My Best Friend Is Extinct
Rebecca Wood Barrett
Publication Date:
30 Jun. 2021
Format:
Paperback / softback
ISBN 9781459824423
Ten-year-old Henry Springs is thrilled when the wintery resort town he and his mom recently moved to experiences a record-breaking snowfall. There are even rumors that the extreme weather could mark the beginning of a new ice age.
One day, while exploring one of the many tunnels running through the town's snowbanks, Henry discovers a strange, prehistoric-like creature that is seriously injured. Henry immediately names him Yarp and hauls the wounded animal back to his house on a makeshift sled. There he builds a secret cave for Yarp and slowly nurses him back to health. But, as Henry soon discovers, Yarp is not the only unusual beast lurking in the neighborhood. Where did these creatures come from and how can Henry keep his new friend safe?
Information
Book Type: Junior ChapterAge Group: 9 to 12 years
Traffic Lights: Green
Class Novel: Yes
Good Reads Rating: 5/5
Literary Rating: 5/5
Review
Moving to a ski resort town in the Canadian mountains is 10-year-old Henry's idea of heaven, because it means SNOW! Henry loves snow. Back where he grew up on Vancouver Island, it never snowed, but here it hasn't stopped. He's slowly making friends at his new school but is already a target of the class bullies. The snow has caused the school to split into two factions: the Packrats and the Weasels. Both build huge snow forts in anticipation of a mammoth fight. As the snow gets to unprecedented depths, Henry discovers he's a gifted tunneller and both sides enlist his help. However, with the huge snowfall come reports of odd sightings.
While tunnelling, Henry comes across a strange, injured creature and conceals it near his home. Wary at first, an understanding grows between the two as Henry administers first aid. Hoping to discover what it is, Henry finds his answer in a book of prehistoric animals: it's a long-extinct type of bear. Before long, though, he realises that the bear isn't the only extinct beast roaming around his remote hometown. Hunting the bear and its family is a pack of sabre-toothed tigers. Henry has to find a way to protect the bear, ward off the tigers, and get his schoolmates to trust him--all without revealing their presence to the adults.
A hugely enjoyable read in a setting which would be alien to most Australian schoolchildren. It also plays into those "what if" questions we often mull over: "could dinosaurs still live in some secluded, uninhabited spot?" "What if the Tasmanian Tiger was not extinct?" This is a story full of hope and belief, with some good lessons on trust and the consequences of lying.
Themes
Canadian mountains, new start, snow, making friends, trust, lying, compassion, extinct animals, friendship, helping others
Content Notes
Not applicable.
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