Barbara O’Connor is one of my favorite contemporary middle-grade authors. Her stories focus on relatable, likable characters who work together to achieve a goal, and there is often an animal involved. What’s not to love about that? In Halfway to Harmony, grief-stricken Walter Tipple, his new neighbor, Posey, and her rescue dog, Porkchop, discover a person in the woods near their homes. And this person has a secret. Posey’s outgoing and assertive nature give Walter the confidence he needs to join in the search for a missing, but very important, item. Without giving too much away, the friendship of Walter and Posey is one that many students will find comforting and realistic. Posey and Porkchop turn Walter’s hum-drum life into an exciting summer adventure. Meeting someone new is just the remedy –and rescue– that Walter needs.