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Fans of classic animal tales will howl over this heartwarming story told in the alternating perspectives of a girl living in a shelter and the homeless dog she's determined to reunite with his family.
Piper's life is turned upside down when her family moves into a shelter in a whole new city. She misses her house, her friends, and her privacy-and she hates being labeled the homeless girl at her new school. But while the shelter, Hope House, offers her new challenges, it also brings new friendships, like the girls in Firefly Girls Troop 423 and a sweet street dog named Baby. So when Baby's person goes missing, Piper knows she has to help. But helping means finding the courage to trust herself and her new friends, no matter what anyone says about them-before Baby gets taken away for good.
Told in the alternating perspectives of Piper and Baby, this uplifting friendship tale celebrates the importance of hope, the power of story, and the true meaning of home.
Piper's life is turned upside down when her family moves into a shelter in a whole new city. She misses her house, her friends, and her privacy-and she hates being labeled the homeless girl at her new school. But while the shelter, Hope House, offers her new challenges, it also brings new friendships, like the girls in Firefly Girls Troop 423 and a sweet street dog named Baby. So when Baby's person goes missing, Piper knows she has to help. But helping means finding the courage to trust herself and her new friends, no matter what anyone says about them-before Baby gets taken away for good.
Told in the alternating perspectives of Piper and Baby, this uplifting friendship tale celebrates the importance of hope, the power of story, and the true meaning of home.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published August 13, 2019
130 people are currently reading
2725 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 247 reviews
January 21, 2020
A book that puts a very different light on the problem of homelessness. The author did a wonderful job of portraying the feelings of people caught in this unfortunate situation.
Memorable Quotes:
(Pg. 118)-“Don’t let nobody tell you who you are because of where you live.”
(Pg.82)-“Our animals always, and I mean always, come first. They eat first. They share our blankets when it’s cold. If they’re sick, we get them help... Because we love them, and they love us back no matter what.”
Memorable Quotes:
(Pg. 118)-“Don’t let nobody tell you who you are because of where you live.”
(Pg.82)-“Our animals always, and I mean always, come first. They eat first. They share our blankets when it’s cold. If they’re sick, we get them help... Because we love them, and they love us back no matter what.”
September 19, 2021
Fans of Barbara O'Connor's How to Steal a Dog or Wish will enjoy this story about Piper, a young girl living in a homeless shelter and Baby, a small dog who finds herself separated from her owner, Jewel. Can Piper reunite the two? What can a girl without a home do to help a dog without a home?
August 5, 2019
This is so much more than a feel good dog story. Readers will learn about being homeless, having mental illness and dog shelters. All of this is included in this new novel by Bobbie Pyron. An amazing story that tells it like it is and brings resolution without having to suspend reality. Outstanding!
Thank you to Katherine Tegen Books and Edelweiss for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Katherine Tegen Books and Edelweiss for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 15, 2020
Readers from 4th grade through adults who love MG will sigh with satisfaction after turning that last page of this 2020-2021 Texas Bluebonnet Award nominee. Bobbie Pyron tackles the tough issues of homelessness and mental illness and softens them with a dog and a girl who both have a heart for people. Those who have looked with disdain at people holding signs on the corner begging for food or kids who are living in shelters will hopefully gain a little empathy and compassion for folks who are down on their luck and a whole lot of gratitude for what they have. "Stay" is written from two perspectives--5th grader and recently homeless Piper, and Baby, treasured pet of Jewel, who is also homeless and suffers from bipolar disorder. Their distinct voices will make any ELA teacher happy to use this book during writing and reading lessons and lend a unique spin on the story's telling that students and teachers will all appreciate. And while the conclusion ties up one situation happily, Pyron does not fix all the problems for the book's characters. She does, however, leave those reading and those in the book with a clear sense of HOPE. Who could ask for anything more? I can clearly see a book display with "Stay" alongside O'Connor's "How to Steal a Dog," Bauer's "Almost Home," Applegate's "Crenshaw," and DiCamillo's "Louisiana's Way Home." Highly recommended with no content notes on profanity, violence or sexual content. Those looking for diversity in characters will be pleased that the residents in the park and the homeless shelter come from a variety of backgrounds although race is only clearly spelled out once.
January 8, 2023
ENGLISH VERSION BELOW
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Aktuell habe ich ein Talent dafür mir Kinderbücher auszusuchen, die emotional aufgeladen sind. So auch "Solange wir zusammen sind", ein wunderschönes Kinderbuch, aber man muss auch in der passenden Stimmung sein. Es geht um Piper, die mit ihrer Familie (Mutter, Vater, kleiner Bruder), zwei Koffern, einer Umhängetasche und zwei Kinderucksäcken knapp vor Wintereinbruch in einer amerikanischen Großstadt per Fernbus ankommt. Die Familie hat ihr Zuhause und im Grunde ihr gesamtes Dasein verloren und zieht in eine geschlechtergetrennte Notunterkunft, kurz darauf zumindest in eine Familienunterkunft. Die Tage bestehen aus Schlangestehen und Warten, Anstehen für Essen, Anstehen für die Waschmaschine, Anstehen beim Sozialamt, Ansehen beim Jobcenter, …
Die Hoffnung ist am Tiefpunkt. In einer dieser Schlangen lernt Piper eine ältere Dame kennen, die ihr erlaubt ihren Hund, Baby, zu streicheln, da es einem dann sofort ein wenig besser geht. Baby ist der Art Gegenspieler zu Piper. Einzelne Kapitel sind aus Babys Sicht geschrieben und erzählen den Leser*innen, dass die ältere Dame Jewel heißt, obdachlos ist und im Krankenhaus landet, wohin Baby natürlich nicht mit darf. Baby und Jewel haben in einem Park gelebt, welcher sich in der Nähe der Familienunterkunft befindet, in welcher Piper mit ihrer Familie lebt, weswegen Piper Baby im Park trifft und wiedererkennt. Dabei freundet sie sich auch mit einer anderen obdachlosen Frau und deren Hund an, was ein einzigartiger Erzählstrang war, da die Gespräche, die rund um die Obdachlosigkeit, das Leben auf der Straße und Baby und Jewel geführt werden, einen Einblick in diese Welt geben und zum Nachdenken anregt.
