Wombat Waiting

From the Newbery Award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The One and Only Ivan and Odder comes a stunning new middle grade standalone novel about compassion, resilience, and surprising friendships, following a dog named Wombat in the aftermath of a catastrophic fire.
Wombat isn't actually a wombat—but when the homeless dog is discovered, singed and ash-covered after a terrible fire destroys a community, someone tags her with the nickname and it sticks.
Surrounded by a devastated town, Wombat takes up residence on bench near the makeshift community center, an old brick warehouse that, for the most part, survived the flames. A small part of the community center evacuation site has been repurposed for the local wildlife rehab sanctuary that burned down. Most of the animals were spared, but the temporary quarters make for some unlikely roommate situations, including an elderly fruit bat and a young Northern saw-whet owl.
No matter what, Wombat refuses to move from her perch, despite the efforts of many humans, especially a girl named Celeste, whose own home was destroyed in the fire. Clearly the dog is waiting for someone. But for whom? And what are the odds they survived?
Fans of modern classics like Because of Winn-Dixie, Pax, and Katherine Applegate's own Crenshaw and Odder, and timeless tales like Charlotte's Web, will find a friend in Wombat and her story.