Strays Like Us

Gr 5–8—When her mother is arrested for stealing prescription medication, Fred is placed in foster care and relocated from their Philadelphia home to Lancaster County, PA. Still adjusting to the sudden changes, and the vastly different landscape of rural life, Fred quickly finds a friend in Toby, the neglected dog next door. He seems just about as downtrodden as she feels, so repeated warnings to stay away by her foster mother and the dog's ornery owner fall unheeded. After a serious accident leaves the dog's elderly owner incapacitated, Fred, her foster mother, and a bullied classmate take over caring for Toby, inadvertently learning to care for one another in the process. Galante realistically yet gently deals with some hard-hitting topics while offering a fresh, much needed look at addiction, especially the misconceptions surrounding prescription drug abuse. From the no-nonsense, motorcycling foster mom, to the troubled but loyal friend Ardelia, Galante creates a well-crafted novel full of likable characters who, though flawed, are strong, independent, and nurturing women that persevere at overcoming adversity.