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Near and Deer
A heartwarming story about a girl who feels like her life is out of her control-and the inspirational friendship between her pet sheepadoodle and an orphaned fawn that she's determined to protect.
Sienna Chen loves helping her parents run their B&B and hanging out with her best friend, a sheepadoodle named Jules. Her world is chaotic, but she knows that by staying on top of everything she can help her parent's business succeed. No matter how much pressure builds, she's determined not to let them down.
One day Sienna finds Jules playing with a baby fawn. Sienna names the fawn Persimmon, and learns that it has been orphaned and injured. But taking care of Jules, helping her parents, and hiding Persimmon is a lot for Sienna to take on.
And when Persimmon finds herself in danger, things become even worse! With the help of a new friend, Sienna will have to save Persimmon and learn how to prevent her anxiety from overwhelming her life.
Sienna Chen loves helping her parents run their B&B and hanging out with her best friend, a sheepadoodle named Jules. Her world is chaotic, but she knows that by staying on top of everything she can help her parent's business succeed. No matter how much pressure builds, she's determined not to let them down.
One day Sienna finds Jules playing with a baby fawn. Sienna names the fawn Persimmon, and learns that it has been orphaned and injured. But taking care of Jules, helping her parents, and hiding Persimmon is a lot for Sienna to take on.
And when Persimmon finds herself in danger, things become even worse! With the help of a new friend, Sienna will have to save Persimmon and learn how to prevent her anxiety from overwhelming her life.
224 pages, Paperback
Published October 1, 2024
7 people are currently reading
81 people want to read
About the author
Sylvia Liu
8 books152 followersSylvia Liu grew up with books and daydreams in Caracas, Venezuela. Once an environmental attorney protecting the oceans, she now spins stories for children, inspired by high tech, ghost crabs, and strong girls. Sylvia lives in Virginia with her family and a very fluffy cat.
Visit her website at enjoyingplanetearth.com and follow her on Instagram/Bluesky (@sylliu) or Twitter (@artsylliu).
Visit her website at enjoyingplanetearth.com and follow her on Instagram/Bluesky (@sylliu) or Twitter (@artsylliu).
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 12, 2024
Copy provided by the author
Sienna Chen's parents have recently moved the family from D.C. to the Virginia countryside to get away from the rat race and run a bed and breakfast. Sienna's grandmother (Nainai) has come along, and when the book starts, the two are running everything while the parents are away. Sienna is in charge of the baked goods, and everything is going well until her sheepadoodle, Jules, runs off. She goes after him and finds that he has discovered an abandoned fawn. The animal is adorable, and since a neighbor has said very threatening things about the local deer population, Sienna is concerned about it. She rushes home, but not soon enough to save the muffins, which burn and set off the smoke detector. This must be wired into the local fire department, because they are soon at the door, shooing the guests outside. Sienna is mortified, since her parents are trying to get a star accreditation to help the business, and this will not lead to good reviews. She manages to get the fawn to safety (coyotes are lurking about), and does some research to learn that she should contact a local wildlife rescue. Sadly, their phone mailbox is full. She finds out that she can feed the fawn milk from the family's goats, and struggled to do that. When her parents return, she doesn't tell them about the fire or the fawn. A woman who is studying local mushrooms, Dr. Klein, is staying at the B&B for a month with her son, Max, and her parents want Sienna to help entertain him. He's very energetic, but she eventually tells him her secret and enlists his services. She's named the fawn Persimmon, and micromanages Max when he tries to help. Jules seems to get along with the animal, but when the two manage to stumble into the house when the accreditors are visiting, Sienna's parents are furious! She still doesn't tell them that she's keeping the fawn in the shed, and continues to lie... and she's not entirely sure why. She and Max sneak out at night, and Max breaks his arm falling out of a tree. She still doesn't tell them. She even skips school to try to deal with Persimmon, and eventually ends up seeking help from Dr. Klein, since she just doesn't want to bother her parents, since the B&B is stressing them out so much. Dr. Klein takes her to the wildlife refuge to talk to Maite, who says it is best if Persimmon is away from people and hanging out with other deer, but Maite does allow Sienna to keep the deer for a while, if she and her father can build an enclosure. Feeling bad about the fact that her parents didn't get the star they were working for, Sienna e mails the accreditors and tells them her sad tale, and the grant a second chance. In the end, the family gets the star, Persimmon goes to the wildlife rescue with Maite, Max and Sienna keep in contact, and things are looking up.
Strengths: To start, this cover will sell itself. A sheepadoodle befriending a fawn? Any young reader interested in animals is going to want this one! Sienna is a very well portrayed middle school character, with some facets of her personality that we don't always see. She's moved, but she's not whining about it. Her parents' business isn't going quite the way they want, but she is trying very hard not to add to their burden and help them out without complaining, even if she does make some missteps. She has some anxiety, with is on trend with the current middle school zeitgeist, but tries to handle it on her own. She's kind to Max, even if she micromanages him a bit, and does her best by the fawn. The fact that she doesn't tell her parents is quintessentially middle grade. My own daughter managed to hide a stray cat in her closet for two days in middle school, so I absolutely bought the fact that Sienna was able to hide the fawn in a shed! There's plenty of good information about why one shouldn't take animals from the wild, and Maite is kind but firm with Sienna about what needs to happen. This is a great realistic fiction novel that has a lot of appeal to a wide variety of readers.
