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Just Like Home #1
Love Rolls In
The Babysitters Club meets Puppy Place in this heartwarming and fun middle grade series about a unique animal sanctuary, the full-time family (of both human and animal variety) who live there, and the rotating stable of animal guests who will come to the farm with an injury or challenge but will leave knowing what it really feels like to be loved and cared for.
Siblings Ruby and Henry have an unusual kind of home life compared to their friends. At their house on the outskirts of town, their family operates an animal sanctuary with a unique collection of full-time pet residents living on the two pigs, three chickens, a dog, two cats, and a goat who thinks he’s a human. Not to mention, Ruby and Henry’s mom is also a vet at the animal clinic in town.
Let's just say, when it comes to animals, it's hard for Ruby and Henry's family to say no. But a couple months ago, their parents decided that the farm is full. No additional resident farm animals. No more fosters.
Of course, rules are meant to be broken...
When a scared puppy arrives at their mom's clinic, they soon discover that he's lost mobility in his front legs because of an injury. What worse, is that newy named Arlo clearly knows he's been abandoned. The puppy has hardly eaten since their mom brought him home, retreating to a dark corner of the barn where even Herbert the goat, try as he might, can’t seem to cheer him up. But with Ruby's builder brain, Henry's heart, and a little bit of kindness from their ragtag group of animals on the sanctuary, they might just be able to teach Arlo how to trust again.
Siblings Ruby and Henry have an unusual kind of home life compared to their friends. At their house on the outskirts of town, their family operates an animal sanctuary with a unique collection of full-time pet residents living on the two pigs, three chickens, a dog, two cats, and a goat who thinks he’s a human. Not to mention, Ruby and Henry’s mom is also a vet at the animal clinic in town.
Let's just say, when it comes to animals, it's hard for Ruby and Henry's family to say no. But a couple months ago, their parents decided that the farm is full. No additional resident farm animals. No more fosters.
Of course, rules are meant to be broken...
When a scared puppy arrives at their mom's clinic, they soon discover that he's lost mobility in his front legs because of an injury. What worse, is that newy named Arlo clearly knows he's been abandoned. The puppy has hardly eaten since their mom brought him home, retreating to a dark corner of the barn where even Herbert the goat, try as he might, can’t seem to cheer him up. But with Ruby's builder brain, Henry's heart, and a little bit of kindness from their ragtag group of animals on the sanctuary, they might just be able to teach Arlo how to trust again.
176 pages, Paperback
Published January 6, 2026
19 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
About the author
Erin Soderberg Downing
57 books276 followersI read and write lots of funny, adventurous, & heartwarming books for kids, tweens, and teens (and even a few romantic comedies for adults, too!) that are ultimately about finding your place, finding your people, and finding your voice. I always love book recommendations, so please send them my way. As a reader, I'm partial to contemporary romantic comedy, thrillers that keep the pages turning and have well-built characters, funny/original voices, quirky characters, and always kids' books with humor and heart.
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January 3, 2026my review will be published in School Library Journal
Source: free digital review copy via SLJ
Source: free digital review copy via SLJ
March 1, 2026
I wanted to read this as soon as I saw the cover. We had a dog a few years ago that needed a wheelchair due to a degenerative spinal disorder so I was excited to see this book and how it was the disability was presented. I think it was presented sensitively and was well written. I think late elementary to middle schoolers would enjoy this book.
February 2, 2026
I’m very excited to introduce this new series (Just Like Home) to my 4th grade readers!
Twins Ruby and Henry live on two acres on the outskirts of town. Their family operates an animal sanctuary with a unique assortment of full time pet residents. Their mom is a vet, and one day she brings home a scared puppy named Arlo. He’s lost mobility in his back legs due to an injury, and she needs the twins’ help in getting Arlo to trust again so he can be adopted by a forever family.
Will Henry’s patience and Ruby’s builder skills be enough to help Arlo get ready for the upcoming adoption fair?
Things I think young middle grade readers will like:
- the story is told in alternating points of view, so readers get to hear from both Ruby & Henry’s perspectives.
- it’s finishable! At just 167 pages, it’s not an overwhelming length for readers.
- the school setting, where group-projects and friendship happenings help this story’s realistic feel
- the personalities of the animals on the sanctuary bring lots of LOL moments
- adorable beginning and ending illustrations by Johanna Tarkela
- it’s a series!
Looking forward to book 2, Kitten Delivery.
Twins Ruby and Henry live on two acres on the outskirts of town. Their family operates an animal sanctuary with a unique assortment of full time pet residents. Their mom is a vet, and one day she brings home a scared puppy named Arlo. He’s lost mobility in his back legs due to an injury, and she needs the twins’ help in getting Arlo to trust again so he can be adopted by a forever family.
Will Henry’s patience and Ruby’s builder skills be enough to help Arlo get ready for the upcoming adoption fair?
