You did that to Poppy when she first arrived on the island – you knocked her over and licked her face. Sometimes it takes many rewrites to find the heart of a simple story. Feel better now? Can we go for a walk?Īnjali: Um, Stu, I’m not worried now, although I did get worried when I was writing several drafts of the book. Stu: Worried? Did someone say worried? Are you worried, Anjali? Here, let me lick your face. Her uncle gives her useful advice about what it takes to care for ailing animals and their humans.

She meets neighbors and falls in love with the lush, Pacific Northwest island, which starts to feel like home to her, even though she’s from Los Angeles. Look, squirrel!Īnjali: Is that a question about the book, Stu? In SEAGLASS SUMMER, you do go for many walks on Nisqually Island with Poppy and her Uncle. The glass thing with the flowers inside, the ones I tasted. Stu: How long do we have to sit here and talk? Can we go for a walk? Can we, can we? What’s that noise? Something fell over. Here is Studebaker (“Stu”), Uncle Sanjay’s beloved dog in SEAGLASS SUMMER, in a live interview with Anjali about the book: During her time at Uncle Sanjay’s clinic, and with the aid of some seaglass and intuition, Poppy learns about life and death, love and compassion, and the pain and joy of working with animals. She learns that there’s more to taking care of animals than the stethoscope and cotton swabs in her Veterinarian First Aid Kit. So when she spends a month over summer vacation with her Uncle Sanjay, veterinarian and owner of the Furry Friends Animal Clinic on Nisqually Island off the coast of Washington, she is in for big surprises. In Anjali Banerjee’s middle grade novel, SEAGLASS SUMMER (Wendy Lamb Books), eleven-year-old Poppy Ray has always wanted to be a veterinarian, even though she has never had a pet. Read on for a unique interview, learn more about Seaglass Summer, and bonus, the author shares some pictures of her cats too!

Summer is nearly here and there couldn’t be a better time to recommend a great Summer story! Today we welcome author Anjali Banerjee, whose book Seaglass Summer was recently nominated for the 2014 Bluestem Book Award, the Illinois Children’s Choice Award.

Maya Running by Anjali Banerjee