Moo by Sharon Creech

There’s something about Maine that gets into your bones. The salt, the blueberries, the way the wild edges of the countryside ask you to slow down and pay attention. So we have a soft spot for this one.

Moo is an uplifting New York Times bestseller from Newbery Medal winner Sharon Creech, and it reminds us of something worth remembering: if we stay open to new experiences, life is full of surprises.

The story follows one family’s big move from the city to rural Maine. Twelve-year-old Reena is ready for beaches, blueberries, and all the lobster she can eat. Instead, her parents “volunteer” her and her little brother, Luke, to work for an eccentric neighbor named Mrs. Falala, who keeps a pig named Paulie, a cat named China, a snake named Edna, and one decidedly ornery cow named Zora.

What grows between Reena and that stubborn cow is unexpected, funny, and quietly moving. Told in a clever blend of poetry and prose, this heartwarming tween novel reveals the bonds that emerge when we let others into our lives.

Fans of Creech’s beloved Love That Dog and Hate That Cat will feel right at home here. And readers ages 8 to 12 (plus the grown-ups reading along) tend to finish it with a lump in the throat and a grin on their face.

It’s the perfect rainy-afternoon read. Cozy, curl-up-in-a-chair stuff. Stop by and let us slip a copy into your bag, or browse a little while the sea air settles in.

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