No animals harming in the making of

No, no animals die during this really adorable YA novel that I sort of checked out by accident but really ended up loving. So put your mind at ease and enjoy The Wild Place.

Robin’s mother dies when she is 12, and shortly after, her veterinarian father uproots them all (teen queen Ari, brainy Robin and little brother “Squirm”) and moves to a small town so they can live with their grandmother. The grandmother, who I loved, helps Robin grieve for her mother and get over some other long-buried issues (with her sister, with swimming) during the course of a school year.

The biggest therapeutic aid, however, is the animal preserve that Robin, along with her friends and family, begin in their grandmother’s barn. It starts with puppies (by the way, what self-respecting vet DOESN’T spay his damn dog, and therefore allow her to get knocked up by the neighbor’s mutt?) and ends up housing birds, bears, skunks and all sorts of other creatures. While it create turmoil within the family and the town, it also brings everyone together for a happy ending (and a couple of sequels, I believe).

I didn’t realize this was YA until I started it, but the writing clued me in pretty quickly. It’s definitely written for 12 year old girls — I would know, as I have stayed in close contact with my 12 year old self. But it’s a cute story, and nothing would stop an animal-loving adult from enjoying it.