Gr 4–8— B has been in foster care since age five when their parents died. Although they have had several placements, none have felt right. When their last placement ends in a disastrous family outing involving a dog named Gooseberry, B is placed with a new family, where it begins to feel like home. B has always had an ambition to be a dog trainer. Their meeting with Gooseberry leads them to believe that Gooseberry is the dog they are meant to train. Unfortunately, like B, Gooseberry has gone through trauma that left him mistrustful of people. As B begins Gooseberry's training, they find that overcoming trauma is not a quick process, but with love and patience, progress can be made. B is nonbinary and goes by B as they try to find their true name. Their latest foster parents are a lesbian couple, one of whom is transgender. B is surrounded by a group of gender-diverse friends that help them as they deal with bullies and the transition to a new home. Gooseberry's struggles with trust and overcoming trauma parallel those of B and provide them an additional coping mechanism as they begin to realize they've found their home. VERDICT B's struggle to find home and acceptance will have readers rooting for them and Gooseberry the dog. A must-purchase realistic fiction title for all middle grade collections.— Ashley Leffel

Upon their first meeting, B knows rescue dog Gooseberry is meant for them. Will their new foster parents agree?Twelve-year-old B has lived unhappily in various foster homes since their parents' deaths. Nonbinary, trans, and undecided on their new name, B also grapples with their emotional, anxious, neurodiverse brain. At school, B endures queerphobic bullying and academic struggles but has a tight friend group. When Humane Society runaway Gooseberry charges in to comfort a crying B at a block party, B knows it's fate. Fortunately, B's new foster moms, Jodie and Eri, agree. After all, B's dream is to be a dog trainer. Gooseberry tests B to their limits-hiding, snapping, and escaping-but B also has more to learn about dog training than they realized. B refuses to give up, though, and Jodie and Eri refuse to give up on B. Evocative metaphors illuminate B's thought processes for readers as B wrestles with a world that's not calibrated for their autism or their gender identity. Gooseberry is often B's emotional mirror, benefiting as much from B's devotion as B benefits from having accepting, supportive parents. Readers might be surprised, however, that the Humane Society would adopt out a highly reactive dog to inexperienced dog owners with a rule-breaking kid. B and their foster moms seem to be white, and Eri is trans; there's racial and gender diversity among the supporting cast.A sensitive exploration of autism, gender identity, and dog training. (Fiction. 8-12)