The Lovely and the Lost

June 14, 2019

Gr 7 Up-Kira's adopted mom, Cady, is famous in the world of search-and-rescue, and Kira herself is a rising star. So when Cady's estranged father shows up to beg for his daughter's help finding a missing girl, Cady feels obligated. Kira, her foster brother Jude, their friend Free, and the dogs they train pack up and head to Cady's hometown where it appears that everyone is hiding a secret, especially a boy who seems to know much more than he is willing to share. As time passes and the search becomes more desperate, Kira finds herself battling painful memories of when she was a child lost in the woods. Barnes sensitively addresses Kira's childhood trauma, as well as her resulting anxiety. In addition, thoughtful research into the world of search-and-rescue will leave animal lovers in awe of the canine heroes in this book, and the twist-heavy, suspenseful plot will keep reluctant readers tuned in. However, Kira's first-person exposition at the beginning of the book leaves many of the characters underdeveloped. VERDICT Purchase where Barnes's "Naturals" series is popular.-Leighanne Law, Scriber Lake High School, WA

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2019
A young woman revisits her own traumatic past when she helps search for a missing little girl in this psychological thriller.Kira has lived with her caring foster mom, Cady, a rescue dog trainer, and her goofy foster brother, Jude, since she was found in the woods as a child. She's developed close relationships with both of them and with their spirited neighbor, Free, though in many ways it's the dogs they train to whom she feels the strongest kinship. Her world is shaken to its core, however, when Cady's long-estranged father, Bales, suddenly appears and they get pulled into the search effort in Sierra Glades National Park, which borders Cady's hometown. Kira's first-person narration will grip readers as she experiences troubling flashbacks to her own long-ago ordeal that progressively ratchet the tension of this mystery up as it unfolds. Leisurely paced, the slow build allows for the introduction of an array of somewhat unevenly developed characters, including a teen named Gabriel who lives with Bales, has been in legal trouble, and whose own family history is mired in secrets. The penultimate denouement will likely take readers by surprise as the plot detours into an unpredictable twist. All main characters are assumed white except for Gabriel, who is Latinx.An engaging, clever, suspenseful story in which readers--especially dog-loving teens--will easily lose themselves. (Thriller. 12-18)

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May 1, 2019
Grades 9-12 Kira has few memories of her early life. The strongest one is of the moment she was found in the woods by Silver, a search-and-rescue German shepherd, and Cady Bennett, her handler. Though aging, Silver still looks out for Kira, now a teenager living with Cady and the rest of her adopted family and training a dog of her own. Then Cady's estranged father shows up: a girl has gone missing in the wilderness, and he needs help. As the search intensifies, it becomes clear that the girl is not just missing, she was taken?and if Kira is going to be any help at all, she'll have to control the traumatic memories this search is unearthing for her. Barnes smartly maps the psychological landscape of a girl working through her early-life trauma, which makes this mystery, seen through Kira's eyes, layered and compelling. The wilderness survival component ups the stakes, and for animal-loving teens, the dogs add an intriguing and little-seen element. A moody, gripping puzzle.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)