I, Cosmo

Starred review from August 1, 2019
Cosmo has the soul of a dancer. There's just one problem--dogs can't dance...can they? Ever since Mom and Dad picked him out of the litter 13 years ago, Cosmo has vowed to protect the Walker family, whom he loves more than anything, until his dying day. Trouble lurks, however, behind the household's closed doors. Mom and Dad are fighting more and more, leaving 12-year-old Max, his younger sister, Emmaline, and Cosmo scared and confused, wary of the dreaded d-word, divorce, hounding their heels. When Mom's brother, Reggie, returns from Afghanistan and brings Max and Cosmo to a special club for dogs, the inseparable pair discovers that dancing may be the only way to try and hold the family together. Cosmo must battle shyness, the pains of age, and demonic neighborhood sheepdogs (both real and imagined) to try and save what he and Max love most. Cosmo's narration combines wit, heart, stubbornness, and a grouchy dignity, all ably tugging at funny bones and heartstrings alike. Sorosiak's author's note is a joyful celebration of dogs' hidden humanity, one that's reflected in her joyfully and painfully realistic tale of a struggling family and doggedly persistent canine companion. The family itself is biracial (white dad, black mom), and both kids have brown skin and curly black hair. Love might not last forever, but it can certainly teach an old dog new tricks. (Fiction. 8-12)

COPYRIGHT(2019) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from September 23, 2019
Narrator Cosmo, a 13-year-old hound, may be getting up there in dog years and suffering from slight arthritis, but he remains dedicated to his purpose in life: “doggedly” protecting his boy—12-year-old Max—and his family. Lately, though, Max and his younger sister, Emmaline, have been anxious about their parents’ fighting. Despite their uncle Reggie’s return from Afghanistan, a source of joy to all, things remain strained and angry, and Max fears that he will be separated from Cosmo half the time if his parents split up. When Reggie, a dog trainer, takes Max and Cosmo to a club where dogs and their humans learn to canine freestyle, training to compete for a role in a dance film, Max decides that winning the contest will keep his family together. Cosmo, who has always longed to dance, commits wholeheartedly despite reservations (“My bones are too achy”). Sorosiak (Wild Blue Wonder) offers Cosmo a combination of wisdom and innocence that feel truly dog-like as his warm voice conveys Max and Cosmo’s mutual affection—the steady and heartwarming constant in both their lives. Touching, bittersweet, and true, this book will appeal to anyone who has loved a pet. Ages 8–12.