Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC of this middle grade novel.

I really enjoyed this book, and think many students will like it. The dog is central, which is always a huge bonus for many middle grade readers, and Happy does a great job taking center stage.

About this book:

“A girl, her dog, and the list that saved them...
As World War II enters her backyard, a young girl tries to keep her family together and cope with the war by completing a bucket list with her best friend: her dog Happy. Featuring a dog’s POV and inspired by real-life experiences of a young Pearl Harbor survivor, this historical middle-grade novel will inspire readers 8-12 to find courage in any situation.
It’s 1940, and Jody is moving with her military family yet again—this time to a small naval base in Pearl Harbor. She’s always created a “top ten” list for each new home to help her adjust, and with Hawaii being so beautiful and her loyal dog Happy by her side, it’s easy to find things to add.
But Jody’s mom is convinced the island is dangerous and starts constantly practicing first aid. Jody also learns that Happy is beginning to slow down. To cope, she starts a list of fun things they can do together, like journeying to a Fountain of Youth. “Operation: Happy” gives her something to focus on beyond the scary new experiences, like air raid drills and Yellow Fever vaccinations.
Before long, everyone’s worst fears come true: Pearl Harbor is attacked. In the aftermath, Jody’s father must stay behind as the rest of the family is evacuated, and Jody promises him she will keep everyone together. But things are hard in San Francisco, where she feels like an outsider. Worse, her mother has become depressed, and Jody worries she and her sister will have to go to an orphanage. With Happy by her side, Jody hatches a brave plan to keep the family safe … Will Operation: Happy see them through?”


Series: Seems to be a stand-alone novel.


Spiritual Content- A couple mentions of those in the Bible; A mention of thanking Jesus; A mention of God blessing the Marines; A mention of Bibles; A mention of church going; A mention of Sunday School; A mention of Jewish refugees;
*Note: “My god” is said by Jody’s father; Mentions of the rumored fountain of youth & Jody wondering if it will work on dogs (*Spoiler* When she sneaks out with him to go to the cave, she thinks that the “magical water” must be working because Happy looks better *End of Spoiler*); A couple mentions of smiles that could rival the Wicked Witch of the West (including Jody having one and it noting “I smile, a little wicked witch coming out of me”); A couple mentions of people acting crazy during a full moon.


