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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Alternating chapters are told from the perspectives of the girl Piper and the dog Baby. This keeps this story centered on the intersection of these two protagonists, meeting frequently in and around a homeless shelter. Children who love animal books will be captured by Baby's story and will relate to Piper's desire to help Baby and his owner Jewel despite the obstacles.
As clichéd as it sounds, I was drawn to Bobbie Pyron’s [b:Stay|42902296|Stay|Bobbie Pyron|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1544716379l/42902296._SY75_.jpg|61830260] by the {adorable} pup on the cover; but the story I discovered within the pages is one that tugged at my heartstrings and truly made me reflect on life – especially the concepts of hope, love, survival, home, perseverance, and blessings. This is a serious book that will leave you shedding a tear {or twenty}, but it is such an important topic to explore further, for all ages, and Pyron has delivered it masterfully.
Fifth-grader Piper has experienced more hardship in her life than those four times her age, but things are going to get a lot more complicated for her family unit. With her father out of work again, Piper’s family is on the move – this time landing in a homeless shelter in Idaho. From the moment Piper steps onto Idaho ground, she feels ashamed. Ashamed of the fact that her father can’t stay with her mother and brother {instead being ordered to a men’s shelter}. Ashamed that she has to dig through people’s castoffs to find a winter coat to keep her warm. And, above all, ashamed that she has to stand in a food kitchen line three times a day for her meals. But it is in this very line where Piper finds a spark of hope in the form of Baby - a sweet dog who belongs to a homeless woman named Jewel.
Unlike Piper and her family, Jewel is unable to get food from the kitchen, or warm up in the shelter on below-zero nights because of her devotion to Baby {who isn’t welcome in either location}, leaving Piper constantly searching for the kind older woman and the pup who makes her smile. Piper finally locates the two in a park, where she visits frequently; but just as Piper’s family’s luck starts looking up in the form of placement in Hope House, and a new job for her father, Jewel and Baby begin experiencing turmoil.
When Jewel is rushed to the hospital with an extreme fever, Baby refuses to leave the park, awaiting Jewel’s return, which doesn’t happen quickly enough. Soon, Baby is snatched up by animal control, who have placed the loyal canine on a 10-day hold. Once the ten days are up, Baby will be adopted to one of the many families waiting in line to take him home, which will break Jewel’s heart. Piper is determined to reunite the two; but doing so will take a lot of work - and require help from all of Piper’s new friends – including Ree, a kindly young homeless woman who lives in the park with Jewel; and Piper’s Firefly Girls Troop, all of whom live in Hope House. It won’t be easy, but Piper is determined; and with determination comes success.
This book! I absolutely love it. Piper, despite being under 12, is a force to be reckoned with who is smart, brave, wise, and selfless. In the midst of her own family problems, Piper wants nothing more than to help someone else, and that is admirable. Though the topic of homelessness, along with mental health issues, and poverty is heavy, Pyron presents them in a way that educates while making the reader empathize. Told in alternating viewpoints {Piper and Baby}, Stay is a story that will stay on the reader’s mind long after the last page is turned; and make one think twice before discounting the camaraderie, love, and compassion seen within the homeless community. Side note: I am currently getting my Master of Arts in Teaching, Elementary Education, and was able to use this book as an accompaniment to a third-grade expository writing lesson plan. I am positive that this book can be used for a wide array of other lessons within the classroom; so I highly recommend for teachers.
Fifth-grader Piper has experienced more hardship in her life than those four times her age, but things are going to get a lot more complicated for her family unit. With her father out of work again, Piper’s family is on the move – this time landing in a homeless shelter in Idaho. From the moment Piper steps onto Idaho ground, she feels ashamed. Ashamed of the fact that her father can’t stay with her mother and brother {instead being ordered to a men’s shelter}. Ashamed that she has to dig through people’s castoffs to find a winter coat to keep her warm. And, above all, ashamed that she has to stand in a food kitchen line three times a day for her meals. But it is in this very line where Piper finds a spark of hope in the form of Baby - a sweet dog who belongs to a homeless woman named Jewel.
