Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

This middle-grade fiction looks at how a child deals with grief. Although the main character is in middle school, it does feel slightly younger. I would recommend this to readers who like dog-centric books.

Thea lost her best friend Charlie and a terrible accident during spring break. She can't even go back and finish 6th grade, so her parents homeschool her. Her family decides to move to another town to give her a fresh start and her dad decides to get a new dog. They go to the rescue to pick out a dog and Thea ends up selecting, a little dog with a lazy eye...just like Charlie had. They name him Jack, or Jack-Jack, or Jackson. They all call him various versions of the name. :) Thea has gone mute since the accident, but slowly Jack gets her talking again and then she meets her little sister's teacher Ms. Stacey, who helps her out, but also introduces her to Rory. With all their help, she is able to start living again.

By the end of the book there are so many ties that I didn't see coming. I just love that it is a window into grief and how people handle things differently. The little supernatural touch of the dog is just perfect.

I loved this sweet story about friendship and grief. How we overcome it and begin to live again. I loved the way the author put us into Thea's shoes and made us feel what she felt. The addition of a precious pet helping her through her trauma was perfect and relatable. I am a new fan of this author and can't wait to take a look at his previous titles while waiting to see what he writes next.

A book that pulls at the heartstrings a lot as Thea is dealing with a traumatic event in her past. This causes her to withdraw socially and to stop speaking. A change in scenery and a new arrival helps Thea become more open to others.

To me, this book read as being for kids a little younger than the 12 year old main character or the readers of Buyea's other books. Things seem to get rosy a little too easy for Thea and behaviour issues of another character are similarly solved with ease. There is a hint of magical realism here as well that I thought would play better for slightly younger readers. A lot of coincidence here that some readers will respond to, but others might think goes a little too far. Given these thoughts, and the brief nature of the story, I think my grade 3 and 4 readers might enjoy this one.

After witnessing the accidental death of her best friend, Thea becomes mute and is terrified to get close to anyone outside of her family. Her plan changes, though, when her family adopts a spirited dog who clearly knows Thea needs help healing. The dog gets into all kinds of predicaments, which help Thea find joy in life once again. The ending is a smidge unbelievable, but fans of dog stories won’t mind.

There's this method that authors use to parcel out information, where they hint at something, talk around it, for multiple chapters before finally telling us in a clear way what happened. That can be effective in the short term but when it is the main source of tension in the plot it can feel manipulative. A dog as a device for dealing with grief is a solid plot element but that dog having almost mystical abilities didn't really do much for me.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a DRC of this title for review. All opinions are my own.

This was a lovely middle grade novel. It was quick, but packed a big punch and I really enjoyed it. I can't wait to recommend it to my kiddos in the fall when we get back to school. It will be an EXCELLENT option for first chapter Friday reads if anyone does those.

Thea and her family move to a new school to try to "start over." She doesn't want to start over, but she also doesn't think she can keep going at her old school. She isn't talking, ever since the accident with her best friend Charlie, and the stares and the whispers are a lot to take. At her new school, she can blend in, stay unnoticed, and continue to float along.

All that changes though when the family gets a new dog, Jack, who helps them all realize that moving on and moving forward doesn't have to be scary. And it doesn't have to hurt forever.

Highly recommend. Give to any reader who requests dog books, and all of the kids who like realistic fiction that moves you.

Such a sad book to start but a positive ending made it worth while. Charlie is, indeed, the best of friends.

Sixth grader Thea’s best friend Charlie dies in an accident that she witnesses. Thea withdraws from everyone and everything, leading her family to move to a new community to give Thea a fresh start. That fresh start includes Jack-Jack, a rescue puppy who has a lazy eye just like her beloved friend Charlie’s. While Thea tries her best to resist him, he manages to win her over. Jack-Jack’s companionship--and his trouble-making ways--lead Thea to heal and make peace with the loss of Charlie. Jack-Jack’s antics will make this heartwarming middle grade book hit with dog lovers. The themes of friendship, loss, and family will capture the interest of many other readers.

5 stars = Outstanding!

