In a major departure from her high school level novels, Ms. King writes a sweet little book about a boy named Obe who is losing much but gains a friend in the form of an unusual creature. (And a girl. And a teacher.) Obe's voice is strong and the story has enough levels to be interesting. Obe feels the loss of his family land, is bullied by his former best friend and is obsessed with the Science facts recited daily at his school about the loss of habitat. It is readable and engaging but, for readers of Ms. King's other books, somewhat simplistic. No matter. The intended audience will enjoy it. As an adult reader my only beef was that, once again, we have clear biography disguised as fiction. While the story is supposedly set today, it reads somewhat like it was set in the 1970s or 1980s. The author's voice comes through more often than it should and the parents are somewhat under-drawn. Those complaints are minor and will not stand out to an Elementary reader. A solid ecological tale which will touch the heart of any animal lover, I finished it in record time.
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