Piper beschließt, sie muss Baby helfen und ihn mit Jewel wieder zusammen führen. Schlussendlich geht es im Buch auch darum, wie es Piper schafft, dafür zu sorgen, dass Jewel im Krankenhaus, den Respekt erhält, der jedem Menschen gebührt, Baby wieder zu ihr zu bringen und den beiden ein anderes Leben, weg von der Straße, zu ermöglichen. Die Idee wie Piper das alles angeht, hat mir gut gefallen. Die Figuren haben mir gefallen, auch die anderen Kinder, die in der Familienunterkunft leben und sich mit Piper anfreunden. Es gibt ein paar wenige Szenen in der Schule, die ich auch ganz besonders fand, da hätte ich mir mehr davon gewünscht, mehr wären jedoch für die Geschichte nicht notwendig gewesen. Es gibt auch einen innerfamiliären Konflikt, dieser steht aber nicht im Fokus, sondern läuft im Hintergrund mit. Es wäre auch zu viel gewesen, diesen noch detaillierter in dieses Buch zu packen. Das Buch gibt Einblick in Themen, die sonst nicht so häufig Eingang in die KJL finden, wie Obdachlosigkeit oder Notunterkünfte, aber auch darin, dass deine Wohnsituation nichts darüber aussagt, wer du bist und dass man auch, wenn man wenig hat, Großes bewirken kann.
Fazit: Ein schönes Buch, emotional jedoch nicht die leichteste Lektüre, es ist es jedoch wert, gelesen zu werden.
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I currently have a talent for choosing children's books that are emotionally charged. Such is the case with "Solange wir zusammen sind" (sorry, I didn´t know the english title), a beautiful children's book, but you also have to be in the right mood. It's about Piper, who arrives in a big American city by long-distance bus with her family (mother, father, little brother), two suitcases, a shoulder bag and two children's backpacks just before winter sets in. The family has lost their home and basically their entire existence and moves into a gender-segregated emergency shelter, or at least a family shelter shortly after. The days consist of queuing and waiting, queuing for food, queuing for the washing machine, queuing at the social welfare office, queuing at the job centre, ...
Hope is at its lowest point. In one of these queues, Piper meets an elderly lady who allows her to pet her dog, Baby, because it immediately makes you feel a little better. Baby is the sort of antagonist to Piper. Individual chapters are written from Baby's point of view and tell the reader that the elderly lady is called Jewel, is homeless and ends up in hospital, where Baby is of course not allowed to go. Baby and Jewel have been living in a park, which is close to the family shelter where Piper lives with her family, which is why Piper meets and recognises Baby in the park. In the process she also befriends another homeless woman and her dog, which was a unique story arc as the conversations that take place around homelessness, life on the streets and Baby and Jewel give an insight into this world and make you think.
Piper decides she must help Baby and reunite him with Jewel. Ultimately, the book is also about how Piper manages to make sure Jewel gets the respect she deserves at the hospital, brings Baby back to her and gives them both a different life away from the streets. I liked the idea of how Piper goes about all this. I liked the characters, including the other children who live in the family shelter and befriend Piper. There are a few scenes at school that I also found quite special, I would have liked more of them, but more would not have been necessary for the story. There is also an inner-family conflict, but it is not the focus but runs along in the background. It would have been too much to put it into this book in more detail. The book gives insight into topics that don't often find their way into children's literature, such as homelessness or emergency shelters, but also into the fact that your housing situation says nothing about who you are and that you can achieve great things even if you have little.
Conclusion: A beautiful book, but not the easiest read emotionally, but worth reading.
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Aktuell habe ich ein Talent dafür mir Kinderbücher auszusuchen, die emotional aufgeladen sind. So auch "Solange wir zusammen sind", ein wunderschönes Kinderbuch, aber man muss auch in der passenden Stimmung sein. Es geht um Piper, die mit ihrer Familie (Mutter, Vater, kleiner Bruder), zwei Koffern, einer Umhängetasche und zwei Kinderucksäcken knapp vor Wintereinbruch in einer amerikanischen Großstadt per Fernbus ankommt. Die Familie hat ihr Zuhause und im Grunde ihr gesamtes Dasein verloren und zieht in eine geschlechtergetrennte Notunterkunft, kurz darauf zumindest in eine Familienunterkunft. Die Tage bestehen aus Schlangestehen und Warten, Anstehen für Essen, Anstehen für die Waschmaschine, Anstehen beim Sozialamt, Ansehen beim Jobcenter, …
Die Hoffnung ist am Tiefpunkt. In einer dieser Schlangen lernt Piper eine ältere Dame kennen, die ihr erlaubt ihren Hund, Baby, zu streicheln, da es einem dann sofort ein wenig besser geht. Baby ist der Art Gegenspieler zu Piper. Einzelne Kapitel sind aus Babys Sicht geschrieben und erzählen den Leser*innen, dass die ältere Dame Jewel heißt, obdachlos ist und im Krankenhaus landet, wohin Baby natürlich nicht mit darf. Baby und Jewel haben in einem Park gelebt, welcher sich in der Nähe der Familienunterkunft befindet, in welcher Piper mit ihrer Familie lebt, weswegen Piper Baby im Park trifft und wiedererkennt. Dabei freundet sie sich auch mit einer anderen obdachlosen Frau und deren Hund an, was ein einzigartiger Erzählstrang war, da die Gespräche, die rund um die Obdachlosigkeit, das Leben auf der Straße und Baby und Jewel geführt werden, einen Einblick in diese Welt geben und zum Nachdenken anregt.
