Golden Boy by A.J. Symon

Golden Boy by A. J. Symon
Publisher:  Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Format Read:  E- ARC
Number of pages:  288 pages
Publishing:  August 25th, 2026
Source:  NetGalley via publisher

Opening Lines from prologue: "Breathe.  Please, just breathe..."

From debut author A. J. Symon comes Golden Boy, pitched as "Weird Science meets Marley & Me.  A heartfelt, funny crossover perfect for tweens ready to step into YA."

Emma, a science-obsessed high school sophomore, would rather spend time with her best friend, Hudson, her golden retriever.  Hudson was a gift from her mother when she became ill, and she has loved him fiercely ever since.  Numbers, data and scientific facts seem to speak to Emma way more than people.  At home she's the middle child, bookmarked by her brothers Chip and Buckhead, and their father is the high school football coach.  

Since her mother's death, Emma has been the only girl in the house, and the one responsible for all the chores, from cooking to laundry. When she receives an early acceptance to UC Davis, she hopes it will finally be her chance to escape.  But her father insists she's too young, they can't afford it, and family come first.  

Then everything changes.  During a game of keep away gone wrong, Hudson is injured and collapses.  Desperate not to lose him, Emma uses the activator from her fruit fly project to heal Hudson.  Instead, it alters his DNA, transforming him into a real, living teenage boy, with all the instincts of a golden retriever.  

Hudson quickly catches Emma's father's attention and is recruited for the football team.  Emma is tasked with guiding him through their classes at school, teaching him how to be human, the ins and outs of football, and preventing him from causing chaos.  It's a lot harder than she ever imagined.  

This was such a delightful read.  From Emma's STEM experiments on fruit-flies to the nods to Dr. Shinya Yamanaka's stem-cell research, with all the science elements woven in naturally.  I also loved her crush on quarterback Nick, especially the way she's unsure of why she likes Nick, only that it shouldn't be because of his good looks.  Or how she tries to analyze her feelings rationally and logically because of her difficulties with subtext, like expressions, inflections and social cues. Super cute.  

Emma's family dynamics added a seriousness to the story.  They're not great at communicating, so I appreciated the glimpses into her brother's perspectives.  What football means to them, how their father's tough coaching style affects them, and what they wish they could say out loud.    
And Hudson, Bud Golden in human form, is such a standout character.  He senses everyone's discomfort, moves with this hilarious super-speed, and becomes wildly territorial over a football.  His presence shifts the entire family, nudging them closer together and helping them see what truly matters.  He even helps Emma understand football in a new way and opens her father's eyes to her strengths.  Overall, a story not to be missed for tweens or upper middle grade readers.  

**A huge thank you to Simon & Schuster for the ebook via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

I hope you'll check out all the other Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts at Greg Pattridge's blog HERE