A review by jennifyr
Lila and Hadley by Kody Keplinger

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is a cute middle school book about a 12 year old girl Hadley whose life is upended when her mom goes to jail and she has to move to another state with her estranged older sister. On top of that, her vision loss is getting worse and she is now legally blind. She "ain't a dog person", but connects with a despondent dog named Lila at the rescue shelter where her sister works and they foster her. Both Hadley and Lila help to heal each other over the course of the book. I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did a great job with the vernacular of a Southern tween voice. My daughter selected this book for her 5th/6th grade book club.