Piper beschließt, sie muss Baby helfen und ihn mit Jewel wieder zusammen führen. Schlussendlich geht es im Buch auch darum, wie es Piper schafft, dafür zu sorgen, dass Jewel im Krankenhaus, den Respekt erhält, der jedem Menschen gebührt, Baby wieder zu ihr zu bringen und den beiden ein anderes Leben, weg von der Straße, zu ermöglichen. Die Idee wie Piper das alles angeht, hat mir gut gefallen. Die Figuren haben mir gefallen, auch die anderen Kinder, die in der Familienunterkunft leben und sich mit Piper anfreunden. Es gibt ein paar wenige Szenen in der Schule, die ich auch ganz besonders fand, da hätte ich mir mehr davon gewünscht, mehr wären jedoch für die Geschichte nicht notwendig gewesen. Es gibt auch einen innerfamiliären Konflikt, dieser steht aber nicht im Fokus, sondern läuft im Hintergrund mit. Es wäre auch zu viel gewesen, diesen noch detaillierter in dieses Buch zu packen. Das Buch gibt Einblick in Themen, die sonst nicht so häufig Eingang in die KJL finden, wie Obdachlosigkeit oder Notunterkünfte, aber auch darin, dass deine Wohnsituation nichts darüber aussagt, wer du bist und dass man auch, wenn man wenig hat, Großes bewirken kann.
Fazit: Ein schönes Buch, emotional jedoch nicht die leichteste Lektüre, es ist es jedoch wert, gelesen zu werden.
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I currently have a talent for choosing children's books that are emotionally charged. Such is the case with "Solange wir zusammen sind" (sorry, I didn´t know the english title), a beautiful children's book, but you also have to be in the right mood. It's about Piper, who arrives in a big American city by long-distance bus with her family (mother, father, little brother), two suitcases, a shoulder bag and two children's backpacks just before winter sets in. The family has lost their home and basically their entire existence and moves into a gender-segregated emergency shelter, or at least a family shelter shortly after. The days consist of queuing and waiting, queuing for food, queuing for the washing machine, queuing at the social welfare office, queuing at the job centre, ...
Hope is at its lowest point. In one of these queues, Piper meets an elderly lady who allows her to pet her dog, Baby, because it immediately makes you feel a little better. Baby is the sort of antagonist to Piper. Individual chapters are written from Baby's point of view and tell the reader that the elderly lady is called Jewel, is homeless and ends up in hospital, where Baby is of course not allowed to go. Baby and Jewel have been living in a park, which is close to the family shelter where Piper lives with her family, which is why Piper meets and recognises Baby in the park. In the process she also befriends another homeless woman and her dog, which was a unique story arc as the conversations that take place around homelessness, life on the streets and Baby and Jewel give an insight into this world and make you think.
Piper decides she must help Baby and reunite him with Jewel. Ultimately, the book is also about how Piper manages to make sure Jewel gets the respect she deserves at the hospital, brings Baby back to her and gives them both a different life away from the streets. I liked the idea of how Piper goes about all this. I liked the characters, including the other children who live in the family shelter and befriend Piper. There are a few scenes at school that I also found quite special, I would have liked more of them, but more would not have been necessary for the story. There is also an inner-family conflict, but it is not the focus but runs along in the background. It would have been too much to put it into this book in more detail. The book gives insight into topics that don't often find their way into children's literature, such as homelessness or emergency shelters, but also into the fact that your housing situation says nothing about who you are and that you can achieve great things even if you have little.
Conclusion: A beautiful book, but not the easiest read emotionally, but worth reading.
August 20, 2020
This is such a sweet, heartwarming story about a homeless girl who befriends an elderly woman and her dog, and how a community comes together to help reunite them. This book is a great way to teach compassion and empathy to your children, as well as show them the dignity and worth of all people. It also provides the opportunity to discuss issues like poverty, homelessness, and mental illness.
January 3, 2022
A heartwarming story about a girl and the dog and woman she works so hard to help. Along the way, Piper learns what home and family really mean. The book is told in two perspectives, that of Piper and the dog, Baby.
January 10, 2025
Cute book + characters
March 23, 2024
I loved reading this book to my kids. Oh, this book made me cry.
"See the doughnut rather than the hole."
"See the doughnut rather than the hole."
September 5, 2019
The author, Bobbie Pyron, has hit another home run out of the park with her new book for middle school: Stay.
This book takes the reader on a journey along with Piper and the new friends Piper makes along the journey she takes with her family. You see, Piper’s family hit a series of bumps along the road of life & they became homeless.
After her family became homeless, Piper had to pack up very few belongings (among them her cherished copy of My Side of the Mountain) & hit the road.
Piper & her family finally make it to a big city where they end up in a family shelter (Hope House), but Piper misses her old house, friends & her privacy terribly. In Hope House, Piper’s family has to share one room & she also has to share a bed with her little brother (who wets the bed)
The other thing Piper hates about her new life is being labeled the homeless girl at her new school. Her new classmates know she is homeless, because she rides the homeless bus to school & has a special donated backpack.
Yet, while living at Hope House with her family, Piper develops new friendships with the girls in the Firefly Girls Troop 423 (Piper was a Firefly Girl where she used to live). Her new friends in the Firefly Girls Troop, help her deal with some of the emotions she has been feeling recently.
Piper also makes friends with a sweet street dog named Baby, who lives with his owner Jewel in the local public park (along with some other homeless people & their pets). These homeless people live in the public park, because the homeless shelters won’t take in their pets.
