Home › Family Favorite Kids Books › Golden Boy

Golden Boy

by A. J. Symon

A dog, a formula, and an unexpected new teammate

Regular price $19.77 USD
Regular price $32.96 USD Sale price $19.77 USD
Save 40%

Hardcover New

Delivery to your door
In stock·Dispatches in 1–2 business days
Standard shipping* from $4.35
Standard shipping transit* 5–8 business days after dispatch

Faster options are available.

Rates and delivery estimates depend on your destination and item quantity. Estimates are informational only; the final shipping method and rate are selected at checkout.

Secure checkout
American Express Apple Pay DiscoverGoogle Pay Mastercard PayPalVisa
30-day eligible returns Returns & refunds policy

Awards & Recognition

  • Critical praise

    Starred review from School Library Journal

    Described as “fun, fast-moving” in a starred review.

AlbakiReads Editorial

A dog, a formula, and an unexpected new teammate

Emma Branch’s bond with her golden retriever Hudson is the starting point for a story that mixes a science experiment gone awry with small-town football. When Emma’s attempt to save Hudson transforms him into a human boy, the change reaches beyond the two of them: her father sees a possible boost for his struggling team, while Emma’s family and town reckon with what Hudson’s presence brings. Friendship, belonging, family relationships, and the consequences of Emma’s experiment anchor this young adult premise, with the transformation setting both comic complications and personal change in motion.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Teens and young adults interested in friendship-centered fiction.
  • Readers who enjoy fantastical transformations set in a small-town community.
  • Those drawn to stories involving family relationships, science experiments, and football.

Themes

FriendshipBelongingFamily relationshipsTransformationCommunity and football

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

For the first printing only! This hardcover features sprayed stenciled edges while the special edition supply lasts.

When the beloved family golden retriever becomes human, a girl's relationships with her family and herself transform in ways she never thought possible in this "fun, fast-moving" (School Library Journal, starred review)young adult novel.

Emma Branch has always been the odd one out. As a stubborn, socially inept teen genius, she's had a hard time finding her place in her small Southern town. But that's okay, because Emma already has the only friend she needs: her golden retriever, Hudson.

So when Hudson falls critically ill, Emma can't say goodbye. With her science smarts, she injects him with her latest experiment, a longevity formula she hopes will save his life. And that's when things go hilariously wrong. Emma wakes the next day to find she's turned her dog into a human boy!

Before she can make an antidote, Hudson runs off and inadvertently impresses Emma's father out on the football field. As a struggling head coach, he proposes a wild idea: put Hudson on the team. Soon enough, everybody is talking about the mysterious new football star who's catapulting the team to victory. And Emma, her father, and the whole town discover how a good boy can change people's hearts--but only after he causes a doggone mess!
Shipping & returnsShipping options, delivery timing, and our return policy.

In-stock items normally dispatch within 1–2 business days. The ZIP-code estimator on this page is informational only; the final shipping method, price, and availability are confirmed at checkout for your full order.

For the initial delivery estimate we use these transit windows after dispatch: Standard 5–8 business days, Expedited 2–4 business days, and Priority 1–2 business days. Holiday delays are not included.

Eligible items can be returned within 30 days in accordance with our return policy.

Customer reviews