"A slow, gorgeous waltz of a novel, written with great tenderness for the rural ways of life and insight into the human condition." —Jung Yun, author of O Beautiful and Shelter

"From the first sentence of her debut novel, Sara Maurer transports us to picturesque Sault Ste. Marie, where the rural way of life feels frozen in time. Everett Lindt is certain of his future there, even after he meets a new girl in town with big dreams. With pitch perfect prose, Maurer captures the intensity of Everett’s first love, and the haunting mistakes he makes despite his good intentions." —Tracey Lange, New York Times bestselling author of We Are the Brennans

"Debut author Sara Maurer storms out of the literary gates with a deeply felt story that explores how we come to learn what love is. This soul-stirring, elegiac novel reads like a classic and builds to a conclusion that will leave the reader breathless." —Christina Clancy, bestselling author of The Snowbirds

"A nostalgic and poignant coming-of-age novel that takes place in rural Michigan, A Good Animal will hook you the moment you read the haunting prologue. Maurer juxtaposes a teen's yearning to grow up against not being fully ready for adult responsibilities—along with the contrast of beauty and joy against the sometimes harsh realities of life and death on a farm—and bottles it up into a story of all the ways love shapes us that you won’t want to put down.” —Kristin Koval, author of Penitence