Lila and Hadley

Lila and Hadley is a poignant chapter book about a young girl, Hadley, grappling with immense challenges. Her mother is in jail for embezzlement, forcing Hadley to move to Kentucky to live with her estranged older sister, Beth. On top of this, Hadley is slowly going blind due to retinitis pigmentosa, fueling her deep anger and frustration. The story unfolds as Hadley meets Lila, a rescued pit bull who has been unresponsive to everyone. Hadley takes on the challenge of training Lila, hoping to help the dog find a forever home. Through this unlikely friendship, Hadley learns about empathy, responsibility, and resilience, slowly beginning to process her own grief and anger. This book is ideal for children aged 8-11, offering a sensitive exploration of complex emotions, family dynamics, and living with a disability, all while celebrating the healing power of human-animal bonds.

Hadley is an angry girl: angry at her mother for embezzling money, angry at her estranged older sister, Beth, whom she has to live with while her mother is in jail, angry at having to move to Kentucky away from her friends, and angry at the world because she has retinitis pigmentosa and is slowly going blind; but then she meets Lila, a rescued pit bull who has not responded to anyone else--so if Hadley can train Lila, maybe the dog can get adopted into her forever home, and just maybe Lila can help Hadley deal with her own problems.