Newbery Medal-winning author Patricia MacLachlan has written a magical and funny tale about the joy found in using words, sharing stories, and loving a wondrous dog: Rex.

Grace’s aunt is a writer. She works with words every day and teaches Grace interesting words like “melancholy” and “delirious.”

But Lily is often “flummoxed” by her writing. Her stories don’t go anywhere, her desk is a mess, and her writer’s group can’t help.

So Lily posts an ad for an assistant: A writer of books needs an assistant, a coach, a helper, for inspiration and some magic!

The next day, Grace opens the door, and there is Rex: a Labrador retriever who will change Grace’s life, and Lily’s. The word “amazing” is an everyday word for Rex, who inspires Lily, and helps Grace find the words to write her own story.

One writer in a slump. One girl who thinks she can’t write. One wondrous dog who changes everything.

• A Magical Dog: Meet Rex, the Labrador retriever assistant who can arrange papers, find the perfect quote, and inspire a story—all without saying a word.
• Books About Writing: A gentle and funny story for kids that explores the creative process, from being "flummoxed" to finding the magic in storytelling.
• An Aunt and Niece Story: Join Grace as she learns about wonderful words from her writer aunt, Lily, and discovers the courage to share her own voice.
• The Joy of Words: Follow along as Grace discovers words like "melancholy" and "wondrous," and learns how to weave them into a tale of her own.