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Table of Contents
About The Book
For fans of Kate DiCamillo and Sharon Creech comes this “both raw and warm in its compassionate telling” (Publishers Weekly) middle grade novel about a young girl, her pet bearded dragon, and the friends who make her summer one to remember.
Georgia Weathers’s worry machine has been on full blast since her mom, Blythe, took off in Lyle Lenczycki’s blue sedan. Earlier that same day, Blythe gave Georgia a bearded dragon named Freddy. Georgia is convinced that if she loves Freddy enough, Blythe will come home.
Georgia isn’t the only one with family predicaments. Her friend Maria Garcia’s parents have merrily moved out of the house and into a camper in the yard. Roland Park is the new boy in town. As a kid in the foster care system staying with the Farley family, he’s sure his stay is temporary. When the three friends discover an abandoned glass house in the forest, it becomes their secret hideout: a place all their own, free of parents and problems. But glass can be broken.
When everything around them feels out of their control, the question becomes what can they hold on to? And what do they have to let go? It turns out, there are some things—and lizards—they can count on.
Georgia Weathers’s worry machine has been on full blast since her mom, Blythe, took off in Lyle Lenczycki’s blue sedan. Earlier that same day, Blythe gave Georgia a bearded dragon named Freddy. Georgia is convinced that if she loves Freddy enough, Blythe will come home.
Georgia isn’t the only one with family predicaments. Her friend Maria Garcia’s parents have merrily moved out of the house and into a camper in the yard. Roland Park is the new boy in town. As a kid in the foster care system staying with the Farley family, he’s sure his stay is temporary. When the three friends discover an abandoned glass house in the forest, it becomes their secret hideout: a place all their own, free of parents and problems. But glass can be broken.
When everything around them feels out of their control, the question becomes what can they hold on to? And what do they have to let go? It turns out, there are some things—and lizards—they can count on.
Product Details
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books (October 19, 2021)
- Length: 240 pages
- ISBN13: 9781534475212
- Grades: 3 - 7
- Ages: 8 - 12
- Lexile ® 640L The Lexile reading levels have been certified by the Lexile developer, MetaMetrics®
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Raves and Reviews
"A sincere story of caring and communitty in the face of famiy struggles."
– Kirkus
"An honest, accessibly written look at family and the challenges of loving people who may prove hurtful, one that’s both raw and warm in its compassionate telling."
– Publishers Weekly
Awards and Honors
- Kansas NEA Reading Circle List Junior Title
- Oregon Book Award Finalist
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): The Care and Keeping of Freddy eBook 9781534475212
- Author Photo (jpg): Susan Hill Long Photo courtesy of the author(0.1 MB)
Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit