To Night Owl from Dogfish

Avery Bloom and Bett Devlin are two twelve-year-olds living on opposite coasts with very different personalities. Their single fathers fall in love and decide to send the girls to the same summer camp in hopes they will bond. Through an exchange of emails and letters, the girls move from resentment to a deep friendship, eventually working together to navigate the unpredictable twists of their parents' relationship and their own desire to remain a family. SENSITIVE TOPICS: None. EMOTIONAL ARC: The story begins with tension and skepticism as the girls are forced into a relationship. It builds into a joyful, high-energy adventure filled with humor and growing affection, ending with a strong sense of hope and the validation of chosen family. IDEAL READER: A middle-schooler who feels protective of their single parent and is wary of a new partner entering the picture. It is also perfect for the child who expresses themselves best through writing or digital communication. PARENT TRIGGER: A child expressing fear that their family dynamic is about to change forever because a parent started dating, or a child who feels they are being forced to be friends with a "new sibling" they have nothing in common with. PARENT PREP: This book can be read cold. It is a celebratory and modern look at family building that requires no special adult mediation beyond a willingness to discuss how family is defined by commitment rather than just biology. AGE EXPERIENCE: Younger readers (ages 10-11) will focus on the humor of the camp mishaps and the fun of the secret correspondence. Older readers (ages 13-14) will better appreciate the nuances of the adult relationships and the complex emotional labor the girls perform to keep their bond alive when things get difficult. DIFFERENTIATOR: Unlike many blended family stories that focus on the loss of a previous marriage, this book centers on two children from stable single-dad households. Its epistolary format (emails and letters) makes it uniquely fast-paced and provides a direct, intimate window into the protagonists' internal growth.