My Best Friend is Extinct

January 1, 2021

Gr 3-5-In this heavily illustrated middle grade novel, a young white boy named Henry struggles to fit in after moving to a Canadian mountain town. The area is experiencing the snowiest winter in memory, and it's rumored a new ice age is beginning. The kids at school take advantage of the weather to construct rival snow forts and prepare for an epic recess battle. Meanwhile, Henry discovers a group of bearlike creatures long believed extinct. He must convince his skeptical classmates to help him save the bears from a pack of saber-toothed cats. Li's illustrations add much to this novel, illuminating character and setting descriptions. A helpful map is also included. The story is engaging and will draw in readers. However, some of the characters are written less realistically than others. Henry's mother barely seems angry after he runs away, and she entertains ideas that most parents wouldn't even consider, like letting him ride along on her late-night snowplow route. It also seems unlikely that schoolchildren would have the patience to spend weeks constructing snow forts and gathering snowballs before starting a battle. Despite these shortcomings, this is an intriguing look at what might happen if an ice age began today, and a heartwarming tale of finding home. VERDICT A fun addition to fiction collections for early middle grade readers.-Kelly Jahng, South Park Elem. Sch., IL

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January 15, 2021
In the middle of a blizzard, a young boy helps an injured prehistoric animal. This is the story of 10-year-old Henry, who has moved with his mother--his father died when he was small--to a snowy mountain town where it has been hard to make friends. Making matters worse is a concussion he sustained when bullies collapsed a snow tunnel onto him. When Henry finds an injured prehistoric short-faced bear, he names him Yarp and, in secret, nurses him back to health. But what creature injured Yarp in the first place? Henry is determined to keep his new friend safe, but this proves to be a difficult challenge with no assistance from adults. There are two distinct modes for this title, which combines the simple reality of loneliness with the fantasy of befriending extinct animals. Fans of prehistoric animals will gobble up the exciting sections with saber-toothed cats, although the reason these creatures are milling about is not explained. A different rhythm is created around the story elements that address trying to make friends and telling lies, which gets Henry into trouble. Unfortunately, supporting characters are less well developed than the lead, but, ultimately, the story comes to a dramatic and tidy end. Soft pen-and-ink illustrations throughout add charm to the story. A good choice for lovers of animal and friendship stories. (map) (Fiction. 8-12)

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