Little Otter likes to play in a carefree, unabashed, utterly otterly way.
Mom warns Little Otter, "Be careful "
Dad says, "Stay close "
But does Little Otter listen? Oh, no No. No. No. Little Otter thinks he's a big otter now, big enough to take care of himself. But watch out, Little Otter, because no matter how big you get, it's good to have loved ones looking out for you.

There's trouble in town
A thief has struck Pembrook Dog Watch is on the case, but they're running out of clues. Kito and the gang set a trap, but when it goes awry, they realize they're dealing with a professional.
So Kito and Chester try again, putting their own home at risk. This time, it has got to work

Pembrook dogs are on the case
A ripped down sign, a broken fire hydrant, and now Tundra, the alpha dog of Pembrook, is missing There's trouble brewing in this quiet Minnesota town, and none of the humans seem to notice. But the dogs do They can smell it in the air.
So the dogs of Pembrook -- Kito, Chester, and the rest of the gang -- form Dog Watch, a canine version of Neighborhood Watch. Together, they set out to uncover the person (or animal) behind the vandalism in town and to find Tundra. Hopefully they're not too late

" Something is lurking in the woods "
Is it a dog? A wolf? Or maybe even a bear? Whatever it is, it's causing a lot of trouble in Pembrook -- scaring kids and getting into the garbage. Dog Watch is on the case, but it has to work fast. A new person in town has decided that all dogs should be on leashes or behind fences. If Kito and the gang can't find out who is behind the trouble, they could lose their precious freedom forever

Someone's stealing sea turtle eggs
When Kito, Chester, and Schmitty go on a Mexican vacation with their owners, they plan on relaxing on the quiet beach. But when the sea turtle nests are disturbed and the eggs are stolen, the dogs use their Dog Watch skills and team up with village dogs to find out who is threatening the future of the gentle sea turtles.

This seventh book in the Author and YOU series features the life and work of Mary Casanova, award-winning picture book author, and author of middle grade fiction. This title discusses her life and work and the researching, writing and illustrating of each of her books, books that often present challenges in nature and focus on relationships between people and the environment. Her most recent books, middle grade novels, include Jess--a book promoted by the American Girl publishers as their "Girl of the Year (2006)." The back story of each of Casanova's books will provide ideas for lesson plans and connections for the teacher to make for and with young readers. Mary Casanova and YOU gives readers the behind the scenes stories of Casanova's research and writing in her own words. She offers much information to help extend and enrich the reading experience and an intimate look at a writer and her work.

Dogs have gone missing
Fall is not Kito's favorite time of year -- too many strange smells and spooky sightings. All of it makes Kito nervous: Something bad is going to happen.
At the fire hydrant his fears are confirmed. Missy and Muffin are missing No one's seen them for days. They could have just wandered off, but Kito doesn't believe it. When four puppies also disappear, Kito is sure they've been dog-napped
Kito, Chester, and the rest of the Dog Watch team set out to find the dog-napper and rescue their friends -- before it's too late

Wake up, little one, a soft voice beckons, the world around you is already stirring. As Wake Up, Island gently rouses the sleepy child, it summons a world of nature coming to life on a summer island in the magical North Woods. Sunlit fingers touch the shores, pine trees stretch their limbs, and lichen warms on ancient rock. Doe and fawn rise from their grass bed and pearls of dew bead a spider's finely woven web. Mallards skim the water's surface. Ravens perch and gargle greetings, chickadees call dee, dee, dee, and a heron swoops-minnows flee! The moose and her calf wade, munching on plants. The red squirrel chatters. The black bear lazily scratches her back against a tree. Conjuring the morning life around a cabin fragrant with berry pancakes, this timeless book wakens the child in every reader to the wonders of nature that greet every new day in the charmed world of a northern woodland island.