Alice is resentful of having to move to a boring town. Things don't improve when she is tasked with walking her neighbor's dog, Clarence. Clarence, however, won't budge without Miss Millie. Soon walking Clarence with Miss Millie becomes something Alice looks forward to each day. The walk provide Miss Millie with an opportunity to fill Alice in on the town and its inhabitants. When Alice confides in Miss Millie the real reason she's so angry, Miss Millie shares her personal story of disappointment and Alice begins to see the world differently.

I loved this book. I loved the main character of Alice, a young girl who has just moved with her mom and brother to Georgia. There Alice meets her crusty, elderly neighbor, Miss Millie. They eventually begin walking Miss Millie's dog together. Alice finally begins to accept that that her dad may never come rescue her from this new town she does not want to be living in. But really this book is about the power of friendship and wisdom found in others. I loved it. I received a complimentary ebook from the publisher.

Alice is angry. She doesn't want to move back to her mom's home in Georgia and she really doesn't want to be there without her dad. When her mom suggests that she help the elderly black lady next door she really has had it. Soon Alice begins to enjoy her walks with Miss Millie and even her cranky old dog Clarence. It doesn't help that Clarence won't walk without Miss Millie and that makes their walks take some time. Miss Millie is a voice of calm and reason in the world of turmoil that Alice finds herself in. Alice's brother is deaf and needs extra help fitting into this new town, Alice herself finds herself harassed by bullies and has trouble understanding why her dad has abandoned them.
This coming of age novel is heightened by the fact that Miss Millie lives in a white neighborhood in the 60's south and stands tall against those who would like her to be gone. She radiates calm and wisdom and her gentle soul makes everything better for Alice once she lets her in. Even though this is historical fiction the lessons learned apply to today - bullies, racism and families in turmoil make for a universal story. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

Writing a book that lets middle grade readers see what the South was like in the 1960s is always a tricky balance. How much do you include? What do you need to explain and what can just be shown through the story itself? Tamara Bundy strikes that balance in her story of Alice and Miss Millie. When Alice eavesdrops on a conversation of her grandmother's neighbor, her mom makes her go apologize and offer to do something to make up for the rudeness. That is the start of walking with Miss Millie as she takes her dog Clarence on as stroll around the neighborhood. At first Alice resents the chore, just as she resents moving from Columbus to stay with her grandmother and resents her father's absence. But as the story continues, we see the change in Alice's attitude and her feelings about many of the things in her life that make her sad or angry.

Listening to Miss Millie tell about her life as a black woman in the South before the days of Civil Rights gives the historical situation a personal touch. And all the tragedies in her life have made her sensitive to the heartache she can see in Alice. As unlikely a pair as they are, the preteen and the 92-year-old find they have plenty in common besides their daily walks with Clarence. And the story also deals with family issues like a grandparent suffering from memory problems and a mother raising her children while the father is off "finding himself." Just as in real life, there is a lot going on with Alice. Some advice Miss Millie gave her is good for everyone to follow. "...it's okay to get mad. It's okay to get sad, but after all that gettin' mad and sad, ya gotta get smart. Ya gotta take a step back, away from all your hurtin', and figure out what ya can change and what ya can't." Those are words to guide anyone in life.

Highly recommended for middle grade readers who enjoy realistic fiction, historical fiction (of the not too distant past), and stories about family and friends (of all ages).