Gather by Kenneth M. Cadow came on my radar because it was on the National Book Award Longlist. A First Time For Everything by Santat ended up winning, which I’m super happy about, but Gather was amazing as well (comparing them is like apples and oranges).
Gather is written almost like a journal (or at least a recounting of the past). Dorian, or Ian as people call him, loves being outdoors and is good at living off the land/fixing machines in rural Vermont, as he was taught by his late grandpa. He lives alone with his mom and his rescued dog Gather. His mom has been having trouble with drugs, so it’s hard to rely on her and also it causes him a lot of worry. They are also very poor which adds a significant amount of stress. Just when he thought things were looking up, something awful happens, and changes his circumstances. This book is just so well written, so compelling, and includes important themes of poverty, family, survival, community, and resilience.
I would recommend this to any high schooler and also adults as well.
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