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a form of ‘crap’, a ‘dang’, a ‘darn’, a ‘doggone it’, a ‘duh’, a ‘holy mackerel’, a ‘my god’ (said by Jody’s father), a ‘shut it’, a ‘worked our tails off’, two forms of ‘dumb’, and two ‘shoot’s; A mention of a cuss word (said by Jody, which typically would have her mother get a bar of soap); A bit of sarcasm & eye rolling; Gunfire, Going through gunfire and bombs, Bombings, Explosions, Blackout drills, Air Raid drills, Fires, the aftermath of the bombing, Screams and crying, & being scared (up to semi-detailed to detailed); Recalling the bombings & gunfire (barely-above-not-detailed); Jody and her sister are given the jobs of loading machine guns and loading the guns’ belts; Jody’s mom is very concerned about their family moving to Hawaii (Pearl Harbor; Her mom had a dream and Jody says she’s “spooked” and scared, which makes Jody nervous and concerned); *Spoiler* Jody’s mom wants to send her and her sister to the mainland; Jody and her sister are taken to another place after the bombing to stay with another family; Jody is very concerned and scared for her parents and being away from them; A bit later, Jody, her sister, their mother, and Happy leave to go to the mainland *End of Spoiler*; *Spoiler* Jody is worried that her and her sister may be taken away from their mother due to her being unable to take care of them because of her sadness/depression; Jody’s friends suggests for her to forge her mother’s signature on a school paper as Jody is concerned about her mom not being able to do it; Jody does forge the signature on her paper and is concerned that she’ll do it again and again if it’s to help her family, so she contacts her father *End of Spoiler*; *Spoiler* Because of her mom’s sadness, Jody plans to deceive her teacher about her mother being at an event, which Jody feels guilty about because Marines aren’t supposed to deceive, but wonders if “maybe it’s okay for a really, really good reason?”; The plan gets shaky when her mom actually shows up after Jody points out a friend dressing up as her mom to her teacher (this is not noticed by the adults nor is there is any repercussion for this) *End of Spoiler*; Jody orders Happy to attack a man who was going to causing harm to someone (See Sexual Content Spoiler, barely-above-not-detailed); Jody sneaks out (when not with her parents to get something for Happy); Jody, her sister, and their friends throw mangos at each other (food fight style) & Jody and her sister lie to their mother about it (because they don’t want to get them or their friends in trouble; Jody adds that they’ve never been the type of sisters who “blissfully work together or keep each other’s secrets. Until today, that is.”); Jody lies (to her mother and a new friend); Jody eavesdrops on her parents (multiple times; she doesn’t tell her sister for fear of being ratted out); Happy recalls his eyesight getting worse, overhearing the humans talk about the dangers of it, and is sad to be apart from his human; Set during pre-Pearl Harbor bombing, post-Pearl Harbor bombing, and World War II, & all about many mentions of all of it (the war, bombs/bombings, explosions, blackouts, sirens, fires, ships and submarines being destroyed, planes being shot down, gunfire, torpedoes, attacks, injuries, and deaths; up to semi-detailed); Mentions of other wars; Mentions of injuries, blood/bleeding, & illnesses; Mentions of a girl living at an orphanage while her father is fight overseas (her mother passed away years before); Mentions of children being taken away from their parents due to negligence; Mentions of eavesdropping; Mentions of lies, lying, liars, & deception (including Jody says that a Marine shouldn’t deceive);A handful of mentions of tattoos (a sailor teases Jody about getting her own and Jody thinks that her mom would rub a tattoo clear off of her body); A few mentions of Happy attacking intruders & their pain (told to do so); A few mentions of jails/prisons; A few mentions of throwing up & vomit; A few mentions of dog poop (barely-above-not-detailed); A couple mentions of cigarettes; A mention of jealousy; A mention of a bully; A mention of graffiti;
*Note: See Sexual Content Spoiler Note about an attack on a young teen girl; Jody and her older sister have some moments of bickering/attitudes and teasing towards the other, but it’s pretty light (her sister keeps a diary and Jody doesn’t read it, despite that being hard for her; *Spoiler* Later, Peggy is upset at Jody thinking that she’s read it and throws a mango at her, but Jody didn’t read it as she couldn’t find it; Their mother reads it twice, though, and apologizes towards the end *End of Spoiler*); Jody’s mother has signs of depression & sadness (*Spoiler* it starts about half-way through after leaving Hawaii; Jody mentions her mother being detached, uncommunicative, always wanting to sleep, and it being like she’s disappearing inside herself at night, but she comes back to her old self in the late morning; Jody is worried that someone might take her and her sister away from their mother due to it; Jody is afraid that she’s losing her mother and her sister; Towards the end, her mother makes improvements of getting better despite it being hard *End of Spoiler*); When seeing a Japanese maid, Jody thinks she’s the only one spooked by her despite the Pearl Harbor Bombing recently happening (her mother tells her that the maid could be a spy and to say nothing around her; The maid tells Jody that not all Japanese are bad); Mentions of Japanese-Americans being taken to camps (including children and a girl at Jody’s school), them being treated like animals by their own country, & some thinking that they can’t be trusted (Jody doesn’t think that is fair or right); Mentions of Happy being sluggish and getting older (Jody’s mom takes him to the vet for a once-over and the vet says he’s in his “golden years”, which we see in Happy’s point of view of the whole vet trip; Jody has never thought about life without Happy and hugs him tight and plans to make the most of whatever time they have left together); Mentions of celebrities (Shirley Temple, Amelia Earhart, the Andrew Sisters, and the Ink Spots); Mentions of books, authors, & fictional characters (Nancy Drew, Gone With the Wind, Under the Lilacs, Jo’s Boys, and Little Women); A handful of mentions of the yellow-fever vaccine, everyone on the island having to get it, & deaths of those who had yellow fever, malaria, and other diseases rather than combat; A few mentions of a car brand; A few mentions of movies (The Little Princess, Gone With the Wind); A couple mentions of brand names & items (Monopoly and Kleenex); A mention of Girl Scouts; A mention of rivalry between the different armed forces (such as a Navy father putting his family before his duty, which a Marine like Jody’s father wouldn’t do); A mention of someone moving zombielike; A mention of passing wind (gas).