Then, things get exciting when Baby’s owner gets really, really sick and ends up in the hospital. At first, no one knows which hospital Jewel has ended up in, but eventually one Jewel’s friends locates her.
This friend, Ree, smuggles Baby inside the hospital for a visit, because the friend knows this is the best possible medicine for Jewel. After Baby visited the hospital with Ree, he decides to go back to the hospital on his own (because he really wants to be with his owner Jewel). Well, let’s just say that things didn’t work out so good & animal control came and took Baby to the animal shelter.
When Piper learns of these developments, she knows that she must help out Baby and his owner Jewel. Thus begins a big mystery to discover who Jewel really is and where she was possibly going before ending up on the streets of the big city.
Piper & her new friends have limited time to solve the mystery surrounding Jewel’s past, before the animal shelter lets a new family adopt Baby (taking him away from Jewel for good). Can Piper and her new friends solve the mystery in time?
To find out what happens to Piper, Baby and Jewel, run out & grab a copy of this heartfelt animal story today. You won’t be disappointed in the adventure you will have with Piper and her new friends.
This book takes the reader on a journey along with Piper and the new friends Piper makes along the journey she takes with her family. You see, Piper’s family hit a series of bumps along the road of life & they became homeless.
After her family became homeless, Piper had to pack up very few belongings (among them her cherished copy of My Side of the Mountain) & hit the road.
Piper & her family finally make it to a big city where they end up in a family shelter (Hope House), but Piper misses her old house, friends & her privacy terribly. In Hope House, Piper’s family has to share one room & she also has to share a bed with her little brother (who wets the bed)
The other thing Piper hates about her new life is being labeled the homeless girl at her new school. Her new classmates know she is homeless, because she rides the homeless bus to school & has a special donated backpack.
Yet, while living at Hope House with her family, Piper develops new friendships with the girls in the Firefly Girls Troop 423 (Piper was a Firefly Girl where she used to live). Her new friends in the Firefly Girls Troop, help her deal with some of the emotions she has been feeling recently.
Piper also makes friends with a sweet street dog named Baby, who lives with his owner Jewel in the local public park (along with some other homeless people & their pets). These homeless people live in the public park, because the homeless shelters won’t take in their pets.
Then, things get exciting when Baby’s owner gets really, really sick and ends up in the hospital. At first, no one knows which hospital Jewel has ended up in, but eventually one Jewel’s friends locates her.
This friend, Ree, smuggles Baby inside the hospital for a visit, because the friend knows this is the best possible medicine for Jewel. After Baby visited the hospital with Ree, he decides to go back to the hospital on his own (because he really wants to be with his owner Jewel). Well, let’s just say that things didn’t work out so good & animal control came and took Baby to the animal shelter.
When Piper learns of these developments, she knows that she must help out Baby and his owner Jewel. Thus begins a big mystery to discover who Jewel really is and where she was possibly going before ending up on the streets of the big city.
Piper & her new friends have limited time to solve the mystery surrounding Jewel’s past, before the animal shelter lets a new family adopt Baby (taking him away from Jewel for good). Can Piper and her new friends solve the mystery in time?
To find out what happens to Piper, Baby and Jewel, run out & grab a copy of this heartfelt animal story today. You won’t be disappointed in the adventure you will have with Piper and her new friends.
September 9, 2019
This cover is absolutely gorgeous! But I'll warn you that this story is WAY more than a cutesy dog story. Young Piper's family has hit very hard times with both her parents out of work. They initially wind up in a homeless shelter where fathers must be separated from the mothers and children while hoping family placement will open up soon. They must now wait in long lines for food from a soup kitchen and the children ride the homeless bus to their new school.
Piper's family is just like everyone else's -- full of love, hope, and joy. However, her family faces shame and embarrassment by others who judge their misfortune. Piper finds comfort in Firefly Girls Troop 423 where she gets to focus on earning badges, just like she did back in her old home. And when someone in their homeless community is sick, hospitalized, and separated from her beloved companion dog, it's the entire community (both homes and homeless) that comes together in hopes of getting her back to safety.
With both joy and sadness, there are important messages of empathy in this heartfelt tale. Because we never know when it might be OUR family standing in that free food line. Readers will also discover that people who are homeless are often the most generous of all -- it certainly doesn't take blood and genetics to be family. This will be a well-loved book for middle grade readers!
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!
Piper's family is just like everyone else's -- full of love, hope, and joy. However, her family faces shame and embarrassment by others who judge their misfortune. Piper finds comfort in Firefly Girls Troop 423 where she gets to focus on earning badges, just like she did back in her old home. And when someone in their homeless community is sick, hospitalized, and separated from her beloved companion dog, it's the entire community (both homes and homeless) that comes together in hopes of getting her back to safety.
With both joy and sadness, there are important messages of empathy in this heartfelt tale. Because we never know when it might be OUR family standing in that free food line. Readers will also discover that people who are homeless are often the most generous of all -- it certainly doesn't take blood and genetics to be family. This will be a well-loved book for middle grade readers!
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!
December 1, 2021
I loved everything about this book. I loved the family and how they always treated each other with respect. I loved that the author gave us a kind but also a realistic look at homelessness in America; how the homeless are treated unjustly, and at times somewhat cruelly because they are viewed as less than. I could feel Piper's hurt when she found out her bus was called the homeless bus by the kids at school. Good for her new friend Sapphire telling her, "Don't let nobody tell you who you are because of where you live." Just like Piper's family who lost their jobs and then their home, many families and individuals in America are only one paycheck away from being in that same situation.