Unlike Piper and her family, Jewel is unable to get food from the kitchen, or warm up in the shelter on below-zero nights because of her devotion to Baby {who isn’t welcome in either location}, leaving Piper constantly searching for the kind older woman and the pup who makes her smile. Piper finally locates the two in a park, where she visits frequently; but just as Piper’s family’s luck starts looking up in the form of placement in Hope House, and a new job for her father, Jewel and Baby begin experiencing turmoil.
When Jewel is rushed to the hospital with an extreme fever, Baby refuses to leave the park, awaiting Jewel’s return, which doesn’t happen quickly enough. Soon, Baby is snatched up by animal control, who have placed the loyal canine on a 10-day hold. Once the ten days are up, Baby will be adopted to one of the many families waiting in line to take him home, which will break Jewel’s heart. Piper is determined to reunite the two; but doing so will take a lot of work - and require help from all of Piper’s new friends – including Ree, a kindly young homeless woman who lives in the park with Jewel; and Piper’s Firefly Girls Troop, all of whom live in Hope House. It won’t be easy, but Piper is determined; and with determination comes success.
This book! I absolutely love it. Piper, despite being under 12, is a force to be reckoned with who is smart, brave, wise, and selfless. In the midst of her own family problems, Piper wants nothing more than to help someone else, and that is admirable. Though the topic of homelessness, along with mental health issues, and poverty is heavy, Pyron presents them in a way that educates while making the reader empathize. Told in alternating viewpoints {Piper and Baby}, Stay is a story that will stay on the reader’s mind long after the last page is turned; and make one think twice before discounting the camaraderie, love, and compassion seen within the homeless community. Side note: I am currently getting my Master of Arts in Teaching, Elementary Education, and was able to use this book as an accompaniment to a third-grade expository writing lesson plan. I am positive that this book can be used for a wide array of other lessons within the classroom; so I highly recommend for teachers.
My daughter begged me to read it. If I was 10, I’d love it. Bipolar disorder, homelessness, grit, Girl Scouts, puppies. But I’m not 10. So I loved that she loved it and wanted to share it with me. This is her rating!
So much whining ... of course that’s what I get from listening to books. I love that a book for third graders talks about lithium and bi-polar, though. The beginning of this book was just too long and drawn out and depressing for me. It does give an inside look into homelessness where everything works out for everyone. Yeah ... no. Also, thought it was funny that the parents arguments ended when they got a car. I will definitely recommend this to my students who ask for sad books, but only behind books like Sara Lost and Found and House Arrest.
Also, Piper’s obsession with having Baby. Even though it would mean getting kicked out of anywhere they could live atm. I understand she has a bond with Baby, but it’s not her dog. It was just a bit much for me.
Also, Piper’s obsession with having Baby. Even though it would mean getting kicked out of anywhere they could live atm. I understand she has a bond with Baby, but it’s not her dog. It was just a bit much for me.
I read this one out loud to Tyler as our bedtime book. It's an OBOB book this year and Tyler was drawn to it because of the cute dog on the cover. What he wasn't expecting was a thoughtful and serious fictionalized account of a young girl's experience with homelessness and the characters she meets during her journey. I love books that widen my child's horizons, opens his eyes to me world views, and encourages him to act with more compassion. He's already such a kind and loving child, he connected quickly with both Piper and Baby. This is an important book for young readers and one that I think will stay with my kiddo for a while.
A feel good story about a homeless girl who is trying to help out an elder homeless person and her dog. This gives hope that people do care and help each other out even when they themselves are going through rough times. Friends are always there to help you out.
This book caught me off guard. I wasn’t expecting such a sweet, feel-good story about one little girl who realizes what is important in life and leads a troop of new friends in helping someone who really needs it. Always an added bonus when a loving dog is part of the adventure.