Nature Mysteries

There's a burglar on the loose, and he's robbing houses with the help of a supersneaky, super-stinky, secret weapon. When this character comes sniffing around Slim's bachelor shack, Hank the Cowdog heads right into action. But does Hank have what it takes to save the day even after getting caught in the spray of some very unsavory artillery?

Sixteen of America's favorite author-anglers spin tales of mystery and fishing in this collection. From the tragic to the comic with many stops in between, these stories reflect the authors' passions for both making stories and catching fish. Michael Connelly, Ridley Pearson, John Lescroart, Don Winslow, Melodie Johnson Howe, Victoria Houston, and others all share a mysterious affection for things piscatorial when not busy writing best-selling books.

Jay Gardiner has given himself a fool’s errand—to find the remains of his deceased father in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Monastery Beach. He knows it’s a long shot, but Jay feels it’s the only way for him to lift the weight of guilt he has carried since his dad’s death by suicide the previous year.

When Hank makes the mistake of asking Drover what he's doing, Drover reveals his observation that the moon looks like a cookie! After some highly scientific discussion and calculations, Hank and Drover agree that the moon is a cookie, not swiss chesse. And, when Loper sets down Sally May's picnic basket, which contains some oatmeal raisin cookies, the plot thickens, and Hank realizes the cookie moon was a sign that he should...you'll never guess what!

From rags to riches...When Pete the Barncat offers to trade good, juicy steak scraps for a couple of old corncobs, Hank the Cowdog smells a rat. Why would Pete want to trade - unless the cobs are worth a fortune? So, armed with his Incredible PricelessCorncobs, Hank sets out to plan his Early Retirement. But retirement and the life of luxury don't come as easily as Hank expects. It seems as though everyone is after his treasure - even his faithful sidekick, Drover!

Abi and her two step-brothers, Max and Louis, find that strange things happen when they are alone in their eerie, ivy-covered new house. Abi, reading alone, finds herself tumbling deep into books, while Louis summons a startling guest through his bedroom window. Even Max has started to see shapes in the shadows....Their busy parents see none of it - but Louis' secret visitor is growing too alarming to keep secret, and he finds he cannot manage without Max and Abi's help. Can they find out where the mysterious creature has come from - and how to get it back there?

A shipment of dinosaur bones meant for a new exhibit has been stolen from the Capitol City Natural History Museum! But even worse, the group of paleontologists working on the shipment has disappeared, too - and among them is Wilson Kipper’s mother. Wilson and his friends are determined to get to the bottom of the mystery, but can they do it in time to save his missing mom?

Hank and Drover have just hitched an accidental ride into town in the back of Slim's pickup, and boy, are they excited! But the excitement turns to drama when Drover mysteriously disappears! Can Hank track down his faithful sidekick before it's time for Slim to head back to the ranch? Or is he off on a wild goose chase?

After Pete the Barncat starts a rumor about a Phantom Dog in the machine shed, Hank the Cowdog - the head of ranch security - decides that he better check it out. And sure enough, when Hank takes a peek into the shadows, he sees the meanest, toughest, stupidest dog he's ever seen.

In the 1870s, grasshoppers known as Rocky Mountain locusts destroyed crops and farms across the Great Plains states, then were never seen again. Where did these bugs come from and where did they go? That's the great grasshopper mystery!

Just when the perfect mystery arises, Simone goes missing. This sounds like a job for Tabitha the Undercover Moth!

Gordon Korman knows the types of books kids like to read, considering he published his first novel at the ripe old age of 12. Since then, his unique brand of offbeat humor has helped him become a New York Times best-selling author. In this third tale featuring Griffin “The Man with the Plan” Bing, a tough new principal gets on Griffin’s last nerve, and the feeling is mutual. When a valuable ring is stolen from a school display case, Griffin realizes he’s been framed for the crime.

Things are not looking good for the ranch. So when Loper heads into town to negotiate with the banker, Slim hits the road in search of a new home. Meanwhile, Hank and his faithful sidekick Drover hitch a ride in the back of Slim's pickup. Before long, they come to a stop in an unfamiliar town. And when Slim lands himself a new job, Hank finds that he's no longer the Head of Ranch Security, but the Head of Chicken House Security.

What’s Mac B.'s newest top-secret mission? Travel to Iceland and retrieve the ravens that were stolen from the Tower of London...before Britain is ruined. In Iceland, he discovers secret submarines, hungry polar bears, mysterious blueprints...and his old archnemesis! Is the KGB man behind this birdnapping? Can Mac get the ravens to safety? It's time for an epic top-secret smackdown between these two secret agents!

On a tip from Pete the Barncat, Hank the Cowdog and his faithful second-in-command, Drover, go in search of the fabled pot of chicken at the end of the rainbow. But before they can find it, Rip and Snort find them. There's only one way out - Hank challenges the coyote brothers to the Deadly Ha-Ha Game.

The Boxcar Children are spending their vacation on a farm. They learn to do everything from milking cows and making homemade jam to raising a barn. Then one day they spot a beautiful horse locked up in a stable. Who is the mystery horse? And why is it hidden?

The boxcar children are trying to track down a dinosaur-bone thief! But another set of tracks in a cave leads to a whole new mystery....

Learn how fossils teach us about dinosaurs.

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?

Help solve the mystery with the detective dog, set sail on an exciting adventure in the flying bath and cook up a feast for a very fussy king! This collection includes stories from four of Julia's illustrator partnerships: David Roberts, Sara Ogilvie, Catherine Rayner and Rebecca Cobb.