Waylon! Even More Awesome

October 1, 2017

Gr 2-5-Dumpster Eddy, the stray dog at the center of Waylon's first adventure, continues to be a unifying presence in this second entry in the trilogy. Waylon and classmate Baxter both love the pup and face a crisis when they learn he'll be sent away to a shelter in 10 days. "Science-y" Waylon is wary of partnering with Baxter, "an expert on all things criminal," but comes to appreciate his new friend's skills as they work together to find a solution to Eddy's plight. Fellow fourth grader Clementine makes a few appearances, offering the boys assistance and her trademark shoot-from-the-hip opinions. The novel's themes of teamwork and respect are underscored through subplots involving a comic Waylon is creating with classmate Charlie and a film script Waylon's father is writing. Pacing moves quickly, with Eddy's predicament revealed at the close of the novel's first chapter; gentle humor, an episodic plot, and a school setting make this an ideal classroom read-aloud. Frazee's expressive black-and-white illustrations (some spot, some full-page) help readers visualize pivotal moments in the story and distinctly convey characters' emotions. Waylon's obsession with science-Neil deGrasse Tyson is an idol-doesn't make him eccentric. He's a kid young readers can relate to who will help them appreciate their own-and others'-uniqueness. VERDICT An appealing novel that stands on its own and intriguingly teases the trilogy's conclusion.-Marybeth Kozikowski, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2017
Waylon has an extremely pressing problem: he has to find a home for a friendly but undistinguished mutt, Eddy, before the dog is sent to a distant animal shelter. Like many 10-year-olds, he has some bright--but improbable--ideas. Perhaps, if he could build one, the dog could live in an igloo. There's plenty of snow in Boston to make one. He collaborates with his not-quite-a-friend, Baxter, who's just as concerned about Eddy and could be a friend, if Waylon would let him. Waylon, in his analytical way, has decided that Baxter might have dangerous criminal tendencies. Actually, Baxter's mildly nefarious scheming is just his way of figuring out how criminals think, since he fully intends to grow and become a criminologist. As the two boys explore (with a little guidance from loving parents) what it means to be a friend and how they can somehow help Eddy in a responsible way, their friendship believably grows and strengthens. The feel-good conclusion would probably never happen in the real world, but it is just right for the audience. As in Waylon's first outing, an amusing sprinkling of the curious scientific information that occupies his thoughts is included, along with Frazee's frequent, attractive illustrations, in which both Waylon and Baxter are depicted with paper-white skin. A winsome tale of a dog in need of friends and just the boys who can solve that problem. (Fiction. 7-11)

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January 1, 2018
In this standalone second book, fourth grader Waylon (Waylon!: One Awesome Thing) and classmate Baxter scheme to protect Dumpster Eddy, a stray dog they both love but can't take home. Side story lines involving collaboration at school and at home bring more nuance and meaning to Waylon's dilemmas. Frazee's illustrations deftly capture the story's humor and meaningful moments.

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)