Weaknesses: Sienna's actions are absolutely true to life. Of course, she doesn't want to stress her parents out. But also, of course, she wants to keep the adorable fawn her dog has befriended. She is sure she can do everything she needs to do, but she really can't. This was frustrating to read as a parent, especially when Sienna is sort of rewarded at the end of the book. Young readers will think this is all fine, but the adult in me wanted to ground Sienna until she was 35. I did appreciate the author's notes about how trying to deal with wildlife on one's own is not a good idea at all!
What I really think: I am hoping that Follett or Perma-Bound will offer this in a prebind, since paperbacks don't hold up very well in middle school backpacks! Readers who enjoyed this author's Manatee's Best Friend, Wood's Just One Wing, Hoyle's Just Gus or Millie, or other books involving animal rescue will enjoy this enDEERing tale!
Sienna Chen's parents have recently moved the family from D.C. to the Virginia countryside to get away from the rat race and run a bed and breakfast. Sienna's grandmother (Nainai) has come along, and when the book starts, the two are running everything while the parents are away. Sienna is in charge of the baked goods, and everything is going well until her sheepadoodle, Jules, runs off. She goes after him and finds that he has discovered an abandoned fawn. The animal is adorable, and since a neighbor has said very threatening things about the local deer population, Sienna is concerned about it. She rushes home, but not soon enough to save the muffins, which burn and set off the smoke detector. This must be wired into the local fire department, because they are soon at the door, shooing the guests outside. Sienna is mortified, since her parents are trying to get a star accreditation to help the business, and this will not lead to good reviews. She manages to get the fawn to safety (coyotes are lurking about), and does some research to learn that she should contact a local wildlife rescue. Sadly, their phone mailbox is full. She finds out that she can feed the fawn milk from the family's goats, and struggled to do that. When her parents return, she doesn't tell them about the fire or the fawn. A woman who is studying local mushrooms, Dr. Klein, is staying at the B&B for a month with her son, Max, and her parents want Sienna to help entertain him. He's very energetic, but she eventually tells him her secret and enlists his services. She's named the fawn Persimmon, and micromanages Max when he tries to help. Jules seems to get along with the animal, but when the two manage to stumble into the house when the accreditors are visiting, Sienna's parents are furious! She still doesn't tell them that she's keeping the fawn in the shed, and continues to lie... and she's not entirely sure why. She and Max sneak out at night, and Max breaks his arm falling out of a tree. She still doesn't tell them. She even skips school to try to deal with Persimmon, and eventually ends up seeking help from Dr. Klein, since she just doesn't want to bother her parents, since the B&B is stressing them out so much. Dr. Klein takes her to the wildlife refuge to talk to Maite, who says it is best if Persimmon is away from people and hanging out with other deer, but Maite does allow Sienna to keep the deer for a while, if she and her father can build an enclosure. Feeling bad about the fact that her parents didn't get the star they were working for, Sienna e mails the accreditors and tells them her sad tale, and the grant a second chance. In the end, the family gets the star, Persimmon goes to the wildlife rescue with Maite, Max and Sienna keep in contact, and things are looking up.
Strengths: To start, this cover will sell itself. A sheepadoodle befriending a fawn? Any young reader interested in animals is going to want this one! Sienna is a very well portrayed middle school character, with some facets of her personality that we don't always see. She's moved, but she's not whining about it. Her parents' business isn't going quite the way they want, but she is trying very hard not to add to their burden and help them out without complaining, even if she does make some missteps. She has some anxiety, with is on trend with the current middle school zeitgeist, but tries to handle it on her own. She's kind to Max, even if she micromanages him a bit, and does her best by the fawn. The fact that she doesn't tell her parents is quintessentially middle grade. My own daughter managed to hide a stray cat in her closet for two days in middle school, so I absolutely bought the fact that Sienna was able to hide the fawn in a shed! There's plenty of good information about why one shouldn't take animals from the wild, and Maite is kind but firm with Sienna about what needs to happen. This is a great realistic fiction novel that has a lot of appeal to a wide variety of readers.
Weaknesses: Sienna's actions are absolutely true to life. Of course, she doesn't want to stress her parents out. But also, of course, she wants to keep the adorable fawn her dog has befriended. She is sure she can do everything she needs to do, but she really can't. This was frustrating to read as a parent, especially when Sienna is sort of rewarded at the end of the book. Young readers will think this is all fine, but the adult in me wanted to ground Sienna until she was 35. I did appreciate the author's notes about how trying to deal with wildlife on one's own is not a good idea at all!
What I really think: I am hoping that Follett or Perma-Bound will offer this in a prebind, since paperbacks don't hold up very well in middle school backpacks! Readers who enjoyed this author's Manatee's Best Friend, Wood's Just One Wing, Hoyle's Just Gus or Millie, or other books involving animal rescue will enjoy this enDEERing tale!
