Rose has high-functioning autism and a dog she loves. We see how tough her life is - without much money and with a drinking, impatient father - through her mostly non-judgmental eyes. The moments of kindness in her story, from her uncle, teacher, and classmate, are very tender as a result. 
 I didn't feel much connection with Rose, though I don't think it was due to her diagnosis, but instead due to the writing somehow. I also found the parenthetical homonyms to be distracting. 
 For upper-elementary kids who like dog stories and/or who enjoyed "Wonder" and "Out of my Mind."