What Comes Next

Thea Holden faces a new reality after her mother dies in a car accident and she moves in with her aunt. As she processes her grief, she finds an unexpected connection through a stray dog that starts visiting her yard. The story follows Thea as she navigates changes at her new school and forms relationships with classmates who have their own struggles. Her involvement with an animal rescue organization gives her a sense of purpose during this transition period. Through loss, friendship, and the relationships between humans and animals, this middle-grade novel explores themes of healing and finding hope in unexpected places. The narrative examines how young people can discover their own strength through helping others.

Readers describe this middle-grade novel as an authentic portrayal of grief, friendship, and healing. The story resonates with both young readers and adults who have experienced loss. Readers highlighted: - Realistic depiction of a child processing grief - Strong character development, especially the main character Nellie - Positive portrayal of therapy and mental health support - Integration of competitive swimming as a meaningful backdrop Common criticisms: - Some found the pacing slow in the middle sections - A few readers wanted more resolution with certain side characters Ratings: Goodreads: 4.4/5 (1,200+ ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (150+ ratings) Sample reader comments: "The swimming details made the story come alive" - Goodreads reviewer "As a counselor, I appreciate how therapy was portrayed" - Amazon reviewer "My 11-year-old couldn't put it down" - Bookshop.org review The book connects particularly well with middle school readers who participate in competitive sports or have experienced family loss.

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🌟 Rob Buyea spent six years as a third and fourth-grade teacher before becoming a full-time writer, bringing authentic classroom experiences to his middle-grade novels. 📚 The book explores themes of grief, healing, and the power of animals to help people cope with loss, centered around a teenage girl who forms a special bond with a retired search-and-rescue dog. 🐕 The author conducted extensive research on search-and-rescue dogs and their training methods to accurately portray the relationship between the main character and the dog in the story. 🎯 "What Comes Next" was inspired by Buyea's own experience of losing his father and the journey of processing grief, which he channeled into creating a relatable story for young readers. 🏆 The book received recognition for its sensitive handling of difficult topics while maintaining an engaging narrative that appeals to both middle-grade readers and adults.