Far-Fetched

A laugh-out-loud story about anxiety, friendship, and having a very popular dog.

Lizzie has a lot to worry about.

Ever since her sister left for boarding school, Lizzie has felt overwhelmed by worries. Will she flunk out of 7th grade? Will she say something humiliating in front of her crush? Will her campaign for class secretary set a record for the lowest number of votes ever? Her friends say her fears are far-fetched, but they still make Lizzie’s stomach hurt.

Then her mom thinks she has the perfect answer--Lizzie needs an emotional support dog! And Bella the adorable Australian shepherd is a lot of furry fun. The dog forces Lizzie out of her comfort zone and gives her student council campaign a big boost. Everyone loves a happy dog!

But then Mom says Bella would be even more helpful going to school with Lizzie. And suddenly, Lizzie’s far-fetched scenarios of her life spiraling out of control feel like they’re coming true. Can she teach her anxiety to sit and stay--and find a way to stand up for what she really needs?

Lisa Papademetriou is the author of numerous books for young readers, including the Confectionately Yours series and the Accidentally Fabulous series. Her books have been named among the Best of the Year by Family Fun Magazine, the New York Public Library, the South Asia Book Award, and Bank Street College. Lisa is the founder of the cloud-based writing tool Bookflow.pub and lives in Massachusetts. You can learn more about her and her books at lisapapa.com.