Things I think young middle grade readers will like:
- the story is told in alternating points of view, so readers get to hear from both Ruby & Henry’s perspectives.
- it’s finishable! At just 167 pages, it’s not an overwhelming length for readers.
- the school setting, where group-projects and friendship happenings help this story’s realistic feel
- the personalities of the animals on the sanctuary bring lots of LOL moments
- adorable beginning and ending illustrations by Johanna Tarkela
- it’s a series!
Looking forward to book 2, Kitten Delivery.
February 16, 2026
Wonderful children/middle grade story! Loved it!
September 17, 2025
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Twins Ruby and Henry live on a small farm right outside of town. Their mother is a veterinarian, and their father does "something in an office", and the family has a menagerie of three chickens, two goats, a dog, a cat, a pig, and a llama! Their mother has declared that there are to be no more animals, but when a puppy with a severe spinal injury is dropped off at her clinic in the middle of the night, she softens long enough to let the children foster the dog and prepare him for adoption. Ruby, who does the morning chores, would rather skip school and get right to work, but her mother firmly states that school is more important. Henry enjoys school because there are no chores, and he has a lot more friends than Ruby does. Harriet, a neighbor, was a good friend until the girls hit fifth grade, and their interests started to diverge. The puppy, whom they name Arlo, is a sweet guy who manages to drag himself from place to place, since he can't walk. The twins try to help him by putting him in a shirt so the rough ground doesn't hurt his tender stomach, and unearth an old cart in the barn that they try to fit to one of the other pets so that Arlo can be part of the pack. This has limited success, so Ruby (who likes to build things) fashions a cart. She is grouped with Harriet during a school program on planting seeds, and finds out that Harriet's dog, Zippy, has passed away from cancer. Near the end, Zippy had to have both back legs amputated, and used a cart, so Harriet is interested in meeting Arlo. Henry isn't happy that Arlo will find a new home, since most of the animals seem to prefer Ruby, so he tries to remember to do his chores so that perhaps his mother will consider keeping Arlo. This isn't in Arlo's best interest, but luckily Harriet, her younger brother Will, and her mother decide that Arlo would be a good fit in their home. Ruby and Henry's parents agree that because the kids both stepped up to help with Arlo's care and training, they are open to having more rescues in the future.
Strengths: I would have loved this book as a child! Ruby and Henry both have fairly positive attitudes, are willing to work hard, and are given a lot of autonomy (but plenty of supervision when needed) to help Arlo. There's lots of good information about caring for a dog with special needs, but also some good life lessons about getting along with others. These things are so much more interesting than the current trend of having problems and thinking through how to deal with them-- Ruby and Henry DO things. Their farm is an interesting setting, especially with a llama and a pig with a large personality! The friend drama with Harriet is spot on. I would have saved up my 25 cent a week allowance to buy this series, and would definitely buy it for an elementary library. The cover is great, and I wish the artist had been mentioned in the publication data.
Weaknesses: There could have been slightly more description about the barn and surrounding enclosures for animals. While I could see everything clearly in my mind, both of my grandparents all lived on farms when I was young. Most of my students don't have this background knowledge.
What I really think: Mills' The Puppy Place is the series to which this title is compared, but Peters' Jasmine Green Rescues is much more similar. It should be popular with fans of Liu's Near and Deer, or graphic novel series like Fairbairn's PAWS or Epic Reads' Animal Rescue Friends. It's great for readers who need something a little shorter than Cameron's Dogs with Purpose books. If you are having a Scholastic book fair, make sure you request extras of this as well as the sequel, Kitten Delivery.
Twins Ruby and Henry live on a small farm right outside of town. Their mother is a veterinarian, and their father does "something in an office", and the family has a menagerie of three chickens, two goats, a dog, a cat, a pig, and a llama! Their mother has declared that there are to be no more animals, but when a puppy with a severe spinal injury is dropped off at her clinic in the middle of the night, she softens long enough to let the children foster the dog and prepare him for adoption. Ruby, who does the morning chores, would rather skip school and get right to work, but her mother firmly states that school is more important. Henry enjoys school because there are no chores, and he has a lot more friends than Ruby does. Harriet, a neighbor, was a good friend until the girls hit fifth grade, and their interests started to diverge. The puppy, whom they name Arlo, is a sweet guy who manages to drag himself from place to place, since he can't walk. The twins try to help him by putting him in a shirt so the rough ground doesn't hurt his tender stomach, and unearth an old cart in the barn that they try to fit to one of the other pets so that Arlo can be part of the pack. This has limited success, so Ruby (who likes to build things) fashions a cart. She is grouped with Harriet during a school program on planting seeds, and finds out that Harriet's dog, Zippy, has passed away from cancer. Near the end, Zippy had to have both back legs amputated, and used a cart, so Harriet is interested in meeting Arlo. Henry isn't happy that Arlo will find a new home, since most of the animals seem to prefer Ruby, so he tries to remember to do his chores so that perhaps his mother will consider keeping Arlo. This isn't in Arlo's best interest, but luckily Harriet, her younger brother Will, and her mother decide that Arlo would be a good fit in their home. Ruby and Henry's parents agree that because the kids both stepped up to help with Arlo's care and training, they are open to having more rescues in the future.
