Bookverdict.com

Gr 5–8—Twelve-year-old Ben, a science fiction fan with low self-esteem after years of foster care, meets a stray dog outside the Coney Island Public Library. Flip, with his big eyes and propensity to lick everyone's mouth, in turn helps Ben get to know a girl who is fighting cancer, and her family. When Ben's life gets turned upside down again, Flip remains. This is a "kitchen sink" book; it has bullying, adoption, homelessness, death, abuse, and cancer. However, the optimism of the protagonist combined with the positivity lent by the presenc...Log In or Sign Up to Read More

When Ben's adoptive mother dies, he moves in with his aunt and abusive uncle; canine companion Flip offers comfort, as does Halley, a...Log In or Sign Up to Read More