Books Reviewed by Laurie Elmquist

In her debut middle-grade novel, Rescue, Marie Etchell takes an old slobbery dog, Buster, and turns him into a most unlikely hero. Plus there’s Charlie. He’s a very relatable twelve-year-old kid. I liked him from the moment I read his reasons for wanting to be a volunteer at the local vet clinic, i.e. Don’t mind the sight of blood.

Charlie gets his job cleaning out pens and assisting the dogs after surgery. And oh yeah, he meets a dog who can fly. Because why not? This story combines real-world problems with a touch of magic that helps Charlie navigate a challenging world. This genre of middle-grade fiction is called Our World but Different. What I love about it is that it features kids going through relatable problems, and it gives young readers hope. I’m all for hope. I also like the fresh setting of this novel that explores the 427-mile border between Washington State and British Columbia. The tall forests and back roads make for some intriguing plot twists.

Rescue provides adventure, friendship, and emotional tugs in all the right directions. I can’t wait to see what Marie Etchell writes next. Sign me up for all her novels.