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Missing Mike
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He's a rescue, a mutt. Maybe there's a little golden retriever in him, although he's not exactly pretty. He's had a run-in with coyotes and he's missing an eye. But Mike is eleven-year-old Caera Donovan's dog, and they love each other absolutely. Usually her pet follows Caera everywhere, but on the day the family first smells smoke in the air, Mike becomes anxious. Pine Gr
...more
Hardcover
Published
May 11th 2018
by Pajama Press
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Thanks so much to the author for providing @kidlitexchange with a review copy of this book!
I. LOVE. THIS. BOOK. Absolutely love. I want to hug it and give it a place on my forever shelf. And here's why: I love dog books. I love verse novels. But while the book is both of those things, it's also so much more. It's an emotional look at the realities of wildfires and the devastation they can bring to communities, and it's an exploration of the meaning of the word home. It's an accessible text for r ...more
I. LOVE. THIS. BOOK. Absolutely love. I want to hug it and give it a place on my forever shelf. And here's why: I love dog books. I love verse novels. But while the book is both of those things, it's also so much more. It's an emotional look at the realities of wildfires and the devastation they can bring to communities, and it's an exploration of the meaning of the word home. It's an accessible text for r ...more

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
I am a big fan of Shari Green's writing style, and once again, her poetic voice drew me into a story that's heartfelt, and real.
Cara and her family are forced to evacuate their home when a forest fire comes too near to their hometown of Pine Grove. As they are loading their vehicle, Cara's dog, Mike, runs away, and the family is forced to flee with him. After a harrowing escape, they find temporary accommodations with a hos ...more
I am a big fan of Shari Green's writing style, and once again, her poetic voice drew me into a story that's heartfelt, and real.
Cara and her family are forced to evacuate their home when a forest fire comes too near to their hometown of Pine Grove. As they are loading their vehicle, Cara's dog, Mike, runs away, and the family is forced to flee with him. After a harrowing escape, they find temporary accommodations with a hos ...more

This book is written in lyrical free verse, just like the other book I read from this author, Root Beer Candy and Other Miracles, which was my top MG choice for 2016. The one thing I appreciated in both of these books is the MCs think and react appropriate to their ages. I have read several Middle Grades over the last couple of years where the elementary school age characters think like 40 year old mental health therapists. Kids want to relate to the characters in MG! I love it when young charac
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This was a nice middle grade book. I think it suffered being read on the heels of another middle grade prose book that was outstanding. Missing Mike was a great story. The prose style didn't do anything to add to the story. This was simply a nice tale of surviving disaster and the power of love.
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Thank you to Netgalley for an eARC of this book.
I read this book just to find out if she finds her dog.....I won't say yay or nay but WOW! this was a good book.
This book hit really close to home for me because it's about a girl who has to evacuate her house to avoid wildfires when her beloved dog, Mike, gets left behind.
A few months ago, my own area was affected by massive wildfires, my school was closed and several of my friends were evacuated, one of them lost their house in the fires (North ...more
I read this book just to find out if she finds her dog.....I won't say yay or nay but WOW! this was a good book.
This book hit really close to home for me because it's about a girl who has to evacuate her house to avoid wildfires when her beloved dog, Mike, gets left behind.
A few months ago, my own area was affected by massive wildfires, my school was closed and several of my friends were evacuated, one of them lost their house in the fires (North ...more

Missing Mike is the story of a girl forced to evacuate her home due to wildfires, but her dog ran off before she could get him in the truck. This book is a MUST for my fifth grade classroom, because year after year, it's universal that fifths love animals.
But it's also a journey of learning to accept and be grateful for what you do have, even while embracing the aching left behind from a loss.
Lovely book with strong themes, wonderful characters, and lots of hope. ...more
But it's also a journey of learning to accept and be grateful for what you do have, even while embracing the aching left behind from a loss.
Lovely book with strong themes, wonderful characters, and lots of hope. ...more

I know how heartbreaking it is to have a dog that is lost. Years ago I asked a friend if she could take care of my dog for the day while I had movers coming in and out of my house. I trusted that she would take good care of her. She didn't. Right after I dropped her off she put her in the backyard and took off for the day with her boyfriend. Didn't even check to make sure the backyard gate was securely closed. It wasn't. Out my dog went to try to get back to me. My friend didn't live anywhere cl
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What a tremendous book! Missing Mike is a middle grade novel in verse that packs an emotional wallop! Cara and her family must flee their home when a wildfire threatens her community. In the panic of the moment, her beloved dog, Mike, goes missing. Cara is consumed with worry for her special dog and is saddened by their current situation. The feelings Shari Green conveys are authentic and relatable, making this a tear jerker.
Missing Mike is shortlisted for the 2020 MYRCA Sundogs and I would reco ...more
Missing Mike is shortlisted for the 2020 MYRCA Sundogs and I would reco ...more

