A boy learns how to be a friend from man's best friend in this funny and moving middle grade novel about humans being able to change and dogs changing us from acclaimed author Chris Lynch. In a family of strong personalities with very strong points of view, Louis is what his mother lovingly calls "the inactivist," someone who'd rather kick back than stand out. He only hopes he can stay under the radar when he starts high school in the fall, his first experience with public school after years of homeschooling. But when a favor for a neighbor and his stinky canine companion unexpectedly turns into a bustling dog-walking business, Louis finds himself meeting an unprecedented number of new friends--both human and canine. Agatha, a quippy and cagey girl his age always seems to be telling two truths and a lie. Cyrus, a few years his senior, promises he's going to show Louis how to be a better person, whether Louis wants him to or not. And then there are the dogs: misbehaving border terriers, the four (possible stolen) sausage dogs, the rest of Louis's charges, and a mysterious white beast who appears at a certain spot at the edge of the woods. Dogs and human alike all seem to have something they want to teach Louis, including his menacing older brother who keeps turning up everywhere. But is Louis ready to learn the lesson he needs most: how to stop being a lone wolf and be part of a pack?

Elvin Bishop wakes up one morning to find that his uncle is not dead, but very much alive and kicking and on Elvin's couch. Whether he likes it or not, Elvin's going to have to make some lifestyle changes. From a disastrous wave perm and highlights to tuba lessons and gym membership, Elvin's introduction to the world of a 'real man' is not all smooth. But it's not all bad either. In spite of the many embarrassing and traumatic episodes, Elvin does pick up a few things that make life a little better - like swimming underwater where he can't hear his uncle speaking! And, what's more, his uncle seems to be a whole lot happier for showing Elvin some of the many enjoyments to be had in this world So not only does Elvin get himself a new identity but he's also united with a long lost family member in this hilarious novel paving new ground for Chris Lynch.

In 2008, Chris Lynch's life was transformed in four dramatic days when he was hospitalized with diabetic ketoacidosis, hyperkalemia, and atrial fibrillation. Diagnosed with a blood sugar level of 1,469 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl), Chris faced near-death and a lifetime of insulin dependence. Realizing his survival was a miracle made possible by God, Chris began a new journey into health and renewed faith, successfully reducing his insulin dependence from 120 units per day to zero.

Always a positive spirit dedicated to helping others, Chris determined to share his story with other people, along with a simple, powerful message: "Believe, Receive, and Reciprocate." A dynamic and engaging speaker, Chris' humor, down-to-earth approach, and unforgettable story come together in this book.

Chris plans to inspire people experiencing trauma and pain to turn around their approach to life: from fear to engagement; from denial to acceptance; from self-aggrandizement to enabling hope, love, and peace to others, within their reach.

From National Book Award nominee Chris Lynch, the third action-and-humor-filled futuristic series about talking pets who are tired of being pets ... and the boy who must help them.
Zane and his animal comrades have foiled Dr. Gristle's terrible plots twice--he can't talk to animals, and he can't get at the heart of what makes them wild. Zane can talk to them. He can understand them. He almost is one. Almost.
Zane keeps getting in Dr. Gristle's way though - and he's being sent as far out of the way as Gristle can get him. In fact, he's being sent right into the middle of a new plot of the bad doctor's--and in his new, utterly foreign surroundings, he's entirely too human.