Stay

Bobbie Pyron is an American author who writes for younger readers. While she has written multiple books, she came into writing later in life—she has had multiple jobs in the past, including as a singer in a rock and roll band, harvesting gladiolas on a flower farm, training dogs, working in a bookstore, and finally, as a librarian for three decades before writing her first book (“About Me.” Bobbie Pyron).

Pyron’s books are exclusively directed toward younger readers because she is interested in exploring the lives and experiences of children and teenagers, especially with regard to identity. Pyron believes children are more “honest with their passions, their fears, their dream” and enjoys mirroring this honesty in her writing (“Q&A with Dogs of Winter Author Bobbie Pyron.” Cracking the Cover.). This is seen in Stay; a large portion of the book is narrated through Piper’s perspective in first-person voice, offering an intimate view of the world through a 12-year-old’s eyes. Piper grapples with the same questions Pyron sees others her age grappling with, including identity, belonging, and a need for community. These feed into the book’s interest in The Positive Impact of Community and Purpose.

The same honesty that Pyron sees in younger readers, which she tries to emulate in her writing, is the reason she believes her books appeal to this audience. She views her books as “emotionally honest and respectful of the reader” (“Q&A”). The books that Pyron recommends for younger readers, like R. J. Palacio’s Wonder, reflect this, and Pyron touches on topics that are not always easy or happy in her own books, including Stay.

The young characters in Stay must contend with adversity of different kinds, from financial difficulties to mental health conditions. Pyron does not shy away from writing about these topics, as they exist for young people, too. However, she continually examines it through the lens of these young characters and presents it in the same language. For instance, Piper learns that Noah would sometimes ride the subway all night if he didn’t have a place to stay; similarly, Sapphire’s mother has bipolar disorder, and Sapphire helps her mother navigate this. When Pyron presents this information in the book, it occurs in conversations between Piper and each of these characters, with Piper expressing her sympathy and support in each instance. No adult commentary or detail accompanies this information, centering the narrative on a young person’s experience.

Another characteristic element in Pyron’s writing is the presence of animals. For Pyron, animals and books are deeply intertwined. She states, “The two great loves in my childhood were dogs and reading” (“Q&A”). The Incredible Journey was one of the formative books of Pyron’s early reading years, and she recommends Because of Winn-Dixie to younger readers. The influence that animals in literature had on Pyron translates into her writing. Most of her books either feature animals as central characters, such as Stay and A Pup Called Trouble (2018), and/or explore The Powerful Bond Between Humans and Animals, like in The Dogs of Winter (2014), A Dog’s Way Home (2012), and Stay.