Ugh!

What kind of a name is Mewkiss? The kitten loves his person, Jessica, but he had hoped for a name like Fearless or Ratkiller. It's hard to be brave with such a totally disgusting name. Even Barkus, a know-nothing puppy, calls Mewkiss a coward.

Mewkiss has to be brave, because a family of rats has taken up residence in the basement where Jessica and her brother have a playhouse. And they're planning to attack Jessica! How is a cat named Mewkiss going to find the courage to protect the person he loves?

The Nose Knows
Don Franklin's dog, Frank, is a bloodhound, so he can "smell" when something's wrong. And a lot seems to be wrong in Don's family. Mom and Dad are worried about money, especially with Christmas right around the corner and the threat of the mine closing. Don's worried because he's just discovered how dangerous Dad's job in the mine is. And they're all worried about getting Don's little sister, Susan, what she wants for Christmas, when she won't tell anyone but Santa Claus what it is. It looks as if Christmas might not be all that merry at the Franklins' house.
But Christmas is a time for miracles, whether seen from a boy's perspective or a dog's -- and "The Dog Who Thought He Was Santa" looks at the Franklins' Christmas miracle from both.

Tom's grandfather is recovering from heart surgery, so during summer vacation Tom is helping him with his hunting dog business. It's hard work, but Tom doesn't mind so much after he falls in love with one of the pups, a rare blue-eyed pointer Tom names Tad. It's almost as if Tad understands when Tom talks to him, especially about confusing things like how hard it is to write to Angie, a girl Tom met on vacation.

The trouble is, Grandpa promised the owner of the pup's sire the pick of the litter, and it's pretty clear that's Tad. Tom knows what he should do, but he can't help hoping there's a way to get around Grandpa's promise. How can he do the honorable thing when it will cost him what he wants most in the world?

What's a Bird Dog to Do?
Everyone knows a bird dog leads with his nose. Everyone but J.C. After all, what's a pup supposed to think when he's welcomed to his new home by a cat who thwacks him on the nose with his claws...a dog who bites him on the nose...a bee sting on his you-know-what and a mad mamma bird who attacks the sorest part of his body with her beak? Poor J.C. All he wants is love...cuddling up to My Justin...a good tummy-scratching by My Bill and My Carol. J.C. wants to make his new family proud. But how can he point with a nose everyone wants to attack? There must be a better way...

Who ever heard of a cat that didn't eat birds?

The house people had picked me out of my litter to be a mouser. Callie was getting too old for the job. So it was mine. But I didn't plan on getting dive-bombed by a mockingbird building her nest...or adopting the baby who fell out. No joke! I'm a cat, but I do not eat birds. Mice, yes. Birds, no. Flea -- that's what I named her -- couldn't even fly. She was so scared when she toppled onto my head that she said, "Eat me...it's quicker than starving to death."

She was pathetic. I had to help her. The first step was protecting Flea -- and me -- from the monster rats in the barn (that's saying a mouthful!) and Bullsnake under the woodpile. Next, Callie and I had to teach Flea to fly. After all, how could she stay up North with us when her bird family was flying to Florida. I'm not a Florida kind of cat. It's just too hot for us furry types. I know I'll miss my Flea. But she'll come back -- after she's seen the world!

One dog too many
T.P. is Jeff's dog. Jeff is T.P.'s boy. That's the way T.P. likes it. Life is pretty good -- until a stinky, thumping, yapping box turns up at the front door. Jeff's friend Mandy has given Jeff a chocolate Lab puppy. They name her Mocha, and everything changes for T.P. Mocha drives him nuts with her endless chattering and questions. On top of all that, everyone keeps telling him to "be nice to the puppy." If only things could go back to the way they were before....
But when Mocha gets "GOOSED," will T.P. have the courage and compassion to come to her rescue?

FACE TO FACE WITH FEAR....

The bullies called him coward. Even his brothers thought eleven-year-old Bailey Trumbull was scared of his own shadow. Exploding firecrackers sent him jumping as high as a kite. He hated July 4th. But it was on that day at a carnival in Abilene that an old Indian medicine man made an astonishing prophecy: "Some men spend their lives searching for who they are -- searching for their courage. You will see yourself in the eye of the great bear".

What did he mean? Bailey nearly forgot the prophecy when Daddy got heatsickness and the family had to move to Montana. Suddenly everything became topsy-turvy. Bailey's whole life changed except the bullies and the "sissy" reputation that followed wherever he went. Until the day the medicine man's prophecy came true and Bailey had to make a choice that risked his life....

The game of "Snot Stew" that Kikki the kitten's young owners play is setting a bad example for Kikki's brother, Toby. He's turning into a bully -- and that spells danger when he starts taunting Butch, the nasty dog on the other side of the fence. Can Kikki keep Toby from getting into big trouble? And will she have the courage to rescue him if he does?

A CURSED TREASURE!

Everybody thinks Gary's grampa died in a fishing accident. But from a note Grampa left, Gary suspects he was murdered. The note tells of a million dollars in gold hidden in a cave and an old Indian curse promising that anyone who touches it will die! Gary and his friend Brian are sure that if they find the gold, they will also find Grampa's killer.

But treasure hunting can be deadly. Now they are stuck in a dark cavern full of tangled skeletons, restless Indian spirits, and a murderer out for their blood! Will Brian and Gary ever get out of Death Cave alive?

