In his follow-up to the award-winning Ring On Deli , Eric Giroux returns to the hard-luck hamlet of Pennacook, Massachusetts, for a hilarious and potent novel about a misfit's quest to save the local democracy.  Wendy Zhou has just lost her father and is off to a brawling start in decrepit Pennacook, where wild boar roam the streets and dumpster living is the next big thing. She finds a new sense of mission after joining the other middle-schoolers staffing the town paper, the Pennacook Beat . But when dark forces aim to sell the town ("some assembly required") and plunk a giant dome over it, can a still-shattered Wendy find the strength to fight them? And why does Graham Bundt-the supposed John Adams descendant who rules the Beat like some sloppy Perry White-keep tormenting Wendy with picayune assignments and inane Fun Fridays? Wendy tells the tale as a college senior rewriting Zodiac Pets , her account of the Pennacook Dome debacle. She's inspired to add new chapters in which she travels down the East Coast with Lena Ko-not only her chauffeur but her troubled and much-loved girlfriend-to interview her former Beat colleagues for the book. In the process of rewriting, she takes a fresh look at Pennacook, herself, and even the rascally Graham. " Exciting " and " engaging " with a " satisfying conclusion ." - Foreword Clarion Reviews " Convincingly explores the fragility of democracy. " - Kirkus Reviews (" Our Verdict: Get It ") "[A] potent novel of growing up and facing the world. . . . Giroux weaves a gripping narrative, laced with humor , that interrogates and encourages reflection on individuals' susceptibility to the influence of those in power. .... [A] compelling and thought-provoking read." - BookLife " Zany, manic, absolutely crackers, Zodiac Pets is a smart, snarky satire of American idealism crashing headfirst into its mortal enemy, human nature." - Stewart O'Nan, author of The Speed Queen and Last Night at the Lobster " Smart, witty, and savage, Zodiac Pets is the perfect read for anyone who believes that novels still matter and can challenge us to be better human beings and citizens-all while making us laugh till our sides split." - Robert Kerbeck, award-winning author of RUSE and Malibu Burning " Zodiac Pets brings to the page one of the most unique, whip-smart, and hilarious characters in memory in seventh grader Wendy Zhou." - Beth Uznis Johnson, author of Coming Clean " Exciting " and " engaging " with a " satisfying conclusion ." - Foreword Clarion Reviews " Convincingly explores the fragility of democracy. " - Kirkus Reviews (" Our Verdict: Get It ") "[A] potent novel of growing up and facing the world. . . . Giroux weaves a gripping narrative, laced with humor , that interrogates and encourages reflection on individuals' susceptibility to the influence of those in power. .... [A] compelling and thought-provoking read." - BookLife " Zany, manic, absolutely crackers, Zodiac Pets is a smart, snarky satire of American idealism crashing headfirst into its mortal enemy, human nature." - Stewart O'Nan, author of The Speed Queen and Last Night at the Lobster " Smart, witty, and savage, Zodiac Pets is the perfect read for anyone who believes that novels still matter and can challenge us to be better human beings and citizens-all while making us laugh till our sides split." - Robert Kerbeck, award-winning author of RUSE and Malibu Burning " Zodiac Pets brings to the page one of the most unique, whip-smart, and hilarious characters in memory in seventh grader Wendy Zhou." - Beth Uznis Johnson, author of Coming Clean Eric Giroux is the author of RING ON DELI, which won the National Indie Excellence Award for Comedy and a Readers' Favorite award, and ZODIAC PETS. His fiction writing has received support from Vermont Studio Center and Millay Arts. A graduate of Harvard Law School and Harvard College, he is a senior counsel for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and lives near Boston with his family.