PW on ROTTEN: “A sure bet for any reader who loves an underdog, human or canine.”

Ah, spring! The first tender shoots nudge upward from the thawing earth, and the first reviews of the April books open like so many crocuses into the light. Which is to say, the first reviews of ROTTEN are in, and they are fantastic. Praise the Lord and pass the biscuits! You can bet that first sentence would’ve read a little differently if they hadn’t been. (It might’ve looked a little something like: me-not-writing-about-them-at-all.) But I digress. Publishers Weekly leads things off with an excellent review. In addition to the headline-worthy quote above, it also says, “Northrop (Trapped) has a keen eye for the way teens move through the world . . . and for the mix of bravado and vulnerability that can drive boys’ friendships and interactions.” PW also gets 2 pts. extra credit for using the word “abide” in a sentence.

And, double bonus, feared and sometimes frosty Kirkus Reviews concurs! Their full review won’t appear until March 15, but the summary/pull quote is up now: “A fine portrayal of a boy, a dog and the ties of friends.” Hooray—and phew! Like a lot of authors, I carry around some Kirkus battle scars—they hated my first book—so it always feels a little extra special when they like my work. You know what I mean? If only there were some pop culture reference I could make to illustrate this point . . .