ALA Booklist

In this the fifth volume in the Andy Russell series, Andy once again must use his intuition and smarts, this time to solve a mystery next door. Andy and his friend Tamika are watching an absent neighbor's house when they spot signs of an intruder: there's unusual garbage in the trash can and Andy sees a light at the house late at night. The problem is that things seem perfectly normal when Andy tries to show his evidence to his family and the police. Since nobody will believe him, Andy sets out to uncover the truth with his own detective work. Friendly black-and-white drawings, humorous text, and a cast of likable characters will entice young readers, who will relate to Andy's predicament.

Horn Book

Connor, a thoroughly modern California boy, time travels to 1926 to save his mother and break the magical ties that bind his family to an evil fifteenth-century painter. Though its pro-family subplot leans too heavily on obvious ironies (wholesome pleasure of the 1920s vs. electronic pastimes of the modern era), this tightly plotted novel moves swiftly through three distinctive time periods as it deftly presents a large cast of memorable characters.

Kirkus Reviews

<p>Andy's next-door neighbors, the Perlmans, ask Andy and Tamika to watch their house for them while they're in South America. Everything seems fine until one day some strange things begin to happen. Lights mysteriously turn on and off, and some odd trash shows up in the trashcan. But what kind of thief eats Oat Bran Toasties and wears purple stockings? Andy and Tamika decide to begin investigating the strange occurrences after a search by the police turns up empty-handed and Andy's parents dismiss the events as the product of overactive imaginations. In addition to dealing with the strange events next door, Andy finds himself facing some big changes in his life. His mother is set to give birth to a new baby any day and Andy's older sister has been acting oddly around him for some time. While hardly great literature, this easy mystery is enhanced with simple line drawings and has a comfort level that will have young readers flying through it to find out exactly what is going on next door. (Fiction. 7-10)</p>

School Library Journal (Tue Feb 28 00:00:00 CST 2023)

Gr 2-4-While his neighbors the Perlmans are on a research and sightseeing vacation, Andy watches their house. Helping the young detective is Tamika Anderson, who lived with them while her parents were recovering from an accident, but is now staying with the Russells. The children find trash in their neighbors' garbage can and signs that someone is in the house. The police investigate but determine there has been no break-in. Over the next few days, the friends' suspicions are aroused again. When they see a package delivered next door, they decide to call the Perlmans' phone number. They learn that the couple is letting an artist stay in their home. As simple as that, the mystery is solved. As implausible as the plot may be, beginning chapter-book readers and fans of Andy Russell may enjoy this tidy case.-Debbie Feulner, Northwest Middle School, Greensboro, NC Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.