This is scary. Not like there is a monster under bed scary but the fear of losing a pet. I have 9 cats so if I left one behind, especially in a fire I would be devastated. I love them so much and would never want this to happen to me. I also can't believe in all her struggle of trying o get her dog back her friend says she is going to MOVE that is just awful inside of awfulness. Also I really wanted them to keep the cat her sister could have gotten one too!
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Missing Mike by Shari Green, 248 pages. Pajama Press, 2018. $17.
Language: G; Mature Content: G; Violence: G.
BUYING ADVISORY: EL – ESSENTIAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
Cara’s best friend is Mike Wazowski, her one-eyed dog. She’s devastated when he runs off just as her family are fleeing the wildfires threatening her neighborhood. Her father insists that it’s too dangerous to go after him. While staying in temporary housing, Cara has one thing on her mind. Finding Mike. She contacts all the shelters and ...more
Language: G; Mature Content: G; Violence: G.
BUYING ADVISORY: EL – ESSENTIAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
Cara’s best friend is Mike Wazowski, her one-eyed dog. She’s devastated when he runs off just as her family are fleeing the wildfires threatening her neighborhood. Her father insists that it’s too dangerous to go after him. While staying in temporary housing, Cara has one thing on her mind. Finding Mike. She contacts all the shelters and ...more

First - this is the first fiction book I have read in verse, so I wasn't sure if I was going to like it or not.
Two - I have never experienced a "wild fire" such as is described in this story, however, the past two years in Washington State, we have experienced the "fall-out" of wild fires - the first (2017) from British Columbia (where the author is from), the second (2018) from the California fires - the sky was totally overcast for days, ash was falling from the sky for days, to the point that ...more
Two - I have never experienced a "wild fire" such as is described in this story, however, the past two years in Washington State, we have experienced the "fall-out" of wild fires - the first (2017) from British Columbia (where the author is from), the second (2018) from the California fires - the sky was totally overcast for days, ash was falling from the sky for days, to the point that ...more

Cara's summer is cut short when a wildfire threatens her home and the family needs to evacuate. She leaves her dog Mike in the backyard while she runs in to pack her things, but when she returns he's not in the yard and the family must evacuate without him. Can you feel at home when everything is gone? Cara works crossword puzzles to help pass the time, but is stumped by a 5 letter word for house (it's not home), so she makes a list in the back of the puzzle book. Home is more than just a house,
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May 21, 2018
Michelle (FabBookReviews)
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
pajama-press,
arcs-or-gifted
The wildfires are bad this year
new ones popping up every day
...
It's hard to tell how far away the smoke is
but the tightness in my gut
says it's not far enough.
Canadian author Shari Green, author of the critically acclaimed and award-winning novel-in-verse Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess, returns with Missing Mike, a middle grade novel (also in free verse) about a young girl's unbreakable bond with her rescue dog Mike and what happens to Mike, her family, and their community when a devastati ...more

My newest favourite thing is a novel in verse. Until this year, I had never read one before and now I have four under my belt. The latest being Missing Mike by Shari Green, published by Pajama Press Inc. I LOVED it!
Missing Mike is a fabulous novel in verse set against of the wildfires that devastated Western Canada last summer. With another dry summer on the horizon, this story could be one faced by many again this summer. Cara lives in Pine Grove, a fictional town in Alberta, Canada. She lives ...more
Missing Mike is a fabulous novel in verse set against of the wildfires that devastated Western Canada last summer. With another dry summer on the horizon, this story could be one faced by many again this summer. Cara lives in Pine Grove, a fictional town in Alberta, Canada. She lives ...more