Sexual Content- A few mentions of Jody’s older sister (age 13) having crushes;
*Note: *Spoiler but important note* Jody’s 13-year-old sister, Peggy, is cornered by a man in the basement and Happy attacks the man at Jody’s command; It’s not said what happened besides Peggy being attacked and being incredibly scared; Their mom is out of it and doesn’t react except to gather Peggy in her arms on the couch while she sobs; Later, the man is called “unwell” after hesitation implying a different word would have liked to have been used by Jody’s father *End of Spoiler*; A handful of mentions of butts (a bruised one, butts in chairs, and freezing one off); A mention of a vet probing Happy’s “eyes, ears, belly, and other places”.

-Jody Zuber, age 11-12
-Happy the dog
1st person P.O.V. switches between Jody & Happy
Set in 1938 & 1940-1942
240 pages

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Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star (and a half)
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Two Stars
My personal Rating- Two Stars

I went into this book thinking “please don’t make me cry, please don’t make me cry, please don’t make me cry” because, well, it’s a dog book and those have a high tendency to make me cry on average. I was relieved by the author’s dedication to dog lovers noting that Happy would be fine, but I still was nervous because “fine” doesn’t always mean the way I want it to be. I do admit to tearing up at times because of the unconditional love that Happy shows (as early as page eight). I don’t typically care for books with the point of view of an animal, but this one was really cute. Happy is a great dog—the goodest, really.

I feel like a had a pit in my stomach for the majority of this book, in all honesty. There’s something about reading about a major event in history through a middle-grader’s eyes that makes the event feel even more solemn to me. Maybe it’s because I can fill in the blanks with more historical details or just seeing a traumatic event happen, but it’s a different level compared to reading historical fiction told from adults’ perspectives.

This story is inspired by a real-life Pearl Harbor survivor named Joan Zuber Earle and her book telling the accounts of it all and the aftermath. Reading reviews of that book, it sounds like a lot of parts of this book actually happened to the real-life “Jody”, which makes me wonder what was fictional and what was real.

While published by Zonderkidz, there’s very little faith content shown in this book. I’m very sad that God’s name was taken in vain in my advance reader’s copy. I hope it’s not in the final edition of this book, but won’t know until I see or hear elsewise. Until then, I’m noting this use of language and hesitant to recommend this book to those under the age of 12 because of it, the war details, and the Sexual Content Spoiler note. I honestly have mixed feelings on this book and may end up dropping ratings if the use of God’s name in vain is in the final print edition of this book. If you look at this book as a secular-published mainstream book, then I think many would find this book a good resource and great for homeschool families especially. As a book published by a Christian publishing house, it’s disappointing for that alone.

[4/16/24 Update: God's name is taken in vain in the final edition of this book with an adult saying, "My god, that ship is listing," right when the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor. All rating have dropped a full star because of this.]

Based on the page number, I was expecting this book to continue for a couple more chapters, so I found the ending to be very sudden. Rereading it a couple times though, I found it to be a decent, open-end ending. The war is still going on, but Happy is alive and that was very important to me.



*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Zonderkidz) for this honest review.

This is a beautifully written story of a family's resilience during WWII. “Improvise, adapt and overcome” a marine motto that the Zuber family lives by, helps them as they are caught in the middle of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The title of this book is a little misleading–it is not a very happy book. However, it is a very well written book that deals with family struggles in a real way. The dog’s name is Happy and even though there is some foreshadowing, the dog does not die!!! There are a lot of tough themes in this book based on a true story (war, family separation, depression), so I am extremely happy that the author gave us a happy ending for Happy! I’m sorry if this is a spoiler, but I did not enjoy that thought hanging over my head as I read it, and since it is meant for a younger audience, I wanted you to know that Happy is alive and well at the end of the book. Also, I thought the author handled the lives of military families in a very real way. As a military spouse, the story seemed very realistic. I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 only because I don’t enjoy realistic fiction that makes me sad. If you like heartfelt stories, you will love this book.

