Knowing the first book (Waylon! One Awesome Thing) helps with reading Waylon! Even More Awesome by Sara Pennypacker. Yet, it is also an independent read. I am hoping book three (Waylon! the Most Awesome of All) is equally good and equally independent.
This is a comfortable story about friends, what is right/wrong, learning that science cannot answer all of our problems and sometimes things are not what they seem. Aimed at ages 5 to 6 to be red too, but ages 7 to (young) 10 can enjoy as a solo read. The best audience, however, is one that likes a good story.
The story has been done before: a kid (Waylon) thinks another kid is “bad news.” That is until he gets to know him. The slight difference is that Waylon has (unknowingly) been this other kid’s friend all along. There is also a continuation of the first book and a story plot of a dog and how he can be a masterful escape artist (with a little help from his friends of course) but also the key to the human friendship.
Over all, this is just a nice book. There are no real surprises for the adult reader. The kid reader will enjoy the mystery element (can the boys save their canine pal?) And there a few scattered illustrations throughout the book by Marla Frazee. While they are subtlety different from their picture books, Frazee’s signature style is there. They compliment the text with that old school, simple, feel-good look.