 12
Price: $15.99
Also available as eBook and library binding
REVIEW EXCERPTS:
Review, BOOKLIST, March 1, 2010:
“Always true to itself, this should find a wide readership.”
Review, KIRKUS REVIEWS, April 15, 2010:
“This engaging and realistic tale is a top pick for reluctant readers and anyone with an interest in what veterinary care entails.”
Review, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, June 13, 2010:
“This novel…reflects a quiet contemplativeness that leaves readers both pensive and satisfied.”
Link to Random House Teachers’ page for SEAGLASS SUMMER (including a chapter to read):
https://www.randomhouse.com/teachers/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780385735674
BIO:
Anjali Banerjee is the author of eight novels including Maya Running and Looking for Bapu, and she’s at work on her ninth book. She was born in India, grew up in Canada and California, and received degrees from the University of California, Berkeley. At the age of seven, she wrote her first story, about an abandoned puppy she found on a beach in Bengal. Her Pushcart Prize-nominated fiction has appeared in several literary journals and in the anthology New to North America. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and five crazy cats. Learn more about Anjali on her Web site, https://www.anjalibanerjee.com.
Her other books are:
For children:
MAYA RUNNING (Wendy Lamb Books/Random House)
LOOKING FOR BAPU (Wendy Lamb Books/Random House)
THE SILVER SPELL (Mirrorstone Books)
RANI AND THE FASHION DIVAS (Mirrorstone Books)
For adults:
IMAGINARY MEN (Simon & Schuster)
INVISIBLE LIVES (Simon & Schuster)
To be published in Feb 2011:
HAUNTING JASMINE (Berkley/Penguin)
Under contract: working title ENCHANTING LILY (Berkley/Penguin).
