Dog Child

Rose Howard has OCD, Asperger's syndrome, and an obsession with homonyms (even her name is a homonym). She gave her dog Rain a name with two homonyms (Reign, Rein), which, according to Rose's rules of homonyms, is very special. Rain was a lost dog Rose's father brought home. Rose and Rain are practically inseparable. And they are often home alone, as Rose's father spends most evenings at a bar, and doesn't have much patience for his special-needs daughter.

Ashley wants the perfect dog to play Sandy in her school's play, Annie. After passing over other dogs, she is left with a three-legged mutt named Farley. Worried that Farley isn't the perfect dog for the stage, Ashley must work to change her own prejudice and identity. Will Ashley accept Farley despite his handicap? Will she overcome her own anxiety before it stops her from performing?

It's the first day of quail season, and Plato the Bird Dog is missing. At first, Hank is willing to let him stay lost. But when Beulah pleads for help, Hank caves in and takes off in search of Plato. Before he can catch a scent of spotted bird-dog, he finds himself face-to-face with an angry mother hog and her litter. Can Hank's quick wits help him out of this fix? Or will he become hogmeat?

The drought on Hank’s ranch has finally ended, and it’s a beautiful spring day. In fact, it’s the kind of day in which the head of ranch security really wouldn’t expect to find himself protecting the ranch from bloodthirsty mosquitoes, doing toad duty, or, most especially of all, standing between his cowboy friends and a sick and angry cow. However, that’s exactly what happens when Miss Viola asks Slim and Hank to help Woodrow haul a cow to the veterinarian. And, what begins as a simple job soon turns into a circus when the cow proves to be a little more clever than anyone anticipated.

A dirty, skinny, dog shows up in Sam and Katie's neighborhood. They start to follow it, and they don't like what they see: The Wilson sisters yell at it because it goes in their garden and the Tracy twins chase it on their bikes and throw things at it. Sam and Katie want the dog to know they'll be its friends. They think it should have a name. Most of all, they want it to like them. But then they do something thoughtless, and after that, it's hard to make things right, especially because the dog now won't come near them.

Someone has been raiding Sally May's garbage barrels! Hank knows the crime is the work of a notorious gang of raccoons, but in a tragic case of mistaken identity, the Head of Ranch Security is himself forced to take the heat. More trouble lies ahead. Rip and Snort, the good-for-nothing coyote brothers, are planning to pull an even bigger job.

The ranch is in the grip of a sweltering summer heat wave, and to make matters worse, Bruiser the Rottweiler is on the loose. First Bruiser attacks a defenseless fawn, then he threatens to come after Hank the Cowdog, the Head of Ranch Security!

Lacey is a very special dog with a very important purpose. After an accident, Lacey must get used to being followed around everywhere by a funny cart with wheels. Sometimes it makes her go too fast or in the wrong direction! But that doesn't stop Lacey from having fun with her human girl Wenling and her best dog friend, Cooper. And when a tornado strikes, putting Wenling's and Cooper's families in danger, only Lacey and her cart can save the day.

Mama Bear and the cubs are off to Farmer Ben's farm to buy a dozen fresh eggs. But when they get there, a cuddly surprise awaits them. Now they're heading home with farm-fresh eggs and a farm-fresh pup! Little Lady, the newest addition to the Bear family, turns out to be quite a handful. But a little patience and a lot of love help her feel right at home. Beginning readers will love following the adorable antics of the cubs' new friend.

The best part of Kat's day is getting to walk her neighbor's irresistible pug, Meatball. So when her parents insist she start an extracurricular this year, she makes her own, by turning her hobby into a business: a dog-walking business, that is. She and her best friends, Taz and Lucy - as well as the cute new boy, Declan - try to get Four Paws Dog Walking into shape. But wrangling puppies and pleasing customers turns out to be harder than they thought! Can Kat keep taking care of the dogs she loves without hurting her friendships?

Waylon has lots of ideas for making life more awesome through science, like teleportation, human gills, and attracting cupcakes by controlling gravity. But it's impossible for him to concentrate on his inventions when he's experiencing his own personal big bang.

Bunnicula is missing! Chester the cat makes a chilling discovery: Bunnicula the vampire bunny has vanished from his cage in the Monroe household. Everyone knows that vampire victims become vampires themselves, and the neighborhood gardens reveal the ultimate horror: bloodless zombie vegetables! Determined to save Bunnicula's victims and the unsuspecting Monroes, Chester leads the valiant friends on a wild bunny chase.

Hank the Cowdog could have told Slim that bringing an orphaned raccoon back to the ranch was not the best idea. But since Slim never pays any attention to Hank, Loper, and Sally May soon find themselves housing an adolescent coon with a mischievous streak a mile wide.

Lily is the smallest puppy in her litter and the only girl. Her brothers are bigger and stronger and like to push her around. When Lily meets a girl named Maggie Rose at the animal shelter, Lily discovers things are not so bad. Lily's size means that she can help other animals who are in trouble. It's Lily to the rescue!

It all starts with Hank the puppy enjoying his family's backyard home. Feathers start to fly when Hank defends his backyard against invading...phantom ducks? Hank's mother says it's a good time for him to go out on his own before the dogcatcher arrives. So Hank makes his way to the Twitchell Livestock Auction. Will he join up with Slim, the cowboy he meets there? Or will the dogcatcher provide his new home?

Homecoming Tales is a great gift for any 8- to 12-year-old who loves animals, enjoys volunteer work, or simply appreciates heartwarming stories. With information about care for older dogs, this educational book is also a helpful listen for families who are interested in adopting a senior dog. The stories of sweet, sassy, and sometimes hilarious old friends offer kids a unique reminder that no one is too old to give or receive love.

Happy the Lab is back on the ranch, and it looks like he’s up to his usual good-natured, bumbling ways! And, it just so happens that he has wandered onto Hank’s ranch on a particularly exciting day: rain has finally come to their drought-stricken land, and - what’s even more exciting - radio reports claim that there’s a mountain lion on the prowl in their area! As the day unfolds, it appears that the mountain lion report was bogus, which is a good thing, since Hank already has his paws full surviving a bout of food-poisoning and a treacherous investigation of the machine shed.

Everybody is having a great time on a cruise...until a terrible odor permeates the ship. All signs point to Walter, and so he is first banished down below, with the stinky cheeses, and then into a lifeboat to float behind the ocean liner. Then catastrophe strikes! How long will the great cruise ship and its frightened passengers be marooned on the high seas? About as long as it takes Walter to digest that cheese!

Junior is so excited - his human family is going on vacation, and this time they're taking him with them. And they're going to the most magical place in the world - the woods! All the sticks you could possibly want! Endless raccoons to chase! A lake to doggy-paddle in! It's a canine paradise! But all of Junior's best plans are ruined when Iona Stricker - the most miserable, cruel, and obedience-obsessed human you could ever meet - shows up and puts an end to his fun. That is, until a fugitive from the local animal shelter sneaks into camp and everything changes.

Lost Kitten: When Amelia and Sam find a lost white kitten in the wilderness, they can't work out why her behaviour seems different to other cats. Llama on the Loose: When Amelia and Sam's friend Caleb adopts a new llama, they hope she will become friends with the other two llamas at the petting farm. Puppy Problem: Excitement is blooming in Welford as the village prepares for its annual garden contest. Owl All Alone: When Amelia and Sam find an abandoned baby tawny owl, they help nurse it back to health.