I LOVED this book and admit to crying during the book. This book is perfect for those who also like Lauren Tarshish's "I Survived" series. This book gave me greater insight to military children's lives on base during WWII/military operations along with the main character also dealing with the super emotional situation involving pet loss. I am absolutely going to place a purchase request for this title at my library.

In 1940, Jody, her family, and their dog Happy are on the move again, this time to Pearl Harbor’s naval base. Despite the beauty of the island, reality of World War II creeps into their daily life with air raid drills and Yellow Fever vaccinations. But when Jody awakens to an attack, her whole world changes. Based on real-life events, Author Jenni L. Walsh’s historical fiction novel, Operation: Happy, is an
inspiring story of courage, determination, and a family’s struggle to survive. I recommend this to those who love middle grade, historical fiction and coming-of-age stories. If you liked Rob Buyea's What Come's Next, then you'll love this story.

Thank you Netgalley & Zonderkids for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

A middle-grade historical fiction story about a girl and her dog, as they endure WWII together.

Told from alternating perspectives of 12 year old Jody, and her retired-military dog Happy who are living on a Marine base in Hawaii during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Although this story introduces WWII to a middle-grade audience, it does so in an age-appropriate way that's not too scary.

I felt the ending was a bit rushed, and that the encounter her sister has near the ending may be inappropriate for this audience.

Overall, I would recommend this book to middle-grade readers over age 10.

Operation: Happy
Overall Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (3/5) or 6.71/10 overall

Characters - 7
The characters in this book were fine, but none of them really stood out to me. They were relatable enough and had some personality, but not to the extent of memorability for me personally.

Atmosphere - 6
The atmosphere felt a bit lacking; I would've liked some more description throughout the story. Aside from some vague landscape glimpses, it was hard to distinguish what exactly the buildings Judy and Happy went to really looked like, especially in context to their surroundings.

Writing - 7
The writing in this book was decent. It moved the story along and was understandable. However, parts of it felt notably dry and dull.

Plot - 6
The plot was interesting. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and the constantly changing situations that Jody and Happy had to go through. Where the first part felt action-packed though, the second part felt much slower. Part of that might be purposeful mood-setting, but the first half had plenty of somber moments without dragging down the pace.

Intrigue - 7
I was intrigued by the cover and title from the get-go. I'm not usually someone who reads historical fiction, but I was pleasantly surprised by that aspect of the book. The historical element was a highlight for me. I liked the connections that the story made and those features made the story feel more realistic. My intrigued was dampened by the twists and turns of the plot though. I couldn't quite tell where the story was going and the ending felt rather off.

Logic - 7
This story was reasonably logical. The logic was certainly aided by the historical elements, but it could still work without that context/setting.

Enjoyment - 7
I enjoyed parts of this book. I was especially delighted by Jody and Happy's relationship. They really had a close-knit bond that helped them through a lot of tough circumstances.

Operation: Happy is the heartwarming middle-grade story of Jody, her dog, and her family as Pearl Harbor survivors.

It’s 1940 and Jody and her military family (including “Happy”) have just moved to a naval base in Hawaii where her dad is stationed. Jody enjoys the company of her dog, Happy, and works diligently on her top ten list of things she likes best about her new home. Jody’s mom is stressed and worried about the war being fought in Europe. One day, Pearl Harbor is attacked and Jody and her mom and sister are evacuated to San Francisco. The family misses Dad, Mom experiences depression, and Jody finds school a difficult adjustment. Out of desperation, Jody comes up with a plan to help her family.

Jody is a creative and optimistic girl who loves her dog and making top-ten lists. Because she is part of a military family, she moves around frequently. In each place, she makes a list of ten things she loves about her new home. When she find out that her dog is getting older and is slowing down, she makes a list of things that she can do with Happy that will bring him joy. Told mostly from Jody’s perspective, this story is enjoyable for middle-grade readers because we occasionally hear from Happy’s perspective! If you’ve ever had a loyal, protective dog, you will relate to Happy’s “thoughts and feelings.”

Note: Nothing tragic happens to the dog in this story!

I love historical fiction for children because a story can introduce a difficult or complicated topic in a gentle way. This story will generate discussion and might inspire additional research about the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Middle-grade literature is known for its themes of hope and family. This poignant story shows how a family can struggle when one of the parents has a job that requires long periods of separation or when one parent experiences a mental health challenge. The story also explores how children might feel responsible for the family and the ways they might assume responsibility for adult problems. Other relatable themes include friendship and bullying, I always love a hopeful ending and this is where middle-grade lit shines!

