SHERMY AND SHAKE, THE NOT-SO-NICE NEIGHBOR

A new neighbor upends Shermy’s plans for a quiet summer.

Shermy’s looking forward to an entire summer of his favorite activities—reading, doing puzzles, and collecting small treasures—but he hadn’t counted on the arrival of Shake, who’s spending the summer with his grandmother, Shermy’s next-door neighbor, while his mom and stepfather are on their honeymoon. And from the start, Shake disrupts Shermy’s routine. Shake hogs snacks, interrupts Shermy’s reading, accidentally knocks his puzzle pieces to the floor, loses Shermy’s favorite Frisbee, and nabs the last rocket pop from the ice cream truck. Shermy attempts to hide out in his room, but his mom keeps inviting Shake over to play. Almost imperceptibly, however, Shermy’s attitude begins to change. By August, Shermy even misses Shake when no one comes to interrupt his reading. So he goes looking for him and finds Shake wiping away tears, homesick for his mom. Without realizing it, the two have become fast friends. Divided into three sections, each titled by month, this fast-moving tale features short chapters and black-and-white illustrations throughout. Those looking to transition into longer chapter books will find this one accessible, and the storyline will resonate—readers will be eager to read more in this series. In the artwork, Shermy presents as Asian, while Shake reads White.

A relatable scenario sets up future books for more summer fun.