PAWS

Eleven-year-old Mindy Park is not pleased that her relationships are changing.

Things are going great for Mindy and her best friends, Priya Gupta and Gabby Jordan, who run the dog-walking business PAWS (Pretty Awesome Walkers). But soon Mindy finds her life in upheaval. Her divorced mother, Sunny, meets Michael, and the two begin dating. Mindy quickly decides she does not like him, feeling put out when he begins to encroach on their relationship and routines. Then, Priya and Gabby befriend new girl Hazel and invite her to join PAWS. Unhappy with this change, Mindy gives Hazel (who uses a wheelchair) an unfair assignment: to walk Michael’s overweight and lazy cat, Chonk. Things go awry, and confrontations in the PAWS group and with Mindy’s mom ensue—can Mindy make space in her life for all the new changes? Fairbairn’s tale is wholly relatable, perfectly capturing the angst and turmoil of transition. Mindy, though flawed, comes to understand and apologize for her outbursts, especially in her treatment of Hazel. Much like Ann M. Martin’s Baby Sitters Club, this series is poised to feature a different PAWS member in each volume; expect appeal to be similarly high. Assarasakorn’s illustrations are bright and expressive. Mindy is Korean, Hazel is White, Priya is South Asian, and Gabby is brown-skinned.

An honest, heartwarming look at friendship.