S.A.V.E. Squad Books In Order
Book links take you to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn money from qualifying purchases.Publication Order of S.A.V.E. Squad Books
Dog Daze | (2012) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
The Great Cat Caper | (2012) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
Secondhand Horses | (2013) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
No Ordinary Owl | (2013) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
S.A.V.E Squad is a series of children’s books written by Lauraine Snelling. The books follow the exploits of a group of sixth graders trying to survive their increasingly complex worlds.
+The Story
The S.A.V.E Squad series began publication in 2012. The books are relatively short, rarely longer than 160 words. They are targeted towards preteens, though some adults have claimed to read and enjoy the stories they tell.
The S.A.V.E Squad series centers on four girls, namely: Sunny, Aneta, Vee, and Esther. They are the S.A.V.E Squad, a special club whose name was created using the first letter of each of their first names.
And as their name suggests, the S.A.V.E Squad is in the business of saving things, in particular, helpless animals. Their adventures begin when they are forced to work together on a fundraiser.
Aneta initially takes the spotlight as an 11-year-old girl from Ukraine. Aneta was adopted by a caring family. They have showered her with all the love she could possibly ever need to feel welcome.
However, Aneta does not feel like she fits in. She is ever on edge, afraid that she will make a mistake; say something wrong; knock something over and get sent back to Ukraine.
Aneta’s fears are further exacerbated by her classmates from school who keep teasing her about her Ukrainian accent. As such, the girl is less than enthusiastic when her mother enters her into a community fundraising contest.
She is forced to collaborate with Sunny, Vee, and Esther, three random girls that she would rather avoid. In fact, if Aneta had her way, she would just isolate and keep to herself.
But something miraculous happens. Aneta finds acceptance in her group. She has nothing in common with her new friends. If anything, the only thing linking the four of them is the fact that they are all so different from one another.
That very fact allows them to bond on a deeper level. Aneta’s new friends understand her pain. They understand the desire to want to fit in and the disappointment that follows when you fail in your endeavors.
The girls collaborate to win the fundraising contest. But their friendship and their activities continue even beyond that particular achievement. The S.A.V.E Squad series follows the girls over a series of adventures that see them rescuing animals and finding them new homes.
Each new installment in the S.A.V.E Squad series stands on its own. Knowing the history of the main characters will add to your enjoyment but it is not necessary for you to understand the events as they play out.
Each novel focuses on a particular problem that the S.A.V.E Squad sets out to solve. For instance, in the first book, the girls are trying to raise money to create a home for stray dogs.
In the second novel, the must find a way to save a group of dumpster cats. The goal of each challenge is to bring the girls together and enable them to forge stronger bonds.
This becomes especially important when the girls go off to different schools and attempt to adjust to life outside one another’s company. Their activities as the S.A.V.E Squad always draw them back together, thus giving them the support structure they each need to thrive.
Each book attempts to highlight the challenges and heartaches of a particular girl. Aneta takes center stage in the first book. She doesn’t fit in because of her Ukrainian background and she worries that her parents will send her back to where they found her when she least expects it.
Aneta finds solace in the company of the S.A.V.E Squad. Sunny Quinlan doesn’t know how to juggle the tasks presented before her. She’s always falling behind in her work and she needs help keeping her focus on singular projects until she completes them.
Esther has always had self-esteem issues because of her chubby figure. She has to learn to accept her physical appearance.
Every girl has their own quirk that sets them apart. The S.A.V.E Squad series has been praised for its use of diverse characters. The girls of the S.A.V.E Squad have a variety of personalities. Additionally, the homes they come from are wide-ranging in their structure and makeup.
The author’s goal is to ensure that her readers can find at least one girl with whom they relate. She also wants audiences to realize that it is okay to be different. Her characters come to a place where they realize the fact that their differences are what make them special.
There are elements of Christianity in the series. Lauraine Snelling writes Christian fiction. However, with the S.A.V.E Squad series, she primarily works to inject the themes of Christianity into her stories. One is unlikely to encounter Biblical verses or scenes were characters pray.
+The Author
Lauraine Snelling is an author of Christian fiction that writes books for both children and adults. Her books deal with themes of forgiveness, loss and domestic violence. She primarily aims to inspire and encourage.
When the author isn’t writing fiction, she can be found teaching others how to achieve their writing dreams.
+Dog Daze
A group of sixth-grade girls is determined to raise money to help stray dogs find a home. Aneta did not intend to be one of those girls. Her parents got her from Ukraine. They adopted her and have given her all the care she could possibly want.
However, Aneta doesn’t feel like she fits in. She’s afraid that the Jesper family will wake up one day and ship her back to Ukraine. Things are no better at school where her accent is made fun of.
Aneta’s life changes when she’s forced to join a fundraising contest. There she meets other girls and works to create a fundraising event that will save an abandoned dog.
+The Great Cat Caper
The S.A.V.E Squad is back. This time they have to create a project that will rescue dumpster cats. Vee has her own problems, though. Starting a new school year away from her friends was bad enough.
But now she isn’t even sure she will be able to stay at the accelerated school. When she stumbles across a group of dumpster cats, she calls upon the S.A.V.E Squad to help her save them.
Book Series In Order » Characters »