And me being the crazy dog person that I am, of course, I loved the dog Baby. He and his person, Jewel, had such a special relationship. They only had each other, but that was enough. When Jewel got sick and needed help the other members of the homeless community were there for her and wanted to do whatever they could to make things better for the two of them. They were the people who had the least, but gave the most. They didn't have much, but gave everything they could to assure that Jewel and Baby stayed together. Even Piper's Firefly Troop, (made up of girls from the homeless shelters), could have used the money they made from their brownie sales to have a pizza party as they usually did, but chose instead to use the money they earned to help Jewel and Baby. The love and loyalty shown by each and every one of them was beautiful.
And me being the crazy dog person that I am, of course, I loved the dog Baby. He and his person, Jewel, had such a special relationship. They only had each other, but that was enough. When Jewel got sick and needed help the other members of the homeless community were there for her and wanted to do whatever they could to make things better for the two of them. They were the people who had the least, but gave the most. They didn't have much, but gave everything they could to assure that Jewel and Baby stayed together. Even Piper's Firefly Troop, (made up of girls from the homeless shelters), could have used the money they made from their brownie sales to have a pizza party as they usually did, but chose instead to use the money they earned to help Jewel and Baby. The love and loyalty shown by each and every one of them was beautiful.
January 25, 2025
I picked this up on a whim because of the cover (as you well know, I love a book with a dog on the cover). I skimmed the blurb and saw it mentioned a young girl whose family is unhoused. I just finished Rethinking Rescue: Dog Lady and the Story of America's Forgotten People and Pets which felt relavant to Piper's story.
Piper is a young girl whose parents have lost their home which means Piper and her family have moved from place to place over the last few months. When their family finally lands a spot in a shelter that houses her whole family, Piper is able to start school and participate in the Firefly Girl troop at the shelter. This gives her life some normalcy.
She also befriends a dog, Baby, and his person, Jewel. When Jewel ends up missing, Baby is loyal to the end and stays put in the park where they live together. Piper and her friends intervene and are determined to help Jewel's friend reunite Baby and Jewel.
This touces on mental illness, unhoused people with pets and how they are treated, job loss, prejudice against unhoused kids at school and standing up for what's right. I love the POV of Piper and Baby.
I loved it from cover to cover.
Piper is a young girl whose parents have lost their home which means Piper and her family have moved from place to place over the last few months. When their family finally lands a spot in a shelter that houses her whole family, Piper is able to start school and participate in the Firefly Girl troop at the shelter. This gives her life some normalcy.
She also befriends a dog, Baby, and his person, Jewel. When Jewel ends up missing, Baby is loyal to the end and stays put in the park where they live together. Piper and her friends intervene and are determined to help Jewel's friend reunite Baby and Jewel.
This touces on mental illness, unhoused people with pets and how they are treated, job loss, prejudice against unhoused kids at school and standing up for what's right. I love the POV of Piper and Baby.
I loved it from cover to cover.
July 1, 2019
Oh my goodness!!!
This book will hold your heart and remind us all that the best things, the most gracious of deeds for others can be done when one has nothing but a bag of rumpled shirts to their name -- or a pet to hug and love :D.
I absolutely loved the short chapters from Baby's perspective; the little dog wanting nothing more that to be with his Jewel (his elderly owner who has lost her way) and feel the sun on his belly. Luckily, he crosses paths with an amazing little girl, Piper, with a heart bigger than the moon, who thinks beyond herself and draws others (both kids and adults) to help her reunite Baby with Jewel and aid the pair of them to rediscover they way they'd lost so long ago.
Beautiful story with a cover that you can't help but grin at.
Such a big thanks to HarperChildrens for granting me such an amazing opportunity to read this journey of a girl and a small dog who knows what's truly important beyond the possessions of this world. Can't wait to tell my family all about it :D
This book will hold your heart and remind us all that the best things, the most gracious of deeds for others can be done when one has nothing but a bag of rumpled shirts to their name -- or a pet to hug and love :D.
I absolutely loved the short chapters from Baby's perspective; the little dog wanting nothing more that to be with his Jewel (his elderly owner who has lost her way) and feel the sun on his belly. Luckily, he crosses paths with an amazing little girl, Piper, with a heart bigger than the moon, who thinks beyond herself and draws others (both kids and adults) to help her reunite Baby with Jewel and aid the pair of them to rediscover they way they'd lost so long ago.
Beautiful story with a cover that you can't help but grin at.
Such a big thanks to HarperChildrens for granting me such an amazing opportunity to read this journey of a girl and a small dog who knows what's truly important beyond the possessions of this world. Can't wait to tell my family all about it :D
September 7, 2019
This middle grade novel is a feel-good dog story, but it’s also so much more than that.
Piper and her family have had a lot of changes since her dad lost his job. Her family has become homeless, moving from place to place as her parents look for work. As they try to adjust to their new reality at the shelter where they’re living, Piper meets a homeless woman named Jewel and her dog, Baby. Even though she’s dealing with her own family’s crisis, when Jewel gets sick and needs to be hospitalized, Piper is determined to make sure Jewel and Baby stay together.
Things I loved about this novel: Piper’s selflessness, despite her own family’s situation; the storytelling of family homelessness and mental illness is raw and real for middle grade readers; the power of a group (Piper’s Firefly Troop) coming together to help those in need.
Told in alternating points of view between Piper, Baby and Jewel, this story will be a hit with readers.
Piper and her family have had a lot of changes since her dad lost his job. Her family has become homeless, moving from place to place as her parents look for work. As they try to adjust to their new reality at the shelter where they’re living, Piper meets a homeless woman named Jewel and her dog, Baby. Even though she’s dealing with her own family’s crisis, when Jewel gets sick and needs to be hospitalized, Piper is determined to make sure Jewel and Baby stay together.
