The Zuzu Secret

Two siblings struggle to keep their ambitious schemes under wraps.
For 12-year-old Josie Sherman, volunteering at a veterinary clinic over the summer is critical for getting into a good vet school and would make up for her family’s no-pets policy. But first, a parent must sign the consent form. Unfortunately, it feels like all her parents’ attention is focused on their move from Boston to Silver Spring, Maryland, and her 15-year-old brother, Abe, whose Prader–Willi syndrome causes constant hunger and developmental delays. After Mom suffers a concussion in a car accident, the chances of getting Dad’s signature drop. When Josie finds a bearded dragon, she reasons that caring for Zuzu (named after Zulima Court, the street where she was lost) until she finds her owner will show Mom and Dad she’s serious about her future career. But hiding the reptile from her family is harder than Josie thought. Meanwhile, Abe has his own secret: He’s determined to catch a baseball for Mom at next Saturday’s Orioles game, even though Dad insists they need to wait until later in the season. Josie’s and Abe’s alternating perspectives realistically portray the nuances of sibling relationships and living with disability. Though Josie doesn’t sugarcoat how stressful and frustrating caring for Abe can sometimes be, the siblings’ love for one another shines through to the tidy but satisfying ending. In backmatter, Chernick includes information and resources on PWS—which her brother has—and explains the inspiration behind Zuzu. Most characters read white.
Heartwarming.
—Kirkus Reviews

Twelve-year-old Josie just wants to spend her first summer in her new town volunteering at a veterinarian’s office, but what Josie wants isn’t always the priority of her family. After a car accident leaves her mom recovering from a concussion and Josie with a new, illicit pet, she quickly discovers that keeping secrets and being the best sister may be too complicated for one girl. Told in alternating POVs between wise but impatient Josie and her brother, Abe, who has Prader-Willi syndrome and an insatiable hunger, this sibling story is heartwarming, frustrating, and relatable. Josie is a strong, realistic protagonist for readers to root for, and even parents and caregivers will learn from her insights into being pressed to be more than just a 12-year-old child due to her brother’s disorder. What do we expect out of siblings, and what can caring for a pet, even a bearded dragon, teach us about caring for ourselves? These are just some of the questions that readers will ponder as they follow the complexities of this family’s story. For fans of Cynthia Lord, Sarah Kapit, and Sharon Draper.
—Booklist