For fans of InvestiGators, this sci-fi series starter features talking animals, hilarious hijinks, and a long-buried mystery.

Project WOOFF was top-secret . . . until now.

Alex Grebert has lived in the off-grid community of Underland with his nature-loving Aunt Zinnia ever since his parents died unexpectedly.

When Alex’s best friend Lily Day takes in a stray cat named Fuzzypants, Alex is pulled into an adventure straight out of one of his self-made video games. Professor Fuzzypants, PhD. is a product of Project WOOFF (Weaponized Optimization of Flora/Fauna), a top-secret government project that used AI to develop intelligent, speaking animals.

Project WOOFF should’ve been shut down a long time ago, but someone is continuing the experiments. Alex and Lily are determined to find out what went wrong.

Featuring black-and-white illustrations throughout and short, accessible chapters, Project WOOFF will appeal to the young middle-grade reluctant reader.

Matthew McElligott is the author of several books for children, including The Lion's Share, Absolutely Not, and Backbeard and the Birthday Suit. He teaches at Sage College and also visits elementary schools around the country. He lives in New York. www.mattmcelligott.com • @matthew.mcelligott