Georgina is 12 and is very desperate to help out her mother in any way that she can possibly come up with. Georgina 's father has left her mother to fend for herself and her 2 children. The mother is trying to work 2 jobs in order to get a home for her family. The family lives in the car and when Georgina is not in school, she is in charge of taking care of her younger brother Toby.
Could a "Reward for A Lost Dog" sign be the answer to the family's problems? Georgina comes up with a plan to earn a $500 reward for returning a lost dog. She must first find a dog whose owner will post a reward for its safe return. She decides to steal Willy. She is very detailed in planning out what steps she will take. She keeps all of her plans written in a notebook. What she doesn't plan on is, the interesting characters she encounters in carrying out her plan. She develops a friendship with Willy's owner and an elderly gentleman by the name of Mookie who has similar living conditions to Georgina 's family.
This is an excellent story for the middle graders! Barbara O'Connor does a terrific job in bringing out important issues like homelessness, dealing with elderly, and doing what is right in all situations. This book will have kids having a hard time laying this book down until the final page. I know many of my classmates (both dog lovers and non dog lovers) are anxious to read this delightful book!
