Georgina Hayes is living with her mother and her little brother, Toby, in the family car. Her mom’s struggles to earn enough money for a down payment on an apartment seem endless, inspiring Georgina to take matters into her own hands. A flyer offering a reward for a missing dog has given her an idea: she’ll steal a dog and then return it and collect a reward. Of course it can’t be just any dog, and Georgina scouts out the perfect candidate. Willy is obviously loved, and his owner lives in a big, old house; clearly she must have money. An uneasy conscience is just one of many things plaguing Georgina after she lures Willy away in Barbara O’Connor’s surprisingly sensitive and believable story. Georgina’s anger and frustration, as well as her inability to understand some realities of the adult world, is always honest, and sometimes heartbreaking. Her fierce desire to improve a living situation in which she feels utterly powerless is palpable, and her missteps in doing so are painful. But she is far from powerless when it comes to doing the right thing in the end, and Georgina’s journey to that point is the culmination of this fine story. (Ages 9–11)

Half of me was thinking, Georgina, don't do this. Stealing a dog is just plain wrong. The other half of me was thinking, Georgina, you're in a bad fix and you got to do whatever it takes to get yourself out of it.

Georgina Hayes is desperate. Ever since her father left and they were evicted from their apartment, her family has been living in their car. With her mama juggling two jobs and trying to make enough money to find a place to live, Georgina is stuck looking after her younger brother, Toby. And she has her heart set on improving their situation. When Georgina spots a missing-dog poster with a reward of five hundred dollars, the solution to all her problems suddenly seems within reach. All she has to do is "borrow" the right dog and its owners are sure to offer a reward. What happens next is the last thing she expected.

With unmistakable sympathy, Barbara O'Connor tells the story of a young girl struggling to see what's right when everything else seems wrong.

How to Steal a Dog is a 2008 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year. This title has Common Core connections.