"An understated winner of a friendship story. ... simultaneously of-the-moment and timeless." - Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

What's in the box that Meredith has carried into the living room? Buddy doesn't know, but when the small, prickly creature says he is a pirate - and that Buddy is a pirate, too - the mismatched friends are off on a grand adventure.

In this first book in the best-selling Buddy and Earl series, a dog who likes to play by the rules meets a hedgehog who knows no limits. Their friendship is tender and loyal, and their adventures are funny and imaginative. Maureen Fergus's text is witty and understated, and Carey Sookocheff's art emphasizes both the humor and the warmth of this odd and loveable animal couple.

Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.1
With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3
Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.

REVIEW COPIES

• Publishers Weekly
• School Library Journal
• Booklist
• Kirkus Reviews
• Horn Book

About the Author
MAUREEN FERGUS is an award-winning author of books for kids of all ages. Her novels include The Gypsy King trilogy and Ortega; her picture books include InvisiBill, The Day My Mom Came to Kindergarten, and the Buddy and Earl series. She lives in Winnipeg with her family and her dog, Buddy. CAREY SOOKOCHEFF is the author and illustrator of Lost Things, Wet, and Solutions for Cold Feet and Other Little Problems. She is also the illustrator of the Buddy and Earl series, written by Maureen Fergus. She lives in Toronto, Ontario with her family and her dog, Rosie.

Reviews
Their charmingly raucous game of make-believe is appealing enough, but the sneaky lesson in deductive reasoning makes this frolicsome, read-aloud-friendly picture book truly outstanding. * Booklist, STARRED REVIEW *
An understated winner of a friendship story. . . . simultaneously of-the-moment and timeless. * Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW *
Fergus' deadpan text and Sookocheff's simple, flowing artwork work in elemental harmony, working together to elevate the book to a subliminal sophistication that breathes something quite smart into the proceedings. * Kirkus, STARRED REVIEW *
A simple story for animal loving readers and proponents of imaginative play. * School Library Journal *
Enjoy the humor, and the depth of characterization, in both art and text, and hope for more Buddy and Earl adventures. * Horn Book *
Readers will enjoy the antics of these two playful friends and will look forward to more of their adventures in the future. Highly Recommended. * CM Magazine *
Fergus succeeds in engaging readers with this rollicking adventure in a way that never feels didactic or forced. . . Sookocheff marks a promising debut with her first picture book. * Quill & Quire *
Deserves to be read aloud over and over again. * Boston Globe *


Awards
Commended for Boston Globe Best Books of 2015 for Kids 2015 (United States) and A Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year 2016 (United States) and CCBC Best Books for Children and Teens 2016 (Canada) and 49th Shelf Favourite Picture Books of the Year 2015 (Canada).



Book Information
ISBN 9781773061191
Author Maureen Fergus
Format Paperback
Page Count 32
Imprint Groundwood Books Ltd ,Canada
Publisher Groundwood Books Ltd ,Canada
Weight(grams) 99g