About This Book
Reach for this book when your child is begging for a pet or struggling with the reality that doing the right thing is often messy and exhausting. It speaks to the transition from 'wanting' a responsibility to actually 'managing' it, specifically through the lens of animal rescue and secret-keeping. It is a perfect choice for middle schoolers who feel like they are constantly juggling social pressure and personal integrity. The story follows Nikki Maxwell as she attempts to hide seven puppies from her parents and teachers to save them from an overcrowded shelter. While the tone is humorous and lighthearted, it deeply explores themes of accountability and the physical work required for empathy. Parents will appreciate how it validates the 'dorky' feeling of being overwhelmed while modeling a protagonist who eventually owns up to her chaotic choices. It is appropriate for ages 9 to 13, offering a relatable look at school-day anxiety and the joys of animal companionship.
What Parents Should Know
Sensitive Topics
The story involves an animal shelter reaching capacity and a character keeping significant secrets from parents and teachers, which may cause mild stress for some readers.
Ideal Reader
A 10-year-old animal lover who enjoys diary-style formats and is starting to navigate the complexities of middle school social hierarchies and secret-keeping.
Parent Prep
Parents may want to be ready to discuss why Nikki's decision to hide the dogs from adults made her life harder rather than easier, and the ethics of keeping such significant secrets. A child might feel inspired to bring home an animal or keep a significant secret from their parents 'for a good cause.'
Age Experience
Younger readers (9-10) will focus on the humor of the puppies' antics and the slapstick comedy of hiding them. Older readers (11-13) will resonate more with the social anxiety of being 'found out' and the romantic tension between Nikki and Brandon.
What Makes It Special
Unlike many pet stories that focus on the 'gift' of a dog, this book uses its signature doodle-heavy format to realistically (and hilariously) depict the sheer grossness and exhaustion of puppy care.
Read plot summary
Nikki Maxwell discovers that the animal shelter where her crush, Brandon, volunteers is too full to take a mother dog and her seven puppies. To help, Nikki decides to hide the dogs at home and even smuggles them into school to keep them safe. The narrative follows her increasingly frantic attempts to feed, clean, and hide the puppies while avoiding her nemesis, MacKenzie, and her suspicious parents.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
Nikki wanted to help the puppies, but she did it without asking for help. How did her secret-keeping make her job harder?
2
Brandon cares a lot about the animal shelter. What is a cause or an activity that you feel as passionate about as Brandon feels about dogs?
3
MacKenzie is often looking for ways to get Nikki in trouble. How would you handle a classmate who was constantly watching for your mistakes?
4
The puppies were a lot messier and more work than Nikki expected. If you were in her shoes, at what point would you have confessed to an adult?
5
Nikki often feels like a 'dork' compared to the 'popular' kids. In this book, does being a 'dork' help or hurt her when it comes to saving the puppies?