Strengths: I would have loved this book as a child! Ruby and Henry both have fairly positive attitudes, are willing to work hard, and are given a lot of autonomy (but plenty of supervision when needed) to help Arlo. There's lots of good information about caring for a dog with special needs, but also some good life lessons about getting along with others. These things are so much more interesting than the current trend of having problems and thinking through how to deal with them-- Ruby and Henry DO things. Their farm is an interesting setting, especially with a llama and a pig with a large personality! The friend drama with Harriet is spot on. I would have saved up my 25 cent a week allowance to buy this series, and would definitely buy it for an elementary library. The cover is great, and I wish the artist had been mentioned in the publication data.
Weaknesses: There could have been slightly more description about the barn and surrounding enclosures for animals. While I could see everything clearly in my mind, both of my grandparents all lived on farms when I was young. Most of my students don't have this background knowledge.
What I really think: Mills' The Puppy Place is the series to which this title is compared, but Peters' Jasmine Green Rescues is much more similar. It should be popular with fans of Liu's Near and Deer, or graphic novel series like Fairbairn's PAWS or Epic Reads' Animal Rescue Friends. It's great for readers who need something a little shorter than Cameron's Dogs with Purpose books. If you are having a Scholastic book fair, make sure you request extras of this as well as the sequel, Kitten Delivery.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Erin Downing, prolific writer for middle grade and elementary readers, starts off her new warm-hearted animal series, Just Like Home, with a bang!
Told in the alternating perspectives of 5th grade twins Ruby and Henry, the 176 pages will fly by as their veterinarian mom brings home an injured puppy who needs extra love in care to help him get comfortable not only with people but the fact his back legs are paralyzed. Henry has already fallen in love with the new pup he named Arlo, but the twins have already been told that 2 goats, a pig, a trio of chicken, a big dog, standoffish cat and even a llama add up to a very full and complete farmful. Using Henry’s patience and Ruby’s building skills, the duo is able to help Arlo get used to both people and animals and have equipped him with a harness and wheels to allow him to run and play like any other puppy. He’s ready for the coming adoption fair, but maybe Henry and Ruby can talk their parents into adding just one more to their menagerie?
Nestled into the main storyline, readers will learn much about the twins, setting the stage for additional books in the series. Henry and Ruby view one another as not only siblings, but best friends, no matter their distinct differences. Ruby is a morning person and handles that set of chores while Henry pushes the envelope barely getting to the bus on time each morning and handles the afternoon care and feeding of the animals. Henry loves learning and finds school not only easy but enjoys every minute of it. Ruby, on the other hand, finds herself zoning out when class is boring and prefers to plan her next project to listening to whatever a teacher is saying. Her tendency to disappearing into her own thoughts is also making it difficult to make friends. Her struggle in that area is likely to be a thread in future installments. As Henry and Ruby muse about what other animals they may be called upon to care for, the ending of this first one should lead readers to reaching out for book 2, Kitten Delivery.
Excellent series for grades 2-5 and with it coming in at well under 200 pages should be very approachable for most in that target age. Text is free of profanity, sexual content and violence, with even the reason for Arlo’s injury being left ambiguous. Representation: Physical descriptions or any identifiable cultural references are not present and with Arlo being featured on the book cover, race of all characters is left up to the readers’ imaginations. At present, there are no neurodivergent, physically challenged or LBGTQ+ characters, either, but the door is left open for a possible diagnosis of ADHD or similar for Ruby and/or Henry as the series progresses.
Thanks, Edelweiss, for providing me with an eARC of this book.
Told in the alternating perspectives of 5th grade twins Ruby and Henry, the 176 pages will fly by as their veterinarian mom brings home an injured puppy who needs extra love in care to help him get comfortable not only with people but the fact his back legs are paralyzed. Henry has already fallen in love with the new pup he named Arlo, but the twins have already been told that 2 goats, a pig, a trio of chicken, a big dog, standoffish cat and even a llama add up to a very full and complete farmful. Using Henry’s patience and Ruby’s building skills, the duo is able to help Arlo get used to both people and animals and have equipped him with a harness and wheels to allow him to run and play like any other puppy. He’s ready for the coming adoption fair, but maybe Henry and Ruby can talk their parents into adding just one more to their menagerie?
