Overview
A moving middle-grade novel about a young nonbinary person searching for family and finding it with a sweet rescue dog named Gooseberry There’s a lot 12-year-old B doesn’t know—like what their new name should be after coming out as nonbinary. Or what it would be like to finally feel at home after moving around to different foster families for years. But there’s one thing B does know: they want to be a dog trainer when they grow up. And when they meet Gooseberry—a feisty stray dog who seems as wary of strangers as B does—B feels an instant connection. With Gooseberry, B could have everything they want: a family of their own, and a dog to train. And B’s newest foster parents agree to let B adopt him. But training a dog isn’t as easy as B expected. Gooseberry is anxious and barely lets B pet him, let alone train him. Will Gooseberry ever feel at ease with B? And how can B teach Gooseberry to trust, when they know so little about trust themself? Gooseberry is a heartwarming story by the acclaimed author of Dear Mothman about finding family, finding hope, and—most of all—finding and accepting yourself.
Full Product Details
Author: Robin Gow
Publisher: Abrams
Imprint: Amulet Paperbacks
Dimensions:
Width: 14.00cm
, Height: 3.30cm
, Length: 20.30cm
ISBN: 9781419764431
ISBN 10: 1419764438
Pages: 312
Publication Date: 05 February 2026
Recommended Age: From 10 to 14 years
Audience:
Children/juvenile
,
Young adult
,
Children's (6-12)
,
Teenage / Young adult
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming
Availability: Not yet available
This item is yet to be released. You can pre-order this item and we will dispatch it to you upon its release.
Reviews
""A sensitive exploration of autism, gender identity, and dog training.""-- ""Kirkus"" ""B's search for self-identity is artfully written...""-- ""Publishers Weekly"" ***STARRED REVIEW*** ""B's struggle to find home and acceptance will have readers rooting for them and Gooseberry the dog. A must-purchase realistic fiction title for all middle grade collections.""-- ""School Library Journal"" ***STARRED REVIEW*** ""Gow's latest middle-grade novel (Dear Mothman, 2023) continues delving into the intersection of transgender or nonbinary identities with autistic and ADHD neurodivergence, and while B thinks no one would be able to understand their brain, autistic readers especially will find much that is both relatable and validating.""-- ""Booklist""
***STARRED REVIEW*** ""Gow’s latest middle-grade novel (Dear Mothman, 2023) continues delving into the intersection of transgender or nonbinary identities with autistic and ADHD neurodivergence, and while B thinks no one would be able to understand their brain, autistic readers especially will find much that is both relatable and validating."" * Booklist * ""B’s search for self-identity is artfully written..."" * Publishers Weekly * ***STARRED REVIEW*** ""B’s struggle to find home and acceptance will have readers rooting for them and Gooseberry the dog. A must-purchase realistic fiction title for all middle grade collections."" * School Library Journal * ""A sensitive exploration of autism, gender identity, and dog training."" * Kirkus *
Author Information
Robin Gow is a poet, educator, and witch from rural Pennsylvania. It is a community educator on disability justice and LGBTQIA2+ issues and author of critically acclaimed books for children and young adults including Dear Mothman, Ode to My First Car, and A Million Quiet Revolutions. Fae lives with faer partner and their many lovely pets. Fae enjoys wandering in the woods and any kinds of arts and crafts.
