THE UNDERDOGS OF UPSON DOWNS

Never underestimate the underdogs.

375 days. That’s how long it’s been since it rained in the Australian sheep-farming town of Upson Downs. Businesses have shuttered, and multigenerational farms are being gobbled up by the aptly named Earl Robert-Barren. Eleven-year-old Annie Shearer is eager to help her family save their farm. She and former stray dog Runt, who’s her best friend, have an unshakable bond that makes them a skilled herding and agility duo. Yet no one knows that, because Runt freezes when anyone but Annie is watching him. Then an opportunity comes up for Annie and Runt to qualify for the prestigious Krumpet’s Dog Show in London—with a grand prize of $250,000. The Shearer family bands together to bring their hidden talents into the spotlight. The novel reads like a well-designed agility course, complete with engaging challenges and pacing that reward focus as well as speed. Expository chapter headings function as an aperture, offering pleasing wit and levity before jumping into the action. Obstacles posed by the aforementioned land-grabber and a peacocking pedigreed-dog handler heighten the tension as the stakes rise. Annie and Runt are the main attractions, and their relationships with the other scrappy Shearer family members—especially Annie’s aspiring botanist dad—are authentically drawn and lovingly flawed, making them easy to cheer on and adding depth to a beautiful, rewarding narrative that’s a fresh addition to the genre. Main characters read white.

A perfect run of a novel with the heart of a champion.