A Dog Called Homeless by Sarah Lean

In A Dog Called Homeless by Sarah Lean (Lexile: 660; Interest Level: Grades 3-6), Callie Fisher stops talking when no one will believe that she sees her mother's ghost.  Her choosing not to talk has some interesting consequences--she stops getting in trouble at school; her father tries to give her some more attention; and she makes friends with her downstairs neighbor who has disabilities.  (This book won the Schneider Family Book Award for the portrayal of the downstairs neighbor.)  Callie starts to see a shaggy dog with her mother's ghost, and the dog seems to always seek her out.  The mysterious dog must have something to do with her mother, but how can Callie find out what?

Her downstairs neighbor helps her figure out a way to keep the dog close, and when they find out the secret of the dog, everyone is very surprised.  A 2015 Indian Paintbrush Nominee, this book is an easy read with a lot of very good emotion.  Readers who enjoy a calm mystery, or those who might be dealing with the death of a loved one, may enjoy this book. (202 p.)