Georgia is having a hard time. A really hard time. Her best friend, Sienna, has passed away. She’s shutting down in school, ignoring texts from her friends, and won’t even eat her Chicken Alfredo (her favorite!) for dinner. Her mother knows she’s hurting and takes her to an overnight at the zoo to cheer her up. That night, the zoo animals visit her in a dream and talk to her about their experience with loss. Can these thoughtful animals help Georgia open up about her grief and start to find a path forward?

The authors of this story are part of an innovative program run by Reach Incorporated. Reach develops grade-level readers and capable leaders by preparing teens to serve as tutors and role models for younger students, resulting in improved literacy outcomes for both. Learn more at reachincorporated.org. Books were created in collaboration with Shout Mouse Press. Shout Mouse is a nonprofit writing and publishing house dedicated to amplifying underheard voices. Through writing workshops that lead to professional publication, Shout Mouse empowers writers from marginalized backgrounds to tell their own stories in their own voices and, as published authors, to act as agents of change. Learn more at shoutmousepress.org