Survival Strategies of the Almost Brave

Twelve-year-old Liberty and her eight-year-old sister, Billie, have been abandoned by their widowed father at a gas station somewhere in the southwestern U.S. White’s gripping debut weaves the events that led them there with what happens over the following three days. Liberty studies animals and records their behavior in her treasured notebook, along with the “survival strategies” she collects along the way (with titles that include “Sometimes You Should Feel Sorry for the Cobra” and “Be Patient, Like a Snapping Turtle,” the book’s chapters correspond to the tips Liberty catalogues). Left to care for Billie, Liberty uses these techniques to escape a “creepy” gas station attendant, find food and transportation, and try to get home to San Diego. Colorful characters both help and hinder the sisters on a journey that leads Liberty closer to a true home as well as a truer understanding of herself, human vulnerability, and love. While Liberty’s animal facts sometimes feel wedged into the narrative, White’s story will stay with readers. Ages 8–12. Agent: Charlotte Sheedy, Charlotte Sheedy Literary Agency. (June)