Finding Lost

Gr 4-7–This quiet, reflective novel offers a gentle exploration of grief, change, and financial instability through the eyes of a child navigating life after loss. Cordy’s father, a crabber, has died, and traces of that life—calloused hands, hard work, and economic precarity—remain present in ways that many readers will recognize. Grief here is not dramatic or resolved quickly; instead, it seeps into everyday thoughts, decisions, and fears, captured memorably as a “backpack of sadness” the child carries everywhere. The narrative is meditative rather than action-driven. While there is a clear plot around nurturing a stray dog to health, and even a climactic moment in the narrative, the strength of the book lies in its contemplative pacing. This makes it well suited for readers seeking a tender, emotionally resonant experience rather than a fast-paced adventure. This novel would be effective in teaching plot structure and theme, with several chapters having a clear message for students to deduce. Ideas of anxiety, food insecurity, and displacement are woven in thoughtfully and accessibly. The arrival of Lost the dog becomes a catalyst for healing, offering a way to confront fears and avoidance, both literal and emotional. The warm sibling relationships, supportive small-town community, and nuanced portrayal of money-related stress add depth and authenticity. The book also gestures toward a wider world through mentions of multilingualism, bias, and blended families, handled subtly. Cordy and her family are cued white.