Sydney Porter

Eleven-year-old Sydney faces a unique challenge in the form of Fred, a retired bomb-sniffing dog that her father-a wounded veteran-brought home from the war. While her dad battles PTSD, he finds solace in Fred's companionship, speaking to him more than to anyone else. Meanwhile, Sydney's mother copes with the family's mounting stress by immersing herself in work, leaving Sydney to manage her school assignments, household chores, and the daunting presence of a bully at school-tasks she handles all on her own. This reality starkly contrasts the ideal family Sydney envisioned while her dad was deployed.

With an earnest wish to be a dog herself, hoping it would bring her father closer and encourage him to talk to her, Sydney's life takes a magical turn. However, her transformation leads to unforeseen consequences, causing her to vanish and plunge her father into despair. The trauma of her absence lands him in the hospital, forcing Sydney to confront her predicament. As she navigates life as a dog, she embarks on a profound journey that reveals the depths of her father's and Fred's experiences in Afghanistan. Through her trials, Sydney discovers her own inner strength and ultimately finds a way to heal her family, bringing her closer to the perfect life she had always dreamed of.

...touching middle grade story--a girl who turns into a dog in order to better connect with her PTSD-suffering father--is certainly compelling, with definite appeal to young readers...  Booklife Prize