Gather

A 2023 National Book Award Finalist
A Michael L. Printz Honor Book

"Arguably one of the finest novels of the year."—Booklist (starred review)

A resourceful teenager in rural Vermont struggles to hold on to the family home while his mom recovers from addiction in this striking debut novel.

Ian Gray isn’t supposed to have a dog, but a lot of things that shouldn’t happen end up happening anyway. And Gather, Ian’s adopted pup, is good company now that Ian has to quit the basketball team, find a job, and take care of his mom as she tries to overcome her opioid addiction. Despite the obstacles thrown their way, Ian is determined to keep his family afloat no matter what it takes. And for a little while, things are looking up: Ian makes friends, and his fondness for the outdoors and for fixing things lands him work helping neighbors. But an unforeseen tragedy results in Ian and his dog taking off on the run, trying to evade a future that would mean leaving their house and their land. Even if the community comes together to help him, would Ian and Gather have a home to return to?

Told in a wry, cautious first-person voice that meanders like a dog circling to be sure it’s safe to lie down, Kenneth M. Cadow’s resonant debut brings an emotional and ultimately hopeful story of one teen’s resilience in the face of unthinkable hardships.

Kenneth M. Cadow is an educator and writer. Gather, his first young adult novel, is based on his experience teaching. He says, “In our relatively small school, there have been dozens upon dozens of stories like Ian’s. Kids that have their spirits crushed—the result of societal disregard.” He lives with his wife and sons in Norwich, Vermont.