Tale of a Scaredy-Dog (Bea Garcia Series #3)

by Deborah Zemke

Overview

Bea Garcia is an artist and her favorite subject is Sophie, the smartest dog in the world. This spunky chapter book series is perfect for fans of Amelia's Notebook, Judy Moody, and Dory Fantasmagory series.

Sophie is also Bea Garcia’s best friend ever. They both love peanut butter cookies and hanging out in the crabapple tree in the backyard. They also like to snuggle together and dream of all sorts of adventures. Bea and Sophie also share a strong dislike for Bert, the monster next door.

When Bea's teacher makes her visit Bert for a school assignment, Bea brings Sophie along for extra security and comfort. But even monsters have pets, and Bert has a terrible one: Big Kitty. When Big Kitty attacks, Sophie jumps out a window and sprints away—far from Bea! Bea goes on a frantic search for her best friend but Sophie is nowhere to be found. Will Bea's best friend ever come home again?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780735229396
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	07/03/2018
Series:	Bea Garcia Series , #3
Pages:	160
Sales rank:	812,846
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 7.70(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	580L (what's this?)
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

Deborah Zemke has written and illustrated many books for young readers, including the wildly successful Doodles place mat series. Her work has also appeared in several magazines. She is also the designer of the ITC Zemke Hand font. She lives in Missouri.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Bea Garcia:

* "Bea Garcia is an honest and funny protagonist with whom readers will identify and want to check back with regularly." —School Library Journal, starred review

"There isn't anything real or imaginary that the endearing Bea cannot draw...Readers will find inspiration to write, draw, explore, and imagine." —Kirkus Reviews

"[Zemke] clearly shows how art, self-expression, and humor can be solid allies when life doesn’t go as planned."  —Publishers Weekly

"The everyday ups and downs of Bea’s life will be familiar to readers, who are sure to appreciate Bea’s perky humor." —Booklist

"Zemke has a gift for portraying the trials and tribulations of elementary school . . . A promising launch to this new series. Pass this one to aspiring artists, those missing a friend, or anyone who could use a laugh as she navigates childhood."  —BCCB

From the Publisher

2018-04-25
The third installment of the Bea Garcia series features a dog-and-cat chase, a lost pet, and vocabulary expansion.Sophie is Bea's sweet, small pooch. According to Bea, Sophie is the "smartest dog in the world." Bert is Bea's terrorizing neighbor and classmate. Whenever he nears, he taunts Sophie (and Bea) with a "GRRRROWL" or "Buzzy Bea!" or "Scaredy dog!" So when Bert and Bea are paired for a homework project requiring them to interview each other's families, both kids are out-of-sorts. After a failed first attempt, Bea brings Sophie to Bert's home, where she visits with Bert's kind mom and meets Bert's pet: Big Kitty. The inevitable chase soon commences. Sophie flies out the window with Big Kitty in close pursuit, and Bea hurtles after them. Big Kitty is recovered in the crabapple tree, but Sophie is nowhere to be found. The family makes "Lost Dog! / ¡Perdido!" posters and plasters them throughout the neighborhood. With scrappiness and ingenuity, Bea devises a plan to lure Sophie back. Bea's black-and-white sketches seamlessly transition from real life to her conjured thoughts. The nods to Spanish vocabulary reminding readers of Bea's Latinx heritage are fairly limited, but there is plenty of new English vocabulary. Each chapter begins with an entry from Sophie's Illustrated Dictionary of Dog, a device that sometimes feels forced.An easy read for Bea's fans and any kid with a furry pet of their own. (Fiction. 6-9)

Kirkus Reviews