Things I loved about this novel: Piper’s selflessness, despite her own family’s situation; the storytelling of family homelessness and mental illness is raw and real for middle grade readers; the power of a group (Piper’s Firefly Troop) coming together to help those in need.
Told in alternating points of view between Piper, Baby and Jewel, this story will be a hit with readers.
October 20, 2019
Some people are just a step away from homelessness. A medical emergency, a lost job, a house sold to developers--suddenly you're on the streets. That's what happened to Piper, Dylan, and their parents. They have been moving around for months, looking for opportunity. Now they are in a new city, at a homeless shelter. It's hard not having your own space, and embarrassing hen kids tease you at school because of your circumstances. When Piper meets an old homeless woman in the park, along with her little dog, Baby, she soon finds a cause she's willing to fight for. Can she unite others to get this woman and dog the help they need? This story is told in alternating perspectives--first person from Piper, and first-person in free verse from Baby. It is heartfelt and well-written, aptly showing the situation in which some homeless people find themselves. And, ultimately, it is a story of kindness, not judging, and the true love of a dog. It would be a good read-aloud.
October 30, 2019
3.5 stars. This is a story of love, hope, shame, pride, and moxie. Homeless doesn't mean helpless when it comes to a group of girls with moxie to spare. They are determined to keep a homeless woman and her pet together and nothing is going to stop them. This novel addressed mental illness in an incredibly sensitive way. A little too bright and cheery on the bureaucracies involved but that is why they call it fiction. It didn't feel like there was much of a resolution so I am questioning whether there will be a follow-up story.
March 16, 2021
Read this for my students but I think I enjoyed it just as much as they did! I cried at least five times throughout the story. It was refreshing to read a kids book about homelessness that wasn’t full of stereotypes. Led us into a great discussion about pets and homelessness, family homelessness, hope, and resiliency. Would recommend to young and old readers alike!
November 8, 2019
This is a beautifully written book with lots of care and research taken about homelessness and homeless families, especially those with pets. I wanted to hug this book when I was finished with it. It has so much heart.
November 14, 2019
4.5 stars. Almost perfect dog book, full of compassion and heart, alternating chapters from the dog Baby’s POV, hankie alert, now I want to curl up with my dog and eat a brownie! Only wish the author would’ve named the city by the mountains.
February 7, 2020
This book was the best book ever!!!!!!!!!! It was definitely worthy of the bluebonnet title, (2020-2021) and sorry Charlie Hernandez and the League of Shadows, but this book wins for me. Baby totally stole my heart!
February 15, 2022
My daughter begged me to read it. If I was 10, I’d love it. Bipolar disorder, homelessness, grit, Girl Scouts, puppies. But I’m not 10. So I loved that she loved it and wanted to share it with me. This is her rating!
December 8, 2022
I listened to this with my 9 year old and liked that the story line was simple enough to follow that we would remember what was happening even though we took week breaks from listening. I loved how this book made homelessness real and the love and compassion shown by the characters.
July 6, 2022
Powerful and important.
December 28, 2024
Did I cry? Yes.
February 12, 2023
This is a sweet story that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. The story includes homelessness, mental illness and helping people in need. It’s good to teach children about these issues and encourage empathy for others. I really enjoyed this heartwarming story.
Read
August 27, 2021Piper ist 12 Jahre alt als ihr Vater arbeitslos wird und sich das Leben ihrer Familie dadurch auf den Kopf stellt. Sie muss ihre Schule verlassen und auch ihr Haus müssen sie aufgeben, um an einen anderen Ort zu ziehen. Zusammen mit ihren Eltern und ihrem kleinen Bruder reist Piper durchs Land - mit den letzten, wenigen Habseligkeiten, die sie besitzen. In einer Notunterkunft finden sie ein Dach über dem Kopf und regelmäßige Mahlzeiten. Aber natürlich ist das nicht das Leben, von dem Piper immer geträumt hat. Sie vermisst ihre Freunde, ihr Zuhause und die Schule. Doch dann lernt sie Jewel, eine obdachlose Frau, und ihren süßen Hund Baby kennen. Sie freunden sich an - doch als Jewel ins Krankenhaus muss, wird Baby in ein Tierheim gebracht und wird dort an jemand fremdes vermittelt, wenn Piper das nicht verhindert! Sie und ihre neuen Freunde setzen alles daran, um Jewel und Baby wieder zu vereinen...
„Erst seit wir keine mehr haben, ist mir aufgefallen, wie finster die Welt ist, wenn so etwas Normales wie die Hoffnung fehlt."
pos. 114
Der Schreibstil der Autorin ist sehr flüssig und einfach zu lesen. Auch wenn es sich um ein Kinderbuch handelt, ist das Thema sehr ernst und alles andere als fröhlich. Es ist bedrückend, wie sehr sich Pipers Leben verändert, man spürt beim Lesen die beklemmende Atmosphäre, die die Familie umgibt und die Hoffnungslosigkeit, die viele der Obdachlosen mit sich herumtragen. Gleichzeitig gibt es aber auch die wunderschönen Momente, in denen es um Liebe, Freundschaft, Familie und Hoffnung geht. Dann kann man lachen und sich freuen und hoffen, dass doch alles gut werden wird. Das Thema Obdachlosigkeit wird kindgerecht behandelt, aber auch als Erwachsener kann man sehr viel aus dem Buch mitnehmen.
„Die guten Dinge sind manchmal sehr klein verpackt."
pos. 1505
Die Geschichte wird aus drei Perspektiven erzählt: aus der von Piper und aus der von Baby. Hin und wieder bekommt auch Jewel ein Kapitel. Die Erzählweise ist sehr bildhaft, was die Geschichte lebendig werden lässt. Das emotionale Buch enthält viele wundervolle und wichtige Botschaften, ist unterhaltsam, zeigt aber auch auf sehr liebevolle Art und Weise, dass das Leben eben nicht immer Friede, Freude, Sonnenschein ist. Auch wenn es viele bedrückende oder traurige Momente hat, überwiegt das Gefühl von Hoffnung und man hat beim Lesen das Gefühl, in eine warme, kuschelige Decke eingehüllt zu werden.
