Product Description

When 16-year-old Natalie Kaplan meets a new person, she knows right away what kind of dog they'd be. Natalie herself resembles an Ibizan hound—quiet, playful, loyal, smart, and above all, obedient. Actually, Natalie has been trained so well that sometimes she thinks her mother is secretly controlling her with a dog whistle. (Her mom is a respected veterinarian with a successful clinic, so it's not that much of a stretch.)

Just like the Ibizan, Natalie is very mindful of her master's rules, but at the first sign of freedom, she is prone to stray. And who can blame her when the gorgeous and mysterious Carver Reed comes to live with the Kaplan family for the summer? Little by little, Natalie is drawn to Carver's spontaneity and free spirit, and before long, she turns into another breed of girl, who surprisingly bites the hand that feeds her.

"Stray is a winning novel that provides us with an important reminder: it's okay to make mistakes and break the rules, especially when it comes to love."—Maureen Johnson, author of 13 Little Blue Envelopes

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1895368 in Books
• Published on: 2007-05-08
• Released on: 2007-05-08
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 288 pages

From Booklist
No matter what she does, 16-year-old Natalie Kaplan, dog lover and straight arrow, can't seem to win the approval of her veterinarian mother, who surrounds her with limits as if she were training a puppy. Ironically, though, her mother doesn't foresee the disastrous possibilities of bringing an attractive young man into their home. Free-spirited Carver, son of Dr. Kaplan's best friend, has graduated from high school early and is going to intern in the family dog hospital. Hot enough to attract the interest of the popular girl next door, he is more interested in Natalie. Little by little, with the help of Carver and her friends, Natalie steps out from under her mother's restrictions, doing some normal teenage experimenting and realizing that she can set her own boundaries. Full of dog-training metaphors, each chapter begins with a quotation from the book written by Natalie's runaway father, a dog guru. This fresh treatment of a familiar teen feeling will attract readers who love dogs as well as a good first-love story. Kathleen Isaacs
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author
Stacey Goldblatt lives in San Diego with her husband, two children, and cat. You can visit her at www.staceygoldblatt.com.