I really enjoyed this book especially the setting of the wildfires which dominated news for so long. This book brought home the feelings of lose and fear of lose that so many of us experience. I felt myself anxious with worry reliving my own fears of losing my dog and worrying I'd never see her again. Peppered by moments of kindness from friends and neighbours especially from those willing to risk their safety to help find her dog lighten the heaviness of this book. Your hope's are easily risen
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Thanks to the @kidlitexchange network for the review copy of this book- all opinions are my own.
"a large, destructive fire that spreads quickly over woodland or brush", 8 letters, W I L D F I R E
Being almost eleven can be difficult- especially if your family is in crisis. As wildfires approach, Cara's family is forced to leave their home behind, taking with them only what they can fit in their car. Having anticipated the evacuation, the family is mostly ready to go with only a few things left t ...more
"a large, destructive fire that spreads quickly over woodland or brush", 8 letters, W I L D F I R E
Being almost eleven can be difficult- especially if your family is in crisis. As wildfires approach, Cara's family is forced to leave their home behind, taking with them only what they can fit in their car. Having anticipated the evacuation, the family is mostly ready to go with only a few things left t ...more

May 10, 2018
Barbara
rated it
liked it
Shelves:
animals,
character-building,
trauma,
compassion,
disasters,
survival,
empathy,
grief,
families,
friendship
I'm a 3.5, leaning toward a 4 for this novel in verse. Each summer there seem to be more and more wildfires that devastate the environment and destroy houses as smoke fills the air for miles around. I often think about what happens to the wildlife living in those areas or any family pets that might be left behind for one reason or the other. I cannot think of any other chapter book right now that thrusts readers into the lives of those who must leave their homes behind as the fires come close. T
...more

Missing Mike is a verse novel about Cara and her one-eyed dog Mike Wazowski, who's named after the one-eyed monster from Monsters, Inc. Cara lives in an area threatened by wildfires. When they are given notice to evacuate, Mike runs into the woods, and they have to leave him behind. They move in with a temporary family and do volunteer work at the shelter. Through it all, Cara is determined to find her best friend, who just happens to be a dog.
I love verse novels because words are limited, so au ...more
I love verse novels because words are limited, so au ...more

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for this stellar #novelinverse by @shari_green , which comes out in the US in September 2018 (5/15/18 in Canada). Thx to @kidlitexchange and @theloudlibrarylady for this review copy; all opinions are my own.
~*~*~*~*~*
Cara and her family know they may have leave their home due to forest fires. They are packed and at the ready, but then the unthinkable happens—Cara can’t find her beloved dog Mike and the family must evacuate without him. Cara is devastated to leave him behind and her ...more
~*~*~*~*~*
Cara and her family know they may have leave their home due to forest fires. They are packed and at the ready, but then the unthinkable happens—Cara can’t find her beloved dog Mike and the family must evacuate without him. Cara is devastated to leave him behind and her ...more

Missing Mike has a similar storytelling style to Brown Girl Dreaming. Each chapter contains a free verse poem. But these are poems that will appeal to a broader audience as they have a narrative structure, and could just as easily be read like a novel. Like poetry though, they try to invoke a feeling in the reader by making the experience tangible. Cara gives us a glimpse into what it must be like to live through a forest fire evacuation; the anxiety, the loss, the waiting, the questions of "wha
...more

Poetic narratives are one of my favorites to hand to kids. Why? Well, for starters, they are accessible to any reader. The kid who zips through books? Yup. The dawdlers, the ones who say they can't find a book that interests them? Check. Poetic narratives grab my readers by the collars and pull 'em in.
They are usually dripping in well-written prose, too. Lines that you want to read and reread over and over again because their beauty makes you both appreciate the written word and inwardly hate y ...more
They are usually dripping in well-written prose, too. Lines that you want to read and reread over and over again because their beauty makes you both appreciate the written word and inwardly hate y ...more

Mike is a rust-colored mutt who is missing an eye and part of an ear. Mike lives with 11 year old Cara and her family in the wooded mountain town of Pine Grove in Alberta, Canada. Mike is always by Cara's side until the day the wildfires came too close. As the family was preparing to evacuate, Mike disappears! Cara is devastated to leave without him. Cara's family stays with a host family in the "safe zone" and meets Jewel, the host's family's foster daughter. Jewel helps Cara search for Mike on
...more

Touching story of a young girl whose family has to evacuate due to forest fire. While the family was making last minute preparations, the girl's dog (Mike) runs away and they have to evacuate without him. Written in a verse-like format, the story itself is much shorter than the size of the book would suggest given that most lines only have three or four words. The choice of format places emphasis on certain words and phrases and enhances what would have been a lovely story anyway.
The book is tol ...more
The book is tol ...more

Friends recently survived the massive California fires with their two dogs. So the premise of Missing Mike really hit home for me — how would you cope, especially as a little girl, if your beloved pet got away during a natural disaster evacuation? 5 stars for a gripping concept and anticipation of a wonderful read!

