Kaplan's best friend, has graduated from high school early and is going to intern in the family dog hospital. Ironically, though, her mother doesn't foresee the disastrous possibilities of bringing an attractive young man into their home. No matter what she does, 16-year-old Natalie Kaplan, dog lover and straight arrow, can't seem to win the approval of her veterinarian mother, who surrounds her with limits as if she were training a puppy. 'synopsis' may belong to another edition of this title. ' Stray is a winning novel that provides us with an important reminder: it's okay to make mistakes and break the rules, especially when it comes to love.'-Maureen Johnson, author of 13 Little Blue Envelopes And who can blame her when the gorgeous and mysterious Carver Reed comes to live with the Kaplan family for the summer? Little by little, Natalie is drawn to Carver's spontaneity and free spirit, and before long, she turns into another breed of girl, who surprisingly bites the hand that feeds her. Just like the Ibizan, Natalie is very mindful of her master's rules, but at the first sign of freedom, she is prone to stray. (Her mom is a respected veterinarian with a successful clinic, so it's not that much of a stretch.) Actually, Natalie has been trained so well that sometimes she thinks her mother is secretly controlling her with a dog whistle. Natalie herself resembles an Ibizan hound-quiet, playful, loyal, smart, and above all, obedient. When 16-year-old Natalie Kaplan meets a new person, she knows right away what kind of dog they'd be.

Stray by Stacey Goldblatt