Another winner from Rob Buyea! I loved this - I loved the characters, the story, and the way all the pieces wove together. Heart-tugging in all the best ways - bring a few tissues for this one (TW: grief/loss)

When Thea loses her best friend Charlie in a horrific accident, she experiences such grief that she quits speaking to anyone and struggles to be out in public. Her supportive parents try to give her the time and space she needs, but after a while they make a couple of big decisions. The first is to move the family to a new home and community, and the second is to adopt a dog. Even though Thea’s heart isn’t in it, she is a good sport and goes along as he twin sisters excitedly pick a family pet. While they are there, their future dog, soon to be known as Jack, seems to reach out and pick Thea. Along with some new friends they meet along the way, Jack helps Thea as she tries to move forward with those around her.

I have never read anything by this author that I didn’t enjoy, and I look forward to sharing it with students! Early digital copy received from NetGalley.

When twelve year old Thea's best friend dies suddenly in a tragic accident, she withdraws from the world. She hasn't spoken to anyone. Her family moves to a new town to make a fresh start. When the family decides to adopt a puppy, Thea isn't interested until she meets Jack-Jack. This unusual dog, who reminds her of her lost friend, helps her to open up and live again. A heartwarming story about love, loss, family, and friendships that should be popular with readers.

I enjoyed this book overall. I know my students will like it too. Trying to train Jack sounds a lot like what it was like when we got our dog and I bet many students will relate. There are a lot of sweet moments throughout the story and I love that Jack is basically Charlie.
My main issue is with the dialogue. Thea and sometimes Rory use language that a middle school student wouldn't use. Phrases like "when the man released his grip" or "a lot of people were eager to help" sound like an adult narrating a situation rather than a 12 year old talking about it.
I am not a fan of the last chapter where Thea and Rory are now engaged. I think her finally visiting Charlie's grave and going back to see his parents is important closure but it didn't have to happen in that way.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What Comes Next by Rob Buyea is the perfect book!!! I loved this story so much!! I originally picked this title because there is a dog on the front cover, and I love dogs; however, this magically beautiful book is so much more than a cute dog. Buyea weaves a wonderful tale of how we handle trauma and the grief that follows it. Family and friend relationships were lovingly crafted, and the "magical" dog added so much heart to this middle grades book. I laughed. I hurt. I cried, and I healed. I'll be talking this book up to the kids at my school, and I can't wait to see how their lives will be changed by this magnificent book!!
#netgalley #whatcomesnext

What a heartwarming book this was. I have read all of Rob’s books, but this is my favorite. After experiencing the death of her best friend, Thea has a tough time until the family adopts Jack-Jack, a spunky little dog. What that dog does for the family and for others is so cute, special, and memorable. Such a fantastic book.
That ending...❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

3.5 stars

Rob Buyea really has to make me emotional with every book, huh?

While it wasn’t necessarily my favorite book of his, I did greatly enjoy it. I did find it to move a little too quickly at times, making the pacing feel kind of off and quite rushed, but nonetheless, I really liked it. Rob Buyea has a knack for creating realistic and lovable characters and Thea and her friends and family were no exception.

And, of course, I love dog stories.

Perfect for fans of Ali Standish’s THE ETHAN I WAS BEFORE and NBC’s THIS IS US.

Thank you to NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Thea, age 12, is suffering from PTSD following the tragic death of her best friend, Charlie. Thea has gone mute and her parents decide they all need a fresh start. The family moves to a new town and Dad promises Thea’s younger sisters a puppy. When they go to the shelter to pick up the puppy they chose, they find out that another family has already adopted it. However, a puppy with a lazy eye paws at Thea, effectively choosing her. The puppy, named Jack-Jack, reminds Thea of Charlie, who also had a lazy eye. Jack-Jack helps Thea open up and find her way back from her grief.
This is a stand-alone book from the author of the Mr. Terupt series and is a very quick read (super short chapters). It is a great book to help with grief that a young reader may be going through. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it for grades 4-6.
#WhatComesNext #NetGalley

This book is an amazing look on how a child deals with grief. There are many books out there that deal with the grief of losing a parent or a relative, but not many that deal with losing a best friend in a very traumatic way. I thought it was very interesting how the author explained how the dog became a therapy dog without meaning to be. I also enjoyed the friendship that she forged with Rory, and how the story with Ms. Stacy and her brother tied into the narrator's journey to accept Charlie's death. I would recommend this to my students who need a real life look into how death can affect you on many levels.

This book, with it's combination of relatable characters and adorable dog, will be a big favorite in my school library.