Nestled into the main storyline, readers will learn much about the twins, setting the stage for additional books in the series. Henry and Ruby view one another as not only siblings, but best friends, no matter their distinct differences. Ruby is a morning person and handles that set of chores while Henry pushes the envelope barely getting to the bus on time each morning and handles the afternoon care and feeding of the animals. Henry loves learning and finds school not only easy but enjoys every minute of it. Ruby, on the other hand, finds herself zoning out when class is boring and prefers to plan her next project to listening to whatever a teacher is saying. Her tendency to disappearing into her own thoughts is also making it difficult to make friends. Her struggle in that area is likely to be a thread in future installments. As Henry and Ruby muse about what other animals they may be called upon to care for, the ending of this first one should lead readers to reaching out for book 2, Kitten Delivery.
Excellent series for grades 2-5 and with it coming in at well under 200 pages should be very approachable for most in that target age. Text is free of profanity, sexual content and violence, with even the reason for Arlo’s injury being left ambiguous. Representation: Physical descriptions or any identifiable cultural references are not present and with Arlo being featured on the book cover, race of all characters is left up to the readers’ imaginations. At present, there are no neurodivergent, physically challenged or LBGTQ+ characters, either, but the door is left open for a possible diagnosis of ADHD or similar for Ruby and/or Henry as the series progresses.
Thanks, Edelweiss, for providing me with an eARC of this book.
April 20, 2026
This is a fun story with a lot of animal appeal. Ruby and Henry are twins, and the story is told in alternating points of view. Bonus: They get along and appreciate each other's differences. Their mom is a vet and is always bringing home animals, but they can't have any more. So when she brings home Arlo, who has a spinal injury, it's up to Ruby and Henry to get him ready for his new home and figure out how to help Arlo get along without the use of his back legs. There is also a lovely subplot about rekindling an old friendship, and just the fun chaos of a family with so many animals.
If you'd like to read more, my pup and his "paw" pal did an interview about the book over on my blog:
https://jennienzor.blogspot.com/2026/...
If you'd like to read more, my pup and his "paw" pal did an interview about the book over on my blog:
https://jennienzor.blogspot.com/2026/...
February 24, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. This is a super sweet story for animal lovers. Twins Ruby and Henry live on a farm, and one day their mom, who is a vet, brings home a patient. The little pup was dropped off at her clinic and has suffered a spina injury, leaving him unable to use his back legs. The twins are tasked with socializing the little guy to get him ready for an adoption fair. But they both fall in love with him, leaving them to wonder if they can convince their parents to let them be the forever home the pup needs. Super cute for upper elementary and even middle school readers. It made a great nighttime read aloud. #mglit #librarian #librariansofinstagram #middleschoollibrarian
December 22, 2025
This is great chapter book for animal lovers! It is told in alternating chapters by twins Henry and Ruby, who live on a farm with many animals including chickens, goats, a llama, and a pig. When their mother, a veterinarian, brings home a puppy with paralyzed hind legs, Ruby and Henry work together to get Arlo comfortable and able to move around on his own. All types of differences are celebrated in this book, both physical and neurological. Highly recommended for grades 3 & up.
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss
February 6, 2026
A wonderful addition to middle grade - readers who love animals will be thrilled with this new series. Ruby and Henry are winning protagonists and Arlo the puppy will steal your heart. Hand this one to tender-hearted readers who are ready for longer chapters and no illustrations, right after they finish Elana K. Arnold's A Boy Called Bat series (which Erin deftly acknowledges in the story).
March 5, 2026
This is a short and sweet story written for animal lovers. The main characters are in 5th grade, but I think middle school students who struggle with longer books will enjoy the book, especially if they dream of working with animals one day. The characters learn how to lean on others for support and how to use their strengths when working as a team. Excited to see read more of this new series.
Review of advance copy
Cute story. The twins, Ruby and Henry, were unique characters, as were each if the animals on the farm. I enjoyed their growth and how they learned from helping Arlo, and in turn they all go a happy ending.
March 30, 2026
A sweet little animal story that is a step up from beginner chapter books but I think will still be pretty accessible. This is featured in the spring Scholastic book fair and I will feel comfortable recommending it to my students.
March 14, 2026
Adorable Arlo’s spinal injury is sad but adorable
April 2, 2026
Cute kids’ book.
April 8, 2026
Are you kidding me with this series? ADORABLEEEEE! 🐾
(Can’t stop grinning thinking about that llama at the animal sanctuary, too!)
(Can’t stop grinning thinking about that llama at the animal sanctuary, too!)
April 25, 2026
Great young reader book, particularly for animal lovers. Read it with my daughter and was very enjoyable.
April 28, 2026
A delightful first in a new series featuring twins that live at an animal sanctuary.
May 4, 2026
Awesome 2nd grade read aloud!
January 11, 2026
Listened to my own story on audio - Pete Cross and Cassandra Morris bring this series to life in such a perfect way!!
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews