Fourth-grader Riley is a kid who loves lots of things: their parents, cousins, friends, all kinds of animals, making cool stuff (as well as messes), and being nonbinary. In this fifth volume of the early chapter book series by Jay Albee (a pen name for Jen Breach and J. Anthony), Riley and their parents are house sitting for their cousins. Their parents are taking care of the house, and Riley is caring for the cousins’ large dog, Wallace. The family has gentle adventures in this new neighborhood as Riley takes Wallace for a walk, but then needs to get him clean after a mishap with some garbage. Wallace doesn’t want a bath, however, and it is only after a romp in the local dog run and a helpful tip from another dog owner that Riley and their parents are finally able to do so.
There are occasional sentences that could have been better placed. For example, we read:
At the dog park, Riley led Wallace through the two gates to the big dog area. Mama made sure the gates were closed securely behind them. Riley unclipped Wallace’s leash. It was like Riley had hit his “GO!” button.
Wallace bounded to the far end of the enclosure, cut sharply behind a bench, and bounded back. He skidded behind Riley and took off again. You aren’t allowed in a dog run unless you have a dog. Being inside the fence was different than peering through it.
This would have been better structured as:
At the dog park, Riley led Wallace through the two gates to the big dog area. You aren’t allowed in a dog run unless you have a dog. Mama made sure the gates were closed securely behind them. Being inside the fence was different than peering through it.
Riley unclipped Wallace’s leash. It was like Riley had hit his “GO!” button. Wallace bounded to the far end of the enclosure, cut sharply behind a bench, and bounded back. He skidded behind Riley and took off again.
Overall, though, this is a cheerful, slice-of-life book with gentle lessons about caring for animals, helping, and cooperation—and importantly, a nonbinary child being unconditionally accepted by family and neighbors.
Backmatter and More
Although it is a chapter book, not a picture book, comic-style illustrations at the chapter ends reflect the action of the story. Riley is biracial, with a Mexican mom and a White dad. As with every book in the series, this one starts with two graphic-format pages titled “I’m Riley,” in which Riley introduces themself, and two pages in which “Mx. Aude Teaches Helpful Terms,” giving definitions related to gender and queer identities. The latter might have worked better as backmatter, rather than slowing down the story with a pedagogical interruption (especially for those who have read other volumes in the series, with identical information), but this is good information to have nonetheless. Other than on those pages, however, gender identity is never mentioned, and Riley’s nonbinary identity is completely incidental to the story.
Actual backmatter includes discussion questions and writing prompts.