Making unexpected friends with a legendary Apache Indian, Will Burke is in for the adventure of his lifetime as he learns how to navigate the Wild West with the help of his new warrior acquaintance. Will Burke is daydreaming about Nate's wonderful shotgun when he runs smack-dab into the fiercest brave of them all, Geronimo! Terrified, he lashes out against the mighty warrior, who's amused-and impressed. The boy is braver than the army of soldiers who have captured Geronimo after his fifteenth escape from the White Man's reservation... and that won't be his last. Will finds an unexpected friend when Geronimo saves his life in a deadly ice storm, then teaches him how to survive and fight back against bullies like Nate. It isn't until Geronimo takes Will on an unforgettable Wild West adventure at the St. Louis World's Fair that he finally tells Will what he must do in return, and it turns out to be the hardest thing Will has ever had to do...

Mother also warned me about people. But she didn't know Jane and Jussy, the children who left us hay when we were so hungry. I may be a little moose, but I'm no dummy. That hay was sooo good....

After our dangerous journey over the mountains, everything here seemed wonderful. I made friends with Raney and Sweet Pea, draft horses on the farm, and Chippy the beaver. I even found my old pal, Snow the wolf. Everything was perfect. Until we met Burly!

A grizzly with insomnia, Burly was about the nastiest, scariest character I ever met. All I wanted to do was stay away from him. But when he went after my friends...well, what's a moose to do?

Think again! Even though I'm big, I'm just a baby. I love my mother and my friends. Like Dudley, the beaver, who named me. And Snow, the little wolf, who loves to play tag. His family's another matter. What really scares me is people. Mother said they're the most dangerous creatures in the forest. I certainly didn't want to meet them....

Snow and I are young, so naturally we're curious. One day we were playing tag...and ran into a schoolyard by mistake! (Okay...we didn't run -- we fell!) Right smack in the middle of all these strange animals, weird buildings, and terrifying machines. Yoweeee! Did we ever learn a lesson there....

I need this puppy
like I need more rats
in the barn!

Jealous? Me?

Well...maybe a little. My people got a new white puppy named Chomps. That's because he bites at everything, especially flies. What could a gray cat -- me -- want with a Scottish terrier, anyway? The little nipper got into some trouble with the big rats in the barn. It was partly my fault. So...I had to save him. Problem is, now I can't get rid of him. What am I supposed to do with a dog who's determined to get himself into trouble?

When my mockingbird pal, Flea, came home for the spring, I thought she could help me train the little furball. But all she wants to do is build her nest. Chomps needs to learn how to hunt. But how can I teach a dumb dog that an opossum is not a rat, and a skunk is not a kitty? Even worse, how can I keep him from turning Mama's fancy new car into a muddy mess? Nothing but trouble. I just thought I knew what trouble was. But now Mama is in danger...This is serious. Talk about trouble...

Award-winning author Bill Wallace offers a tale of terror and danger. Before taking off for Oklahoma to see her father and his new family, Samuel Ross photographed to Lear jets at the airport--an act that could cost him his life!

Rats, Rats! Here I am, a relf-respecting kitten just trying to survive in a real rat-eat-cat world, when the humans in my life start acting crazy. Something about the kids, the grandkids, coming to visit for Christmas. I would have run away if I had known what that meant! Mama accusing me of tearing up the presents. Noisy voices and grabby little hands. I tell you, it's a dog's world. Bite my tounge! If the grandkids are bad, they're nothing compared to the gift the kids gave Mama for Christmas...a puppy! Dumb furball. Everybody is cooing over this yappy puppy who only wants to play. Why can't he settle down like me? We're both in the doghouse now. So I got him in trouble for tearing up the kitchen. Big deal. Problem is, I feel responsible. This puppy's headed for T*R*O*U*B*L*E. How can I save him? I can't even save myself!

It's not so bad living a dog's life. Unless you're a cat. Most times, hanging out with Rotten Willy (the huge dog on the cover) was cool. We played chase, talked, and chowed down on spaghetti and meatballs at Luigi's restaurant. Even though he was a dog (and sometimes called me Upchuck instead of Chuck), I could handle it. He was my best friend. Then this baseball stuff started and Willy went bonkers. I never saw him act so crazy. On top of that, these two new cats moved into our neighborhood. Trouble was, tough-guy Roscoe and his cute fuzzy sister, Rikki, did not like dogs. Dogs belong with dogs and cats belong with cats, they said. I was showing them the sights when I suddenly spied the dogcatcher, just waiting to trap Willy as he raced across the field with a baseball in his mouth. But Roscoe and Rikki would never understand if they found out my best friend was a dog. How could I save Willy before it was too late? What's a cat to do when he has to choose between old friends and new -- and there's no time to lose...

Spring has sprung - and so have we... even cats and dogs get crazy in the spring. After all, what self-respecting cat (that's me, Chuck) stays somewhere he doesn't want to be? And what self-respecting dog (that's Rotten Willy, who calls me Upchuck) won't let his best friend (me) goad him into action on a fine spring day? Believe me, it's not easy getting a lumpy Rottweiler over - or under - a big wooden gate I figured it was about time I took Willy to my pal Luigi's restaurant for a great spaghetti and meatball dinner. Problem was, Luigi didn't understand that some dogs and cats, particularly an exceptional feline like me, can be friends. He was only trying to protect me when he took after Willy with a skillet Did he run Then Willy decided to teach me how to chase cows. ME chase cows? Me-ow I tried to introduce him to something more civilized, like chasing mice, but no go. Then came the skunk. Need I say more? But the real obstacle to a long-lasting friendship was yet to come.