By Thom Pico and Karensac. Published by Penguin Random House. Softcover, 224 pages, Colour, 2020. A fun, action-packed fantasy adventure about a girl, her dog, and magic gone wrong!Quiet . . . birds . . . nature. . . .That’s what Aster expects when her parents move their whole family to the middle of nowhere. It’s just her (status: super-bored), her mom and dad (status: busy with science), her brother (status: has other plans), and . . .. . . magic?In her new home, Aster meets a mysterious old woman with a herd of dogs who gives her a canine companion of her own. But when she and her dog Buzz are adventuring in the forest, they run into a trickster spirit who gives Aster three wishes. After wishing for the ability to understand and talk to her dog, she becomes only able to talk in dog language . . . and the trouble she gets into is just starting. Maybe the middle of nowhere will be more interesting than Aster thought. “Full of sardonic asides and general whimsy, this will make readers eager to snag the promised sequel and begin rural adventures of their own.” —The Bulletin, starred review“An entertaining and lighthearted fantasy.” —Kirkus Reviews“Spirited adventure and an oddball sense of humor make this a promising start to a series that will be perfect for fans of the Hilda comics.” —Publishers Weekly