Die Charaktere sind alle detailliert beschrieben, besonders Piper schließt man sofort ins Herz. Sie ist unglaublich hilfsbereit, selbstlos und entschlossen und für ihr junges Alter eine sehr starke Persönlichkeit. Auch die anderen Charaktere sind wirklich toll, Baby würde man am liebsten knuddeln, die Familie von Piper zeigt einen unglaublichen Zusammenhalt, die Freundinnen von Piper sind alle ganz toll unterschiedlich und auch Jewel und die anderen Obdachlosen haben viele Facetten.
„Lass dir nicht gefallen, dass jemand dir sagt, wer du bist, nur weil du da wohnst, wo du wohnst."
pos. 903
Ein ganz wundervoller Kinderroman über Obdachlosigkeit, Freundschaft, Zusammenhalt, Hilfsbereitschaft, Familie, Engagement, Mitgefühl und Empathie. Darüber, dass man die Hoffnung niemals aufgeben darf und dass Freunde füreinander da sind - egal wie ausweglos die Situation anfangs auch scheinen mag.
Fazit
Herzerwärmend, einfühlsam, berührend - ein Kinderroman, aus dem jeder Erwachsene auch noch was lernen kann. Die Geschichte ist traurig und wunderschön zugleich, man kann mitfühlen, hoffen, lachen und weinen. Absolute Leseempfehlung!
https://lucciola-test.blogspot.com/20...
„Erst seit wir keine mehr haben, ist mir aufgefallen, wie finster die Welt ist, wenn so etwas Normales wie die Hoffnung fehlt."
pos. 114
Der Schreibstil der Autorin ist sehr flüssig und einfach zu lesen. Auch wenn es sich um ein Kinderbuch handelt, ist das Thema sehr ernst und alles andere als fröhlich. Es ist bedrückend, wie sehr sich Pipers Leben verändert, man spürt beim Lesen die beklemmende Atmosphäre, die die Familie umgibt und die Hoffnungslosigkeit, die viele der Obdachlosen mit sich herumtragen. Gleichzeitig gibt es aber auch die wunderschönen Momente, in denen es um Liebe, Freundschaft, Familie und Hoffnung geht. Dann kann man lachen und sich freuen und hoffen, dass doch alles gut werden wird. Das Thema Obdachlosigkeit wird kindgerecht behandelt, aber auch als Erwachsener kann man sehr viel aus dem Buch mitnehmen.
„Die guten Dinge sind manchmal sehr klein verpackt."
pos. 1505
Die Geschichte wird aus drei Perspektiven erzählt: aus der von Piper und aus der von Baby. Hin und wieder bekommt auch Jewel ein Kapitel. Die Erzählweise ist sehr bildhaft, was die Geschichte lebendig werden lässt. Das emotionale Buch enthält viele wundervolle und wichtige Botschaften, ist unterhaltsam, zeigt aber auch auf sehr liebevolle Art und Weise, dass das Leben eben nicht immer Friede, Freude, Sonnenschein ist. Auch wenn es viele bedrückende oder traurige Momente hat, überwiegt das Gefühl von Hoffnung und man hat beim Lesen das Gefühl, in eine warme, kuschelige Decke eingehüllt zu werden.
Die Charaktere sind alle detailliert beschrieben, besonders Piper schließt man sofort ins Herz. Sie ist unglaublich hilfsbereit, selbstlos und entschlossen und für ihr junges Alter eine sehr starke Persönlichkeit. Auch die anderen Charaktere sind wirklich toll, Baby würde man am liebsten knuddeln, die Familie von Piper zeigt einen unglaublichen Zusammenhalt, die Freundinnen von Piper sind alle ganz toll unterschiedlich und auch Jewel und die anderen Obdachlosen haben viele Facetten.
„Lass dir nicht gefallen, dass jemand dir sagt, wer du bist, nur weil du da wohnst, wo du wohnst."
pos. 903
Ein ganz wundervoller Kinderroman über Obdachlosigkeit, Freundschaft, Zusammenhalt, Hilfsbereitschaft, Familie, Engagement, Mitgefühl und Empathie. Darüber, dass man die Hoffnung niemals aufgeben darf und dass Freunde füreinander da sind - egal wie ausweglos die Situation anfangs auch scheinen mag.
Fazit
Herzerwärmend, einfühlsam, berührend - ein Kinderroman, aus dem jeder Erwachsene auch noch was lernen kann. Die Geschichte ist traurig und wunderschön zugleich, man kann mitfühlen, hoffen, lachen und weinen. Absolute Leseempfehlung!
https://lucciola-test.blogspot.com/20...
March 27, 2021
When my high school son, Neil, came back from a trip to Colorado with a Christmas ornament as a souvenir, I was surprised. It wasn't something I would have thought he would pick out for himself.
When I mentioned that, he smiled and said it was a present for someone else: a homeless man in the metro area he'd met through service projects with his youth group. This gentleman lived in a tent and kept up a small Christmas tree year-round (despite the cramped living conditions) because it was a symbol of hope to him. Neil knew the man would enjoy adding it to his tree. More importantly, though, the man would know that he was seen. Neil saw him, knew him, and cared. Perhaps this was the real value of the gift to someone in a population who moves invisibly through society.
Bobbie Pyron sees the plight faced by homeless individuals and families with x-ray vision: cutting through the outward trappings of homelessness to see individually crafted souls bursting with intrinsic value. From this place, she's crafted a novel with well-developed human characters and furry companions that will speak to the hearts of readers in a way that will stir emotions and plant seeds for future action.