Thanks #NetGalley @Zonderkidz for a complimentary e ARC of #OperationHappy upon my request. All opinions are my own.

Jody is moving again with her Marine father, mother and sister to Hawaii in 1940. The highlight of the
move is the addion of retired military sentry dog Happy. Jody starts a list of thing she can do with
Happy as she adjusts to life on the island. Happy helps her deal with the air raid drills that are becoming
part of life. When Pearl Harbor is attacked. Jody must once again move to San Franciso with her
mother and sister while her father stays behind. With the help of Happy, Jody does what she can to
keep her family safe. A brave and resilient girl.
#OperationHappy #Zonderkidz #NetGalley

Operation Happy is a story told from the perspectives of 12 year old Jody and Happy, a retired military dog as they help one another through the events surrounding the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The chapters that have Happy's perspective have a little paw print to avoid confusion.
I thought the story would be more about the relationship between the 2 and how Jody's Operation: Happy list (to make the most of the time they had together) would unfold but it was a little darker and dealt with heavier topics of war, mental health, sexual assault etc.
The audiobook is very well done and brought the characters to life as well as the stress and emotions that Jody was experiencing yet I was puzzled as to why Happy's perspective was not in first person.
It is published by a Christian publisher but does not have many faith elements and so if the reader has that expectation, they will be disappointed.
I would recommend this to an upper middle grade but it is not a warm, fuzzy book. The author does make sure to put a note at the beginning stating that Happy does not die which will be appreciated by more sensitive readers and in her note at the end she reveals that Jody is based on a real person which always makes a book more meaningful.


Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read it in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Jody's dad is in the Marines and their next post is Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Jody overhears her mom talking about how she had a bad dream about Hawaii, but doesn't understand what it means. This is a great story about Jody and her dog Happy as they acclimate to a new life in Hawaii amid all of the uncertainties surrounding the war overseas. As Jody and her family survive the attack on Pearl Harbor, they realize things will never be the same again as they are sent from place to place until they finally land in San Francisco without dad. This is a great story for middle grades readers to learn about the attack on Pearl Harbor from a child's perspective. The author does a great job of making this appropriate for kids while not sugar coating some of the horrors of war. Highly recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction!

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Military kids are strong, resilient and adaptable. But what makes life better, is a dog. A big, happy dog. When you have to move to a new place, make new friends, there is nothing more constant that the love from you dog. 12 year old Jody is making yet another move with her family. This time to Pearl Harbor, HI, where her Marine father will be stationed. But it’s ok, because she has her best friend with her, a retired military dog named Happy. Together they explore Hawaii, and enjoy the warmth and freedom to be kids, until the attack on Pearl Harbor, their backyard. With Happy at her side, Jody learns to navigate her tough times while her family separated by war. But she also learns that no matter how hard you try, sometimes you need help. And it is ok to ask for it.

I loved this book. Happy and Jody were such wonderful, lovable characters. I loved having Happy's point of view. Jody is so real, as we see her struggle with moving and being involved in different parts of the war. Being so close to the action at Pearl Harbor and getting a child's point of view was beautifully done. I felt for Jody and her family as they are fighting to stay alive and fighting to stay together.
I laughed and I cried, This is a great book for any animal lover. I think it would be a great middle grade book club book as there is a lot to discuss.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

Jody is moving again with her military family -- to Pearl Harbor. She is excited to move to Hawaii; she cannot wait to have adventures with her dog, Happy.

Jody's mom feels that island is dangerous, and she begins practicing first aid. Jody is realizing that her dog is slowing dog. She makes a list of things they can do together, which allows Jody to focus on something other than air raid drills.

Pearl Harbor is attacked, and Jody's father needs to remain in Pearl Harbor, while the rest of the family evacuates. She feels alone in San Francisco; Jody tries to keep her family together, despite everything feeling so hopeless.

What a heartwarming story of friendship and family.

