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“[Stray] will attract readers who love dogs as well as a good introductory love story.”—Booklist

Sixteen-year-old Natalie Kaplan has a particular talent: when she meets a person, she knows right away what kind of dog they’d be. Natalie herself resembles an Ibizan hound—quiet, playful, loyal, smart, and above all, obedient.

Just like the Ibizan, Natalie is very mindful of her master’s rules, but at the primary sign of freedom, she is prone to stray. And who may blame her when the beauteous and mysterious Carver Reed comes to live with the Kaplan family for the summer? Little by little, Natalie is drawn to Carver’s spontaneity and free spirit, and before long, she turns into another breed of girl—one who astoundingly bites the hand that feeds her.

“Stray is a winning novel that provides us with an essential reminder: it's okay to make errors and break the rules, in particular when it comes to love.”—Maureen Johnson, author of 13 Little Blue Envelopes

From BooklistNo matter what she does, 16-year-old Natalie Kaplan, dog lover and straight arrow, can't seem to win the approval of her veterinarian mother, who surrounds her with limits as if she were training a puppy. Ironically, though, her mother doesn't foresee the disastrous possiblenesses of bringing an beautiful young man into their home. Free-spirited Carver, son of Dr. Kaplan's best friend, has graduated from high school early and is going to intern in the family dog hospital. Hot sufficient to attract the interest of the popular girl next door, he is more mesmerized in Natalie. Little by little, with the help of Carver and her friends, Natalie steps out from under her mother's restrictions, doing some normal teenage experimenting and realizing that she may set her own boundaries. Full of dog-training metaphors, each chapter begins with a quotation from the book written by Natalie's runaway father, a dog guru. This fresh treatment of a intimate teen sentiment will attract readers who love dogs as well as a good first-love story. Kathleen Isaacs
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the AuthorWhen Stacey Goldblatt was in high school, she expended each Saturday at a family friend’s veterinarian clinic. Currently, she boards in San Diego with her husband, two children, and two cats. You may visit her at www.staceygoldblatt.com.

Most helpful client reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful.
Courtesy of Teens Read Too
By TeensReadToo
Sixteen-year-old Natalie Kaplan is better around dogs than people. She may name practically each breed of dog there is, yet can't fit in at a party. Natalie lives with her control-freak mother, her cake-baking grandmother, and four dogs (including Fufu, her cement chinese Foo dog that is supposed to fetch her luck).

For Natalie, the summer before her junior year of high school wasn't supposed to be dissimilar from any other summer. Natalie planned to hang out with her friends (Nina and Kirby), support out at her mother's vet clinic, and basically carry on to be the obedient daughter she has always been. However, at the beginning of summer, a wave of wildness overcomes Natalie - starting with streaking her hair blue and continuing to lying to her mother. When boy-hottie Carter Reed, son of Natalie's mother's friend, comes to stay with them for the summer, Natalie just can't help being attracted to him in spite of her mother's request to "keep it professional."

In one summer, Natalie is when it comes to to break the leash from her controlling mother and stray just sufficient to find herself.

STRAY is a amusive and warm novel with regards to one dog-loving girl's summer transformation. This is one of my bestloved books of the year and I would unquestionably commend it!

Reviewed by: Safia Abdul

0 of 0 persons found the following review helpful.
Angieville: STRAY
By Angela Thompson
This was a sweet book. Sweet and calm and breathtakingly welcome. I in particular liked that all of the characters, from Nattie's bitterly overprotective mother to her snotty and usual next door neighbor, are portrayed sympathetically. Reminding us that everyone is more than they appear, no matter how unsympathetic they may be at times. The fact is now and then you find yourself in a bathroom with your arch nemesis, keeping her hair back for her as she vomits her guts out. Goldblatt's writing feels well-grounded to me, her characters glitz-free and appealing.

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