August 18, 2024
Very sweet story!!! I love that the main character has to learn how to ask for help, especially with the fear that she could be told no. And also, just learning that, even when you’re allowed to do the thing you want most of all, it may not be best for an animal!
July 31, 2024
Animal-loving kids are going to be LINING UP for Sylvia Liu's NEAR and DEER, a dear story, indeed!
Sienna Chen has a lot of pressure on her. She's helping to run her family's bed and breakfast, and her parents are hoping to earn the inn a star. But when Jules, Sienna's (adorable) sheepadoodle, comes upon an orphaned fawn on the inn's property, will Sienna be able to handle (secretly) caring for the injured animal without letting her family down?
With sweet friendships - between Sienna and the animals, between the animals themselves, and between Sienna and a guest at the B&B - as well as Sylvia Liu's trademark reverence for the natural world and the ways it connects us all, NEAR AND DEER will be oh-so-beloved by young readers.
My thanks to Scholastic and the author for the advanced read.
Sienna Chen has a lot of pressure on her. She's helping to run her family's bed and breakfast, and her parents are hoping to earn the inn a star. But when Jules, Sienna's (adorable) sheepadoodle, comes upon an orphaned fawn on the inn's property, will Sienna be able to handle (secretly) caring for the injured animal without letting her family down?
With sweet friendships - between Sienna and the animals, between the animals themselves, and between Sienna and a guest at the B&B - as well as Sylvia Liu's trademark reverence for the natural world and the ways it connects us all, NEAR AND DEER will be oh-so-beloved by young readers.
My thanks to Scholastic and the author for the advanced read.
July 30, 2024
This is a very sweet story that will especially appeal to young readers who love animals. The main character, Sienna, struggles with anxiety and the pressure she feels to help make her parents' new B&B a success. When she accidentally earns the inn a bad review, she feels terrible. She stumbles across an orphaned fawn and decides to keep it hidden while she nurses it back to health in order to prove to her parents she can be trusted. Of course nothing goes as planned, but a blooming friendship with a hotel guest and a little help from her trusted dog teach her about the importance of friendship and trust. I especially love how the author folded in facts about fungi and tree communication to explore the theme of interconnectedness in this story.
September 1, 2024
If you or your middle-grade reader want a heartwarming story with adorable animals and authentic struggles with friendship and anxious feelings, this book is perfect! Sienna is navigating a new life and a new friendship when her parents purchase and run a B&B. She carries the weight of the world on her shoulders, so when she discovers an abandoned fawn in the forest, her desire to control things backfires. This story also weaves in tree and mushroom science and how to care for animals. I especially love the journey of Sienna's relationship with her new friend. Highly recommend!
September 18, 2024
I enjoyed this school age read. I won this book from Scholastic and the author and I found it very interesting. I've given this a 4.5 * rating. I found some of the words a little hard to understand. As a 69 year old grandmother, I might move this to a little older group but the actual story seems right for the grade school age. The actual social issue might be understood more by the little older group also. I would list this as a tween age group story. It was a very good story for the teen aged readers.
September 6, 2024
This is a sweet book with a charming ending. Sienna grapples with her anxieties while taking on working at her parents’ inn and caring for a young fawn. The portrayal of a kiddo’s frustration of not being heard by adults was done well. Mushrooms and wildlife!
August 6, 2024
Adorable animals, check! New friendships, check! Environmental respect, check! Readers will love this story with a cast of endearing characters who learn to help and trust each other.
November 17, 2024
This is a cozy, feel-good tale that I read with my son. We both were excited to see what would happen in the next chapter!
March 21, 2025
Very cute and informative book I love it
December 23, 2025
It was cute, good for my classroom library! The little animal friendships are so sweet!
December 11, 2024
This is such an adorable book and perfect for animal-loving kids (and adult)! It perfectly captures the love and connection children feel with their animal companions and how important these relationships are. Sierra’s human friendships and her relationship with her parents as she struggles to deal with all the changes in her life after her parents decide to buy and run a B&B are also highlights. And I love that I always learn something from Sylvia Liu books. There’s fun facts and science about the natural world that kids who love nature will be delighted by.
Another great animal friendship book from Sylvia Liu and I hope we keep getting more of them!
Another great animal friendship book from Sylvia Liu and I hope we keep getting more of them!
August 12, 2024
What an adorable story!! Readers will love following Sienna Chen and her adorable sheepadoodle Jules as they find ways to secretly care for a fawn they found near the woods by Sienna's parents' B&B. The stakes are high for Sienna, who has to help keep operations running smoothly at the B&B so it receives a coveted star rating while keeping the fawn a secret from her parents. The only problem is nothing goes according to plan! Organized, list keeping, Sienna has to find a way to care for the fawn with Max, a go-with-the-flow type of guy, learn ways to keep the fawn safe, and find the right to do all the while as things at the B&B descend into chaos! This engaging and enjoyable read will surely find fans in kids who love animals, science, and learning about wildlife and the environment!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews