My Dog is Better than Your Dog

August 3, 2015
Balancing a caustic friendship, a first crush, bullying, and snarky sibling dynamics (not to mention a potentially paranormal new pet), Greenwald (the Charlie Joe Jackson books) gets his Crimebiters! series off to a peppy start. Eleven-year-old Jimmy Bishop is obsessed with vampire novels and TV crime-fighting shows, and has long wanted a dog. When his work-consumed parents finally give in, Jimmy adopts a mutt named Abby from a shelter, soon realizing that she sleeps all day, sneaks out his bedroom window at nightâand has impressive fangs. Could Abby actually be a "crime-fighting vampire dog"? Yes or no, the dog has a chance to demonstrate her heroic skills during a showdown with a villain who has stolen Jimmy's mother's diamond necklace. Lively dialogue and brief chapters punctuated by Jimmy's wry observations keep the story moving swiftly, while Stower's cartoons underline the comedic wisdom of some of the facts Jimmy collects ("Fact: Adults never eat the disgusting stuff they feed you.") and the madcap action that unfolds. Ages 8â12. Author's agent: Brianne Johnson, Writers House.

July 1, 2015
A new series for middle-grade readers begins when 11-year-old Jimmy gets a dog that just might have supernatural powers.Jimmy's mom works all the time, and his dad's constantly away looking for a new job. Feeling neglected, Jimmy spends most of his time watching an old crime TV show and reading his favorite vampire novels. When his dad agrees to let Jimmy have a dog, Jimmy chooses a strange mutt named Abby. Abby sleeps all day and roams at night, and she has huge fangs; is she a vampire dog? When Abby attacks his awful new babysitter, will Jimmy's parents send his beloved new pet back to the shelter? Later, more complications ensue that give Abby a chance to save the day, with help from Jimmy's best friend, Irwin, and his new possible heartthrob, Daisy. Could it be that Abby might actually be a crime-fighter vampire dog? In fact, might she even have some real superpowers? Greenwald keeps everything light and unthreatening, with some nice childhood conflicts (Irwin also likes Daisy) and, via a bully character, some great advice about how to deal with bullies. Stower's cartoon-style illustrations enliven the text even further.Who wouldn't want to read a whole series of superhero-vampire-crime-fighter-dog books? (Fiction. 8-12)

COPYRIGHT(2015) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

November 1, 2015
Grades 2-5 Jimmy is obsessed with two thingsan old crime show and a series of books about a misunderstood vampire. The one thing he wants more than anything, though, is a dog. When his busy, distracted parents allow him to get a dog just when they hire an oddball babysitter, the boy's obsessions come together: he is convinced his dog is a nighttime creature with a penchant for investigating what the babysitter is really up to. Friends and family think Jimmy is surely overimaginative, but is he? Readers will have to decide as the plot links together the local bully's dad, who owns a babysitting service, and some neighborhood robberies. Light and fun, the real appeal is in the bond between Jimmy and the mutt, Abby. Will she prove to be the hero he thinks she is? And will his neighborhood friends put aside their initial doubts to help him form a CrimeBiters' gang? Stower's spot illustrations add to the fun, mystery-solving atmosphere. Obviously there will be more adventures to come.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)