“Thinking of home reminds me of the things in the backpack by my feet. Inside, along with my Firefly Girls sash, a jacket, and some other stuff, is my favorite book, My Side of the Mountain.”

One of the things Piper carries with her into her new life is her Firefly Girls sash. The attachment Piper has to the group stems from the sense of belonging and community she felt with them; this is something she sorely misses initially at the shelter, and she eventually finds it again when she joins Troop 423 at Hope House. A second thing Piper mentions is her favorite book, My Side of the Mountain. A classic adventure book that deals with themes of courage, resilience, and companionship, the book foreshadows how Piper will find all of this throughout the story.

“Jewel’s scent fills every inch

of the little dog

with deep joy.

Baby and Jewel

a pack of two

warm and safe together.”

Baby snuggles close to Jewel and feels entirely at home and content. The phrase “a pack of two” is a recurring motif in the book, first appearing here. It underlines The Powerful Bond Between Humans and Animals, as Baby thinks of Jewel as his family. As long as he has her, he needs nothing else.

“Every place we’ve been since we lost our home four months ago, every possibility that didn’t work out, has made our world feel smaller. I never realized until it was gone how something as normal as hope lights up your world.”

Piper reflects on how her family has struggled for the past few months since they lost their home; arriving at the emergency shelter feels equally distressing. Her desire for hope and how it used to light up her world foreshadows her finding exactly this in the fittingly named