Told from multiple points of view with settings spanning from shelters to living on the streets, hope and the true meaning of home are front and center in this fantastic story. Aptly titled, Stay will lodge itself in your heart and keep your mind engaged far beyond the final paragraph.
As more students across our country face uncertain housing and scarcity of food - this is a book I hope teachers will select as a read-aloud option. Not only is the storyline compelling - and the characters worth cheering on - but the empathy it will build is priceless. Stay is a 2021-2022 Iowa Children's Choice nominee.
Stay
When I mentioned that, he smiled and said it was a present for someone else: a homeless man in the metro area he'd met through service projects with his youth group. This gentleman lived in a tent and kept up a small Christmas tree year-round (despite the cramped living conditions) because it was a symbol of hope to him. Neil knew the man would enjoy adding it to his tree. More importantly, though, the man would know that he was seen. Neil saw him, knew him, and cared. Perhaps this was the real value of the gift to someone in a population who moves invisibly through society.
Bobbie Pyron sees the plight faced by homeless individuals and families with x-ray vision: cutting through the outward trappings of homelessness to see individually crafted souls bursting with intrinsic value. From this place, she's crafted a novel with well-developed human characters and furry companions that will speak to the hearts of readers in a way that will stir emotions and plant seeds for future action.
Told from multiple points of view with settings spanning from shelters to living on the streets, hope and the true meaning of home are front and center in this fantastic story. Aptly titled, Stay will lodge itself in your heart and keep your mind engaged far beyond the final paragraph.
As more students across our country face uncertain housing and scarcity of food - this is a book I hope teachers will select as a read-aloud option. Not only is the storyline compelling - and the characters worth cheering on - but the empathy it will build is priceless. Stay is a 2021-2022 Iowa Children's Choice nominee.
Stay
May 14, 2021
*3.5 stars* I rounded this up, because it is a book appropriate for young readers that focuses on homelessness, but also mental illness and empathy. I enjoyed how many different ways homelessness was presented in this book (as in where they slept and why they were there). While the reality of homelessness and specifically living in a shelter were overly simplified (they made the shelter seem much more available than in real life) I give that a pass due to the target audience. Shelters are actually very difficult to access and have short prescribed lengths of stay.
I had two issues with this book. I hated the way that the chapters were written in the main dog, Baby’s perspective. It drove me nuts. There was way too much anthropomorphism. My son (9 years old) wasn’t as bothered by it most of the time, but he literally shot me a raised eyebrow a few times while listening to Baby’s chapters.
The other issue I had was regarding emotional support animals. Without giving anything away, there was one point where a discussion comes up about not being able to go on the bus with dogs to transport them and someone says they “know a way around that” which is to make the dog an emotional support animal- vest and all. This is horrible. If the author wanted to include emotional support animals, this was the exact wrong way to do it. I was extremely disappointed. Illegitimate support animals make it difficult for legitimate service dogs. This kind of story also perpetuates the idea that every emotional support animal is just to get around the rules, not out of need.
I had two issues with this book. I hated the way that the chapters were written in the main dog, Baby’s perspective. It drove me nuts. There was way too much anthropomorphism. My son (9 years old) wasn’t as bothered by it most of the time, but he literally shot me a raised eyebrow a few times while listening to Baby’s chapters.
The other issue I had was regarding emotional support animals. Without giving anything away, there was one point where a discussion comes up about not being able to go on the bus with dogs to transport them and someone says they “know a way around that” which is to make the dog an emotional support animal- vest and all. This is horrible. If the author wanted to include emotional support animals, this was the exact wrong way to do it. I was extremely disappointed. Illegitimate support animals make it difficult for legitimate service dogs. This kind of story also perpetuates the idea that every emotional support animal is just to get around the rules, not out of need.
December 9, 2020
Look at the cover. It’s adorable, right?
When I was ten, this would be a cover that would have convinced me to read it.
But I’m a long way away from ten (ahem), and that might be why this Texas Bluebonnet listed title for 2020-2021 didn’t come up on my radar until our school librarian suggested it in a list of other titles for parents.
Don’t let the cute cover fool you, people.
This is a serious book with a capital S. As a matter of fact, all of the letters should be capitalized-as in SERIOUS.
Homelessness
Mental illness
The social stigma of both of the above issues
Throw in...
Animal shelters
and
Medical bills and the precarious ledge that many, MANY families find themselves on-> being a paycheck, a family crisis, an eviction away from being empty handed.
This is a big bite of a book, pun intended.
Kids need to read this story, need to have it read with them, need to hear about others less fortunate and even...especially...like them.
See if you don’t cry big buckets of tears at the end.
I dare you.
Then look at the cover again. That cover tricked me, and it’ll trick everyone else, too.
When I was ten, this would be a cover that would have convinced me to read it.
But I’m a long way away from ten (ahem), and that might be why this Texas Bluebonnet listed title for 2020-2021 didn’t come up on my radar until our school librarian suggested it in a list of other titles for parents.
Don’t let the cute cover fool you, people.
This is a serious book with a capital S. As a matter of fact, all of the letters should be capitalized-as in SERIOUS.
Homelessness
Mental illness
The social stigma of both of the above issues
Throw in...
Animal shelters
and
Medical bills and the precarious ledge that many, MANY families find themselves on-> being a paycheck, a family crisis, an eviction away from being empty handed.
This is a big bite of a book, pun intended.
Kids need to read this story, need to have it read with them, need to hear about others less fortunate and even...especially...like them.
See if you don’t cry big buckets of tears at the end.
I dare you.
Then look at the cover again. That cover tricked me, and it’ll trick everyone else, too.
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