Missing Mike by Shari Green
This book has 245 pages and is well-written by Shari Green. Missing Mike begins where Cara and her family live, that town is called Pine Grove.
Wildfires start heading their way towards them, they were warned, and were told to pack up and lead their way to the evacuation center. They only had 10mins left to pack, since too many things were going on, it was too much for Mike, so he ran away.
Meanwhile, Cara rushed to see her dog, Mike, to take him with her, but realize ...more
This book has 245 pages and is well-written by Shari Green. Missing Mike begins where Cara and her family live, that town is called Pine Grove.
Wildfires start heading their way towards them, they were warned, and were told to pack up and lead their way to the evacuation center. They only had 10mins left to pack, since too many things were going on, it was too much for Mike, so he ran away.
Meanwhile, Cara rushed to see her dog, Mike, to take him with her, but realize ...more

Shari Green writes the kind of middle grade novels that I love best. Her stories and characters are full of heart and soul.
Cara and her family are forced to evacuate their home due to encroaching wildfires. She left her dog, Mike, alone for a few moments when they had to go, but he ran off, so they had to leave without him.
They end up staying with a host family in the nearest, safe, large centre. Even though Cara, and her new friend, Jewel, do everything they can to find Mike, there is no sign ...more
Cara and her family are forced to evacuate their home due to encroaching wildfires. She left her dog, Mike, alone for a few moments when they had to go, but he ran off, so they had to leave without him.
They end up staying with a host family in the nearest, safe, large centre. Even though Cara, and her new friend, Jewel, do everything they can to find Mike, there is no sign ...more

This title is nominated for the 2020 Hackmatack Award in the English fiction category. Set in a fictional town in Alberta, the story is set during the wildfires in and around Fort McMurray. Cara has just gotten out of school for the summer, and is all geared up to spend the next couple of months riding her bike (an early birthday present) and hanging out with her friend Heather and her dog Mike. Her life changes in an instant when the advisories switched to mandatory evacuation, and the family (
...more

Missing Mike is a 2020 Manitoba Young Readers' Choice Award Nominee for Sundog.
I read the book on Epic.
Missing Mike is a novel in prose. In the story, eleven-year old Cara and her family have to suddenly leave the home due to oncoming wildfires. While packing up last minute items, Cara realizes her beloved dog, Mike, is missing. Sadly, the impeding danger means that there is no time to stop and look and the family is forced to leave without him. While on the road, driving away from danger, Cara ...more
I read the book on Epic.
Missing Mike is a novel in prose. In the story, eleven-year old Cara and her family have to suddenly leave the home due to oncoming wildfires. While packing up last minute items, Cara realizes her beloved dog, Mike, is missing. Sadly, the impeding danger means that there is no time to stop and look and the family is forced to leave without him. While on the road, driving away from danger, Cara ...more

Special thanks to my daughter for recommending this middle-grade book. What an amazing story! Told in verse, Shari Green captures so many emotions and delivers so many lessons.
Mike is a rescue dog, a mutt with only one eye and a partially missing ear. He is the constant companion of 11 year-old Cara until the unthinkable happens. With forest fires threatening the town and their home, Cara and her family have 10 minutes to evacuate and unfortunately leave Mike behind — he ran away possibly frigh ...more
Mike is a rescue dog, a mutt with only one eye and a partially missing ear. He is the constant companion of 11 year-old Cara until the unthinkable happens. With forest fires threatening the town and their home, Cara and her family have 10 minutes to evacuate and unfortunately leave Mike behind — he ran away possibly frigh ...more
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“She knows what it's like
to leave
to run
to be away from home
and full of worry
and I bet
she's as surprised as I am
that a terrible happening
can make strangers
feel like kin”
—
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to leave
to run
to be away from home
and full of worry
and I bet
she's as surprised as I am
that a terrible happening
can make strangers
feel like kin”
“Her home
was a car?
It's obvious
she doesn't want to talk about it
but I need to know
---need to know it's possible
to feel at home
even if my house burns down”
—
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More quotes…
was a car?
It's obvious
she doesn't want to talk about it
but I need to know
---need to know it's possible
to feel at home
even if my house burns down”