Elf Dog and Owl Head by M.T. Anderson

 Clay and his family is in lockdown during a world pandemic. Clay and his siblings squabble over use of the computer, and his parents are worried about money. To escape, Clay goes into the forest behind his house.  There he finds an unusual looking dog. He does not know that the dog, Elphinore, is from the fairy realm. At first Elphinore wants to return to the royal kennels in the Fairy Court, but she soon comes to enjoy playing with the boy and being part of his family. While he is with Elphinore, Clay can enter and explore the fairy realm.  They go on adventures together and make both friends and enemies, but Clay's adventures help heal his lonely heart, and his relationships with his family. 

It is kind of fun that M.T. Anderson has finally won a Newbery Honor. My kids and I really enjoyed his fantasy series when they were teens, and he has also done some picture books and historical fiction.  Most of his novels are YA, but this one is squarely middle grade. It is an unusual choice for Newbery.  It is amazing that it doesn't have a single LGBTQ character, and the only social issue it deals with is the strain that the global pandemic had on families. It is, in many ways, just an old fashion fantasy, with some funny scenes and some intense scenes.  There is a bit of common wisdom that when they world is tough, the Newbery choice is gentle, and when the world is gentle, the Newbery choice is tough.  I think we are seeing that here.  There is so much strife in the world, I think the committee liked that the book was about family healing. As difficult as the pandemic was, I have heard several people say how staying home with their families during the pandemic brought them closer together.  Even though this is a fantasy with a magic dog and fairy people, that is what this book captures. (2023, 240p)