When 12-year-old Lily's blind dog, Lucky, slips his leash and runs away across the blueberry barrens of Maine, a young migrant worker named Salma saves him from running into the road with her well-timed gift of a sandwich. The two girls quickly become friends and discover that each has a dream: Lily's is to earn enough money to pay for eye surgery for Lucky, hoping to restore his sight. Salma's is to become both an artist and the first migrant worker ever to win the Downeast Beauty Queen pageant. Will their dreams come true? And if they don't, will their friendship survive? Newbery Honor Book author Lord has written a quiet, gentle story of friendship, which occasionally a bit bland, lacking drama, and, with its few problems, too easily resolved. But the girls' friendship is appealing, and Lucky ll, Lucky steals the show. Dog-lovers will dote on this one.

Gr 4-6 Two girls from seemingly different backgrounds bond over a blind dog and blueberries in Lord's latest heartwarmer. Lily lives in Maine, raised by her maternal grandparents, M&3;m&2;re and P&3;p&2;re. Her black lab, Lucky, is her strongest connection to her deceased mother. Lucky is slowly going blind and Lily is determined to raise money for an expensive and risky eye surgery to cure him; she paints wooden mason bee houses and sells them in her grandparent's general store. Salma is in Maine for the summer with her family, migrant workers who live and work in the blueberry barrens. Lucky unexpectedly brings the girls together and they immediately bond over their love of dogs, art, and blueberry enchiladas. Salma is creative and artistic, something that Lily both admires and envies. When Salma decides to enter the Blueberry Queen pageantsomething no migrant girl has ever done beforeLily's eyes are opened to the microaggressions of some of the townsfolk. There's also the surprising support from Hannah, Lily's former best friend and reigning Blueberry Queen, who offers to loan Salma a gown. Through her friendship with Salma, the protagonist finds a confidence she didn't know she had and she begins to recognize and question her own previously unexamined biases. Despite the slim page count, this middle grade novel's plot evolves organically. Lord's characters reveal themselves slowly within the narrative and the Maine setting is richly described. The bright cover featuring an adorable black lab is pure shelfbait; though readers looking for a animal tale will instead find a story that centers more on family, friendship, and growing pains. VERDICT A thoughtful work that examines cultural bias and will spark discussion.— Kiera Parrott, School Library Journal