“I’m sorry,” I said.
“You should be. Not a lot of fun, finding your bed empty,” she said.
“But you knew. You said someone told you.”
“Yes, Raya’s mom called.” Aunt Brat’s voice softened. “I just didn’t think you’d go.”
“Yah. . . .” A yawn got away from me. “Me either.”
Aunt Brat sat down on the bed beside me. She pulled her legs up under her long skirt and tucked her fist below her chin. Suddenly, her eyes were shining, and she grinned. “I’m kind of glad you went,” she whispered.
“Aunt Brat. . . .” I laughed such a tired laugh.
“So . . . there was a little romance, huh?”
“Yeah . . . but that’s over. Because we’re so small. Chelmsford, I mean. Our class can’t have a couple. That would leave the others out.”
“Oh . . . I see. Well, was it fun? Being out all night?”
I started giggling. “Aunt Brat, you’re doing this wrong.”
“Am I?”
“You’re supposed to stay mad. Just a little longer.”
“Oh. I suppose there should be consequences for an unsanctioned overnight escapade.”
“Yeah . . . you have to ground me. For a week, I think. Raya’s mom can tell you. . . .” I sighed a sleepy sigh.
“Hmm. A town-wide grounding is it, then?”
“Every eighth grader,” I said. I rubbed my eyes. “Because we all went. Together.”
“That’s rather sweet, isn’t it?” Then she sighed. “Oh, but high school’s coming. Lydia, please don’t make it too awful for me, will you?”
“Hmm . . . ,” I said. “I can’t promise.”
“Lydia!”
“Hey, it’ll all be new for me, too,” I mumbled. My eyelids felt like weights now. I let go a yawn that nearly split my jaw. “It was good of you to take me in, Aunt Brat.”
“I wanted to, Lyddie. With all that I am.”
“I believe you,” I said. “But I know that I changed everything. You all got me. Eileen got me. Elloroy got me. Even the dogs got me.”
“And nobody flinched,” she said. “They came right on board. Do you want to know what Eileen said to me the night you arrived?”
I nodded. I fought to stay awake.
“We were out by the car, getting the last of your boxes . . .”
And I was out on the flattish roof. . . .
“. . . and Eileen said she knew now what people meant when they told stories about bringing home their new babies, and how they instantly felt like a family. Eileen told me, ‘I love her already.’”
“I love her back,” I said. “And I love you. And Elloroy too. I love home. . . .”
I felt the old sleeping bag being pulled up around my shoulders.
I heard a whisper—a voice so much like Mom’s. “Sweet dreams, Lyddie. . . .”
Sweet dreams, goddesses. . . .
Acknowledgments
Katherine Tegen, my wise editor, thank you for your faith and patience while I slow cook my stories, and thanks to my tireless publishing family at Katherine Tegen Books and HarperCollins Children’s Books for the hours of love and support you’ve poured into our books. I am grateful to you all every, every, every day!
Miriam Altshuler, my agent, thanks for shining the way you always do—positive and full of good ideas—and thanks to everyone at DeFiore and Company.
Doe Boyle, Leslie Bulion, Mary-Kelly Busch, Lorraine Belby Jay, Kay Kudlinski, Judy Theise, and Nancy Elizabeth Wallace, thank you with all my heart for helping me sort the gems from the junk on project after project. You are a group of gosh-darn goddesses, you are!
Ali Benjamin, Molly Burnham, Jackie Davies, Lita Judge, and Grace Lin, thanks for your open hearts and sage advice; I cherish our circle.
Speaking of circles, thank you to the kidlit community for all sorts of kindness and bolstering. This is not all of you by any stretch, but most recently, I’m grateful to Kirby Larson, Barbara O’Connor, Cammie McGovern, Corey Ann Haydu, Tricia Springstubb, Padma Venkatraman, Gary Schmidt, and Lynda Mullaly Hunt for their kind words, and to Rob Buyea who sings my praises everywhere he goes. I feel honored to know you.
Kimberly Newton Fusco, thank you for sharing in the writer’s journey with me. It means everything to me knowing that you will meet me somewhere in time again and again.
Thank you, Nichole Cousins, for so willingly accepting our request for a reader, and for your graceful response to this work.
Julie McLaughlin, first impressions are crucial! Thank you for creating the gorgeous cover art that so aptly portrays the mood of this story.
Sandi Shelton, my very heart thanks you for the many times you have lifted it up with your love, friendship, and good cheer. (Wish we’d thought to count up all the hours of plotting we have done in your car—world record!) Love you.
Nancy Hall, darn, I miss you! Our long, long friendship survives the miles that separate us now, and your quips (which I’ve been stealing for years) remain ever-fresh in my ear. Sending you love.
Jan and Mark, Elly and Dan, love you guys. Thank you for your friendship over these many happy years, and for contributing to this book in a way that could only have come from your incredible family.
Members of my family, you seem to pour more support my way with each book! Jonathan, I have always felt you cheering for me and loving me. Sam and Kristy, Marley and Ian, I couldn’t do this work without you to inspire me and offer “tips on how to be hip.” Mom and Dad (my favorite octogenarians), my siblings, cousins and aunts and uncles, nieces, nephews, and in-laws, thank you for your genuine interest in this little thing I do. You all amaze me with your love.
My very special thanks to the staff and students at Eastford Elementary School, especially to the graduating eighth grade class of 2019 and Denise Chambers, for opening their hearts to me.
Thank you, readers! Of this book! And past books! And even if you just gave one of my books a try! I am so grateful! Special thanks to all the librarians, teachers, parents, and others who make it their work to set just the right books into young people’s hands. You are awesome.
Lots of love and extra treats go to my beloved dogs who are vital to my writing life: Broomis (the big yellow dog), Atticus, Lola, and Luna. (RIP, my old Soonie girl.)
Finally, to every human who has ever helped an animal in need or given one a loving home, thank you for taking that chance. This story is woven with the threads of your good deeds. I think you know the rewards.
About the Author
Credit: Ashley Abel
LESLIE CONNOR is the author of several award-winning books for children, including two ALA Schneider Family Book Award winners, Waiting for Normal and The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle, which was also selected as a National Book Award finalist. Her other books include All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook, Crunch, and The Things You Kiss Goodbye. She lives in the Connecticut woods with her family and three rescue dogs. You can visit her online at www.leslieconnor.com.
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Copyright
Katherine Tegen Books is an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
A HOME FOR GODDESSES AND DOGS. Copyright © 2020 by Leslie Connor. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
www.harpercollinschildrens.com
Cover art © 2020 by Julie McLaughlin
Cover design by Laura Mock
* * *
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Connor, Leslie, author.
Title: A home for goddesses and dogs / Leslie Connor.
Description: First edition. | New York : Katherine Tegen Books, [2020] | Audience: Ages 10 up. | Audience: Grades 4–6. | Summary: “After the death of her mother, Lydia moves in with her aunts and learns to find a new family of inspiring women and loving dogs.”— Provided by publisher.
Identifiers: LCCN 2019033128 | ISBN 9780062796783 (hardcover)
Subjects: CYAC: Grief—Fiction. | Aunts—Fiction. | Lesbians—Fiction. | Dogs—Fiction. | Family life—Connecticut—Fiction. | Connecticut—Fiction.
Classification: LCC PZ7.C7644 Hom 2020 | DDC [Fic]—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019033128
* * *
Digital Edition FEBRUARY 2020 ISBN: 978-0-06-279680-6
Print ISBN: 978-0-06-279678-3
Interior illustrations © 2020 by Julie McLaughlin
2021222324PC/LSCH10987654321
FIRST EDITION
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