Absolutely adorable and a compelling read. I loved happy. I enjoyed this read as an adult and know all children will too

I read this one rather quickly in just a couple days with my daughter. It is such a sweet and heartwarming story of a girl and her dog but on the backdrop the harrowing experiences of Pearl Harbor during World War 2. This was such a sweet and lovable story. We couldnt put it down!

A young girl experiences the effects of World War II with her faithful companion, a dog named Happy.

The Zuber family is stationed in Ford Island as WWII rages across Europe. Jody's father serves in the marines resulting in their relocation to Hawaii. Happy joins the Zuber family and becomes Jody's loyal companion. Jody experiences various drills in preparation for air attacks from Japan. As the situation intensifies, Jody and her family return to San Francisco. Jody faces new challenges as her mother struggles to raise her and her sister without their father since he remains in Hawaii.

Jenni Walsh's story based on a real family was an interesting read.. The separation of Jody's father due to being stationed in Hawaii is relatable to families serving in various branches of the armed forces. I enjoyed reading about Happy. A well-written book and one I recommend.

Jody and her dog, Happy, are best friends. Together, Jody, Happy, her sister, and mother survive the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and are evacuated to San Francisco for safety. This book was told from Jody's perspective with some chapters from Happy's point of view. Jody shared her feelings about moving to Ford Island with her family because her Marine father was now stationed there. She found joy on the island, going to school, and loved having Happy join in on her adventures. After Pearl Harbor was attacked, Jody's family travelled by ship convoy to San Francisco. Jody's mom struggled being separated from her husband and Jody found the strength to keep the family together, fed, and safe until their father could join them in the future.
This would be a great book for ages 8-12. It dips into a little history of Pearl Harbor and what was happening on the west coast during 1941 without inappropriate details for this age group. I liked that it touched on the Japanese residents being sent away to camps by having a classmate of Jody's not show up for school one day and there was an explanation from the teacher. For kids that want to be heroes in their lives, this would be a perfect book because Jody had to do some challenging things for her family and thrived. If I were still teaching, I would use this as a read aloud in my fifth grade classroom.
Thank you to Zonderkidz-Books and Net Galley for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book was impossible to put down.

Set during World War II, 'Happy' is a retired marine dog who joins the family of an active marine as a Christmas gift for his daughter, Jody Zuber. He was a sentry dog but his eyesight is fading and so he becomes a beloved pet and trusted confidant to the young girl.
Jody's father is posted to Pearl Harbour in 1940 and the novel is split into the time leading up to and including the terrible events of December 1941 and then afterwards as the family are separated and Jody's father has to remain in Pearl Harbour. Jody, her sister Peggy and her mother have to relocate and seek refuge in San Francisco and as her mother falls apart, struggling mentally, Jody tries to keep the family together. Happy keeps Jody together. He saves her more than once.

Told through the eyes of both Jody and Happy, this historical fiction novel, based on true events, is a moving tale of friendship and resilience. Animal lovers, history fans and anyone who doesn't know enough about World War II should read this superbly written recollection of hope during one of the darkest moments in the 20th Century.

We read this book with children age 10-12.

Thank you to NetGalley and ZonderKids for sending this eBook for review consideration. All opinions are our own.

Jody and her dog Happy are best friends. Because her father is a member of the Marines, the family, which includes sister Peggy and Mom, has to move often. At some point they ends up in Hawaii. More specifically to Pearl Harbor. First of all, it's a wonderful life on the tropical island. But it quickly becomes clear that this paradise is in danger. One day the worst happens and the Japanese army launches its attack on Pearl Harbor. Jody and her family survive, but are separated from her dad. Jody, her sister and her mother come to San Francisco via stopovers and try to build a new life until they can be reunited with their father. But everything quickly gets out of hand and Jody has to do everything she can to keep her family together.
This book primarily tells the story of a girl and her dog. But as the story progresses, the focus becomes more and more on a family that has to find its way through the trials and tribulations of war. Jody and her sister have to grow up quickly and suddenly take on a lot of responsibility because their parents are temporarily unable to do so. Despite all the despair, hope for better times always shines through. Happy the dog always stands faithfully at the side of his favorite person. In some chapters the story is even told from his perspective, which gives the story a different point of view. Overall, this is a great young adult book that shows what you are capable of even in dark times and how important it is to have someone by your side, regardless of whether that someone has two or four legs.