As a rescue dog, McTavish has one mission: rescuing his human family, the Peacheys, from chaos and calamity. One day, Pa Peachey suddenly switches his personality from pessimistic to happy-go-lucky, announcing that he has been offered a new job. Later, when Ma Peachey explains that the family will be moving to a different house, her three children react with denial, dejection, and gloom. McTavish is particularly concerned about Betty, the youngest, who worries about being the new girl at school. Her father's reassuring words, "said with the optimistic smile of a madman" don't help. But on the first day of school, McTavish carries out a clever plan, ensuring that Betty's classmates will quickly become her friends. Attractive grayscale pictures illustrate the text at intervals, helping young readers envision the characters and settings in this amusing story. Acknowledging the anxiety that many children feel when attending a new school, this transitional chapter book delivers a satisfying narrative, written with the intelligence and wit that readers have come to expect from Rosoff's McTavish series.

Rescue dog McTavish helps his young human adjust when they move to a new house.The fourth installment in the McTavish Stories series sees the tightknit Peachey family moving to a new neighborhood thanks to Pa Peachey's new job. Moving also means changing schools for Betty and Ollie but not for oldest child Ava. While the three siblings are not thrilled about leaving behind the only home they have ever known, Betty, the youngest, is the one most anxious about the big changes ahead. Eventually, though, we all-even dogs-have to face the unknown and take the first step into a new life. And having a canine pal like McTavish can help when it comes to making new friends. This fast-paced transitional chapter book is peppered with well-placed grayscale illustrations. They show that the Peachey family members have pale and tan skin tones and that Betty's classmates are casually diverse. The story can be used to teach children about the dangers of taking dogs into public spaces and not penning them up when appropriate. In a book that generally feels old-fashioned, the appearance of a mobile phone is a bit jarring.A story of family transitions and childhood milestones that marks another fine addition to a cozy British series. (Transitional chapter book. 7-10)