At age six, Rodney Mullen was the family misfit who had to wear braces to straighten out his pigeon-toed feet. But by age fourteen, he was a world-champion skateboarder -- and for the next decade lost only one contest. Now, for the first time, Rodney tells the incredible story of his ascent to fame as the number one nerd in a sport where anarchy is often encouraged. Rodney learned to skate by himself on the family farm, his only company the wandering cows. As a teenager he traveled the world for demonstrations, invented the flatground ollie -- a trick that laid the foundation for modern street skating -- and in ten years garnered thirty-five world skating titles. While acing skateboard contests Rodney also earned straight A's in school, but his father forced him to abandon his fame and the fortune he could make from the sport he loved. Rodney was unable to stop for very long though, even after freestyle skating went out of fashion and the skateboarding world abandoned him. He adapted to street skating and eventually became one of the most innovative and influential skaters of all time. It's all here: everything from his eating and sleeping disorders to his comical experiences with loan sharks, occult-obsessed relatives, and the FBI. The Mutt is a look at Rodney's strange journey from penniless skateboarder to millionaire.

Mutt Dog is brave and fast and smart, but he's hungry and all alone in the world. He needs someone to love him and put a roof over his head. Luckily there's a person out there who can give him the loving home he deserves in this heartwarming tale of resilience and belonging. This beautifully illustrated picture book by Stephen Michael King will be cherished by dog-lovers everywhere.

Earth is a great global community, a melting pot in which various populations around the world share and blend their cultures. This is also true of the unsung dog hero - the mutt, the most popular 'breed' on the planet. 'The Mutt Book: Decoding Your Mutt's Heritage' is a groundbreaking work that will help the reader determine his or her pet's breeds of origin. With a simple organizational method, 'The Mutt Book' looks at the basic characteristics of each of a dog's features - its ears, coat, muzzle, paws, and tail - and basic habits to help figure out the genealogy of a particular animal. Internationally renowned dog lover and expert David Alderton offers insight into the infinite variety of dog mixes and how that blending will influence such important factors as how much exercise, attention, nourishment, and grooming any particular animal needs as well as offering clues to any possible veterinary ailments. Plus, the interesting combinations are fun, helping the mutt owner embrace his or her own animal's individuality. Perfect for first-time mutt admirers or those with many years of mutt care under their belts, 'The Mutt Book' is a must-have guide.

Nubs, an Iraqi dog of war, never had a home or a person of his own. He was the leader of a pack of wild dogs living off the land and barely surviving. But Nubs's life changed when he met Marine Major Brian Dennis. The two formed a fast friendship, made stronger by Dennis's willingness to share his meals, offer a warm place to sleep, and give Nubs the kind of care and attention he had never received before. Nubs became part of Dennis's human "pack" until duty required the Marines to relocate a full 70 miles away--without him. Nubs had no way of knowing that Marines were not allowed to have pets. So began an incredible journey that would take Nubs through a freezing desert, filled with danger tofind his friend and would lead Dennis on a mission that would touch the hearts of people all over the world. Nubs and Dennis will remind readers that friendship has the power to cross deserts, continents, and even species.

Matzah balls were never meant for a game of fetch, but try telling that to Mitzvah the Mutt when he is rescued by a Jewish family. Mitzvah's silly antics manage to charm his family and his humorous misinterpretations of the Jewish holidays will leave you laughing and begging for more. Get ready for a howling good time as you celebrate Shabbat, Hanukkah and Passover with Mitzvah the Mutt.

Maira Kalman, with wit and great sensitivity, reveals why dogs bring out the best in us Maira Kalman + Dogs = Bliss Dogs have lessons for us all. In Beloved Dog, renowned artist and author Maira Kalman illuminates our cherished companions as only she can. From the dogs lovingly illustrated in her acclaimed children’s books to the real-life pets who inspire her still, Kalman’s Beloved Dog is joyful, beautifully illustrated, and, as always, deeply philosophical. Here is Max Stravinsky, the dog poet of Oh-La-La (Max in Love)-fame, and her own Irish Wheaton Pete (almost named Einstein, until he revealed himself to be “clearly no Einstein”), who also made an appearance in the delightful What Pete Ate: From A to Z. And of course, there is Boganch, Kalman’s in-laws’ “big black slobbering Hungarian Beast.” And that’s just the beginning. With humor and intelligence, Kalman gives voice to the dogs she adores, noting that they are constant reminders that life reveals the best of itself when we live fully in the moment and extend unconditional love. “And it is very true,” she writes, “that the most tender, complicated, most generous part of our being blossoms without any effort, when it comes to the love of a dog.”

An abandoned dog turns wild when left in the Bad Lands of North Dakota. Grades 6-8.