Following Baxter

December 1, 2017

Gr 4-6-Jordie Marie Wallace is thrilled when she sees that a new neighbor is moving next door. She's even more excited when she sees that her new neighbor, Professor Reese, has a dog named Baxter. When Jordie helps Professor Reese take care of Baxter, she starts to notice strange things happening in Professor Reese's basement. The professor reveals that she is attempting to move things from one place to another through teleportation. When Dr. Reese goes missing and Jordie figures out that she tried to teleport herself, Baxter becomes the key to finding where Professor Reese went. Kerley, known for her picture book biographies and nonfiction, writes with warmth and thoughtfulness in her first work of middle grade fiction. The characters Kerley introduces are fully realized and compelling. Jordie, whose parents are separated, lives primarily with her mom, but often visits her dad, who lives in a studio apartment connected to the family's house. There is enough mystery and science fiction to draw in lovers of those genres, but it is balanced with a realistic portrayal of family and school life that many readers may identify with. A subplot in which Jordie starts to realize she misjudged a classmate who she previously deemed a "bad" kid is particularly compelling. Fans of Rebecca Stead's When You Reach Me and Jennifer Holm's The Fourteenth Goldfish, where characters learn real-life lessons about friendship and compassion through the medium of science fiction, will find similar themes here. VERDICT Relatable and compelling. Fans of realistic and science fiction will find a lot to enjoy.-Celia Dillon, The Brearley School, New York

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2018
There is a lot going on in this mystery/sci-fi/coming-of-age adventure about a girl and the charismatic dog next door.When Professor Reese moves in with her giant, gray, shaggy dog, Baxter, next door to 11-year-old Jordie Marie Wallace, Jordie's life changes in a number of ways: she's always wanted a dog; she awakens to the lure of scientific discovery; and she experiences a number of "opportunities to be more dependable." Dense plotlines weave together many intertwining threads, but it all fits together. A subplot about Jordie's participation in a "Study Buddies" project and one about her circle of friends' plan to open a hairdresser/vet/day care both turn out to be key to the development of her self-awareness. This is all back story to the main storyline: Jordie volunteers to walk Baxter while Professor Reese works on her research into the possibility of teleportation. When Professor Reese disappears, Jordie, her brother, and "magical" Baxter work together to solve the case. Clues to Jordie's strengths and challenges are not explicitly articulated but are aptly shown through other characters' reactions. Her relationships with friends and family are realistic, which juxtaposes cleverly with the speculative aspect of the plot. The book subscribes to the white default, with racial diversity hinted at in supporting characters' names.Happily, Kerley's execution matches her ambition, resulting in a highly readable story that pairs a rapid-fire plot with a likable protagonist. (Science fiction. 9-12)

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December 1, 2017
Grades 4-8 Jordie and T.J. are excited when Professor Reese moves in next door. She is a physicist, has a basement lab, and a dog named Baxter. As Jordie volunteers to walk Baxter, she begins to believe he is magical, since he seems to understand her. When Professor Reese keeps misplacing her red hat, and Baxter is the only one who can find it, she lets the kids in on a secret. She has discovered T-waves and has built a teleportation machine! Sadly, her destination calculations are always a bit off. When Professor Reese goes missing, Jordie surmises that Reese has experimented on herself, and Jordie, T.J., and Baxter must find where the professor has teleported. Kerley has written a dog book like no other. Jordie is a resourceful, likable, smart girl who believes equally in science and magic. Kerley also includes an author's note that explains that teleportation is nowhere near a reality for humans yet. Readers will want more adventures with these kooky characters.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2019
Voluble, irrepressible Jordie is delighted to spend time with the dog owned by her new neighbor, Professor Reese. The elderly physicist also has a laboratory equipped with a teleportation device, and she welcomes Jordie and brother TJ as young lab assistants. Combining Jordie's self-discipline struggles in school and at home with science, sci-fi, and mystery, Kerley's adventure has wide appeal.

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)