Wonderland - by Barbara O'Connor (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

From Barbara O'Connor, the author of the #1 New York Times-bestseller Wish, comes a big-hearted story about the meaning of friendship, the joys and pains of growing up, and one lovable runaway dog. Perfect for fans of Katherine Applegate and Kate DiCamillo.

Mavis Jeeter is fearless and bold, but she has never lived in one place long enough to have a real best friend. Her flighty mother has uprooted them again to another new home and taken a job as a housekeeper for the Tully family. Mavis wants this home to be permanent--which means finding herself a best friend.

Rose Tully is a worrier who feels like she doesn't quite fit in with the other girls in her neighborhood. Her closest friend is Mr. Duffy, but he hasn't been himself since his dog died. Rose may have to break a few of her mother's many rules to help Mr. Duffy--and find someone who really understands her.

Henry has run away from home, but he craves kindness and comfort--and doesn't know where to look for them.

When Mavis and Rose hatch a scheme to find Mr. Duffy a new dog, their lives and Henry's intersect--and they all come to find friendship in places they never expected.

Don't miss Barbara O'Connor's other heartwarming middle-grade titles:
Wish
How to Steal a Dog
Greetings from Nowhere
Fame and Glory in Freedom, Georgia
The Fantastic Secret of Owen Jester
Halfway to Harmony
and Dream, the standalone companion to Wish, coming to bookstores on 8/26/25!

Review Quotes

"Featuring sympathetic characters and a gratifying resolution, this novel by O'Connor celebrates friendship human and canine alike." --Publishers Weekly

"A richly satisfying exploration of the logic and determination with which children work to make things right." --Kirkus Reviews

"Mavis, Rose, and Henry all find that true, lasting friendship develops with time, trust, and a number of setbacks to overcome along the way. . .The honest but awkward new friendship between Rose and Mavis is heartwarming, but Henry's story is the one that will break sensitive readers' hearts and keep them turning the pages to get to the happy ending." --School Library Journal

"What distinguishes this novel is its depth of characterization, how O'Connor shows readers who the characters are rather than telling them. . .This heartwarming novel also demonstrates that while dogs may be revered as man's best friend, there's no substitute for the human kind." --The Horn Book

About the Author