It’s not every day you encounter a hamster experiencing an existential crisis, but Sapphire has spent her short pet-store life convinced that she’s waiting for…something. At first she thinks it’s to be FREE, but it may be possible that life has a greater purpose in store—a purpose Sapphire will discover thanks to a nine-year-old girl whose family is changing in ways she doesn’t quite understand. Jeannie’s dad has moved out, her mom is always tired and snappish, and her older brother just wants to play video games in his room all day. Jeannie doesn’t understand what’s going on, but she knows one thing: she really, REALLY wants a hamster. Her mom promised she could buy one with her Christmas money, but it’s been WEEKS since the holidays and Jeannie’s beginning to worry she’ll never get her pet. But maybe if she does, her dad will come to visit. Maybe a hamster will make everything better. Narrated by Jeannie and Sapphire in alternating chapters, Sapphire the Great and the Meaning of Life is a touching middle-grade novel by award-winning author Beverley Brenna that explores themes of family, friendship, togetherness, and self-identity. With a cast that includes a transgender neighbor, a father finally accepting his homosexuality, and a realistic protagonist who will appeal to fans of Ramona Quimby, Brenna’s latest offering is an age-appropriate introduction to some difficult subjects that also abounds with humor and poignancy. Reviews: "Alternating narrators Jeannie and her pet hamster exude an endearing impetuousness in this novel about family and finding one's true self....Brenna expands on themes of identity and acceptance by introducing Anna, Jeannie's mother's transgender friend, and Robin, the man who is Harvey's new partner....Fetching portraits of Sapphire by Anderson open each chapter."—Publishers Weekly "This slice-of-life Canadian import is more than just another 'I want to get a pet' tale....Sapphire and Jeannie narrate alternating chapters, and neither is completely aware of all that is going on around them. Sapphire, especially, reports dialogue and action she does not fully understand, adding an additional layer to this tale of understanding difference."—Kirkus Reviews "Brenna hit a homerun with [Sapphire the Great and the Meaning of Life]! It grabs you...and pulls you in on the very first page and doesn't let go of your heartstrings until the last page."—HW Book Reviews About the Author: Beverley Brenna is an award-winning author whose honours include an international Dolly Gray Award, a Printz Honor Book Award, and a shortlisting for the 2013 Governor General’s Award. Bev's many years as a classroom and special education teacher offer her a clear picture of school landscapes, children, and childhood. She is now a professor of Curriculum Studies at the College of Education, University of Saskatchewan. About the Illustrator: A folk artist and award-winning illustrator who trained at the Ontario College of Art and Design, Tara Anderson is known for her lively and humorous illustrations of animals. Her books include That Stripy Cat, Rhino Rumpus, and the award-winning Nat the Cat Can Sleep Like That. Tara shares a farmhouse in Tweed, Ontario, with her husband, her young daughter, and several cats. | 
