Seaglass Summer

by Anjali Banerjee

Overview

 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. With warmth and humor, Anjali Banerjee tells the story of a resourceful, determined girl who can't wait to grow up, but begins to realize just how much she has left to discover.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780375896668
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	05/11/2010
Sold by:	Random House
Format:	eBook
Pages:	160
Lexile:	590L (what's this?)
File size:	2 MB
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Anjali Banerjee is the author of Maya Running and Looking for Bapu. 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 three crazy cats. Learn more about Anjali on her Web site, www.anjalibanerjee.com.

Editorial Reviews

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."

From the Publisher

Poppy Ray, 11, hopes to become a veterinarian someday, but her experience with animals is more virtual than real, since Mom is allergic to fur. Now Poppy has the chance to test-drive her dream, assisting Uncle Sanjay at his island veterinary clinic in Washington state while her parents visit relatives in India. Gentle Uncle Sanjay lives up to her expectations, but the clinic ambiance-cranky staff, needy animals and wacky owners-is a shock. Mopping up blood and pee, cutting tangles from matted fur, de-worming-caring for pets can be downright gross! Encouraged by Uncle Sanjay, Hawk, another young volunteer, and Toni, a nurse and island psychic who inspires her to hunt for seaglass on the beach, Poppy finds a way to make a positive difference and discovers that helping to deliver fuzzy puppies, soothing an injured poodle and comforting a bereaved cat owner compensate for the messy, smellier chores. Serviceably written, this engaging and realistic tale is a top pick for reluctant readers and anyone with an interest in what veterinary care entails. (Fiction. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews