When Teddy Krebs's speedy if homely little dog goes missing right before the town Chihuahua races, fourth-grader Addie May Jones can't resist Teddy's plea for help. Soon she has two mysteries on her hands: Is there a dognapper on the loose? And why won't Teddy stop making a pest of himself? Addie May turns detective to find the vanished pooch and at the same time discovers a bad case of puppy love.
The Chihuahua Chase is a 2011 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
When Teddy Krebs's speedy if homely little dog goes missing right before the town Chihuahua races, fourth-grader Addie May Jones can't resist Teddy's plea for help. Soon she has two mysteries on her hands: Is there a dognapper on the loose? And why won't Teddy stop making a pest of himself? Addie May turns detective to find the vanished pooch and at the same time discovers a bad case of puppy love.
The Chihuahua Chase is a 2011 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
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Overview
When Teddy Krebs's speedy if homely little dog goes missing right before the town Chihuahua races, fourth-grader Addie May Jones can't resist Teddy's plea for help. Soon she has two mysteries on her hands: Is there a dognapper on the loose? And why won't Teddy stop making a pest of himself? Addie May turns detective to find the vanished pooch and at the same time discovers a bad case of puppy love.
The Chihuahua Chase is a 2011 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781466895799 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Farrar, Straus and Giroux |
| Publication date: | 04/05/2016 |
| Sold by: | Macmillan |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 128 |
| File size: | 7 MB |
| Age Range: | 8 - 12 Years |
About the Author
A. E. CANNON lives in Salt Lake City, Utah. She has written several books for children--including The Chihuahua Chase, The Loser's Guide to Life and Love, and Charlotte's Rose--and is also a humor columnist for the Deseret News.
JULIE OLSON is a freelance illustrator whose books include The Chihuahua Chase, Little Penguin, and Dear Cinderella. She lives in Spanish Fork, Utah.
My name is Ann Edwards ("A. E.") Cannon, and I write books for young readers, as well as a weekly column for the Deseret News. I also teach creative writing and work as a bookseller at the famous King's English Bookshop in Salt Lake City. My husband, Ken, and I have five (count 'em) sons, two daughters-in-law, no grandchildren (not yet, anyway) two parakeets, one parrot, two cats, and two dogs. One of the dogs weighs (no kidding) 160 pounds.
Julie Olson is a freelance illustrator whose books include The Chihuahua Chase, Little Penguin, and Dear Cinderella. She lives in Spanish Fork, Utah.
Read an Excerpt
The Chihuahua Chase
By A. E. Cannon
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Copyright © 2010 A. E. CannonAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4668-9579-9
CHAPTER 1
Addie May Jones kicked a stone and sent it skittering down the sidewalk.
I wish that were Teddy's head, she thought.
Teddy Krebs was the meanest boy in the fourth grade. He was so mean that poison ivy plants would wilt if they saw him coming. If he got stuck in quicksand, the quicksand would spit him out. If hot lava were flowing toward him, the hot lava would stop dead at Teddy's feet. After that, the hot lava would turn around and flow back up the volcano.
Hot lava. Quicksand. Poison ivy. They were all afraid of Teddy Krebs.
Today at recess Teddy would NOT leave Addie May alone. He kept throwing the dodge ball at her. It was like he'd looked into a magic mirror before going to school and asked, "Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who should I smack with a rubber ball?"
The mirror had answered, "Addie May Jones." Obviously.
After chucking the dodge ball at her a billion times, Teddy stuck his freckled face in hers and said, "You're ugly."
"Ugly is as ugly does," said Addie May. Then she turned her back on Teddy and stalked away.
"Why don't you tell Mrs. Barnson?" Mimi, the Tattling Queen of the Fourth Grade, asked. Mrs. Barnson was their teacher and today's Recess Ranger.
Addie May shook her head. She could take care of herself! Besides, Addie May didn't like to tattle on other kids. Not even on people who deserved it. Such as Teddy, for example.
Mimi heaved a sigh of disgust. She trotted over to Mrs. Barnson, who busted Teddy on the spot.
Addie May could see the pleased look on Mimi's face as Teddy and Mrs. Barnson disappeared inside the school.
Later that day in the library, Teddy slipped Addie May a note that said I'm sorry I hit you with a dodge ball. I wish I'd hit you with two dodge balls instead. Sincerely, Teddy Krebs.
Addie May crumpled up the note and tossed it in the garbage can as Teddy watched, his arms folded across his chest and a sneer on his face. Yes! Perfect rim shot! Her big brother, Frank, would have been proud.
But now, as she was walking home from school, Addie May felt mad enough to spit. Not even the thought of the new Nancy Drew book (she loved Nancy Drew even more than she loved tropical-fruit-flavored Skittles) in her backpack made her feel better.
WHAT WAS WRONG WITH TEDDY?
Why couldn't he find another girl to torture? Mimi, for example. No one — probably not even Mrs. Barnson or the principal — would mind if Teddy started torturing Mimi.
Addie May turned the corner and headed up First Avenue. Birds sang happy songs in the branches overhead.
Duh! Of course they sang happy songs! They were birds and that's what birds do! Also, they didn't have Teddy Krebs throwing dodge balls at their heads during recess! Addie May kicked another stone.
"Oh!"
Addie May jerked her head up to see who had spoken.
It was the Ghost Lady!
At least that's what Frank called her, because the Ghost Lady looked like a drawing done with a gray crayon. Her hair was gray and her clothes were gray, and she was so wispy that if the wind blew, you were afraid she would flutter away and get stuck in some treetops. The gray lady lived by herself in an apartment building on First Avenue. Addie May used to help Frank deliver newspapers there. The Ghost Lady never spoke to them, but she always left Frank generous tips.
"I'm so sorry," said Addie May. "Did my rock hit you?"
"Don't worry. I'm fine," the Ghost Lady answered in a gray, whispery voice. Then she hurried off.
"Sorry," Addie May called after her again.
The Ghost Lady didn't look back. If anything, she moved away faster.
She's probably afraid I'll kick another rock at her, Addie May thought with a sigh.
Stupid awful Teddy Krebs. Everything was his fault!
* * *
"Chihuahua races?" Dad said as he set the dinner table. "What will they think of next?"
Mom opened the oven door to check on the roasting chicken. "We had a good laugh about it down at the paper today."
Mom worked as a crime reporter at the Deseret News. Dad taught P.E. and coached football at West High School.
Addie May perked up at the mention of Chihuahuas as she plunked ice cubes into the water pitcher.
Her aunt Gabby, who lived in Los Angeles, had a Chihuahua named Vince. Vince wore a purple collar and did tricks such as walking on his front legs with his back legs sticking up in the air. Aunt Gabby loved Vince so much she had his name tattooed on her ankle.
Addie May loved Vince, too, which is why she asked for a Chihuahua every Christmas. She never got one — just notes from her parents (ho ho ho!) pretending to be Santa Claus.
Dear Addie May, the notes always read, I'd love to bring you your own Chihuahua this year but (sadly) Chihuahuas make your father sneeze ...
It was true. Any time Dad got around Vince — or any dog except for poodles — he started wheezing and his eyes got as puffy as marshmallows.
"I can't believe you want a Chihuahua, Addie May," said Frank. Frank was supposed to be tearing up lettuce for a salad. Instead he sat at the snack bar, sipping a Coke. "They look like rats with bat ears."
"They do not look like rats," said Addie May. "Or bats."
"Yeah, you're right," said Frank. "Rats and bats are MUCH better-looking."
Frank fake-laughed at his own stupid joke.
"Leave your sister alone," Mom said to Frank. She turned to Addie and Dad. "One of the local TV stations is doing a promotion for the races at Liberty Park tonight. Interested owners and their Chihuahuas are invited to show up for a free trial run."
"Can I go?" Addie May asked.
Frank jumped off the snack bar and draped a big arm around Addie May. He gave her a friendly noogie. "Josh and I are playing tennis at the park tonight. You can catch a ride with us."
Addie May smiled to herself. Maybe this day would turn out to be okay after all — in spite of Teddy Krebs!
CHAPTER 2Addie May could not believe it.
Everywhere she looked there were Chihuahuas. Black ones. Tan ones. White ones. It was as though someone had opened up a big bag of Chihuahua M&M's and sprinkled a heap of them in this corner of the park.
Most of the dogs were held by their owners, who stood around a small track divided by ropes into five straight lanes. A TV reporter asked them questions while a cameraman filmed their answers. When it was their turn, people stepped up to the starting chutes and waited for the signal. Then they let go of their little dogs, who streaked down the track for the finish line.
Or not.
Some of the dogs just stood at the starting line and shivered. Some of the dogs charged halfway down the lane, then changed their minds. They turned around, raced back, and jumped straight into their owners' laps.
But some of the dogs ran like tiny racehorses.
Especially a dog named Tex.
People were talking about Tex as Addie May weaved her way through the crowd.
"Did you see him move?"
"That little dog hasn't lost a race tonight!"
"Who is this Tex dog anyway?"
"Is it true that Bobby 'the Car Guy' Rust owns him? If I remember right, the Rust family is sponsoring the races."
Addie May stopped dead in her tracks when she heard the name Bobby Rust. Bobby Rust owned about a million car dealerships in the city. He starred in his own car commercials and his picture was on bus posters that said NEED A CAR? THEN TRUST RUST!
He also owned apartment buildings all over Salt Lake City, including the building where Frank used to deliver newspapers.
Bobby Rust was as rich as the Queen of England, only better-looking. His wife and kids were better-looking, too.
Even though he was rich, Bobby Rust's kids went to public school just like normal kids. People always said how amazing it was that the Rusts weren't snobs. In fact, Bobby Rust's son, Zack, was a sixth grader at Wasatch Elementary, where Addie May went.
Zack Rust.
Just thinking about him made Addie May feel all fluttery inside. Zack had smiled at her in the cafeteria right before Christmas, even though he was in the sixth grade and she was in the fourth.
Addie May had been drawing little hearts in her notebook that said ZR + AMJ ever since.
"Who's ZR?" Frank asked one night as he peeked over Addie May's shoulder. Addie May clobbered him hard with her notebook.
This was the first time she'd ever really liked a boy, and for sure she didn't need a big brother to bug her about it!
Addie May craned her neck, searching through the throng of Chihuahua owners. Was Zack here tonight?
"Next up!" the man in charge boomed.
Addie May's heart thumped as Zack stepped out of the crowd, holding a sleek black-and-tan Chihuahua. It was, in fact, the best-looking dog Addie May had ever seen. Same with Zack. He was the best-looking boy Addie May had ever seen.
What should she do? Wave at him? Or duck behind the large man standing next to her?
She stood frozen.
"Who'd like to take on this evening's reigning champion?" the man in charge announced.
Zack searched the crowd, looking for a challenger. His eyes passed right over Addie May. He didn't even see her!
"Wait up!" came a voice. "What's going on here?"
There was jostling as the crowd parted and a boy appeared.
Addie May gasped. Her stomach plunged to her knees — sort of like the Titanic plunging to the bottom of the ocean.
No! It wasn't possible!
Walking toward Zack was Teddy Krebs, holding the world's homeliest Chihuahua.
"Hey, everybody," said Teddy. "Meet Phantom."
CHAPTER 3How homely was Phantom?
If there was a Chihuahua beauty pageant, Phantom wouldn't be allowed to enter. If a bunch of girl Chihuahuas decided to rate a bunch of boy Chihuahuas for fun, they wouldn't even bother with Phantom. If Phantom wanted a makeover, the makeover lady would say, "Sorry, Charlie! No can do!"
Phantom was neither tan nor black — just some homely color in between. His snout was flatter than it should have been, as though he'd run into a wall and forgotten to straighten his nose out afterwards. One of his ears (which were both too big) flopped over, and there were scars that looked like tattoos on Phantom's skull and chest.
"We were out for a walk and wanted to see what all the fuss was about," Teddy said.
The man in charge gave Phantom a doubtful look. But Zack smiled (like a movie star!) and explained all about the races.
"We're in," said Teddy.
Phantom gave a happy yelp.
Zack and Teddy and their dogs took their places at the starting chutes. Addie May felt a little light-headed as she noticed how the late afternoon sun shone on Zack's golden hair.
"On your mark ..."
Teddy whispered something in Phantom's ear.
"Get set ..."
Zack whispered something in Tex's ear.
"STOP!"
Stop? Zack and Teddy looked up at the man in charge, who was as surprised as they were by the interruption. Who had yelled "Stop"?
A woman with tight curly hair shoved and pushed her way to the starting line. She was carrying a huge sign that said STOP THE MADNESS!
Addie May saw the TV reporter say something to his cameraman.
"Excuse me," said the man in charge coldly. "What do you think you're doing?"
The woman answered with an unfriendly smile. "You'll find out soon enough."
She waved at the TV reporter, motioning him to join her. Then she made an announcement.
"My name is Sondra Hopkins, and I am president of Save the Chihuahuas." She waved her sign. "I'm here to protest cruelty to animals in general and to Chihuahuas in particular."
No one moved. No one said anything, except for Tex, who whimpered again.
"See what I mean?" Sondra Hopkins boomed, and she pointed at Tex, who leaped into Zack's arms and shivered. "This poor little darling here is scared to death!"
"Duh," Teddy said. "He's scared of you."
Everyone laughed. Even the TV reporter and his cameraman. Sondra Hopkins, president of Save the Chihuahuas, turned red as rubies. She narrowed her eyes into slits like a snake. They glittered at Teddy.
"You'll be sorry for this," she said.
She looked at the camera again. "Turn that stupid thing off!"
Sondra Hopkins glared at Teddy one last time before stomping off.
"As I was saying before we were so rudely interrupted," said the man in charge, "on your mark ..."
Zack and Teddy lined up their dogs.
"Get set ..."
The camera crew turned on their lights and started recording.
"GO!"
Tex and Phantom were off!
Tex took an early lead. No surprise there. But within seconds, Phantom had gained on Tex, and the two little dogs raced neck and neck like Beauty and the Beast.
"Wow!"
"Look at 'em go!"
"I never knew small dogs could move so fast!"
Addie May listened to the comments around her as she watched Tex and Phantom streak for the finish line.
"Go, Tex!"
"Go, Phantom!"
"Win one for the Gipper!"
"Who's the Gipper?"
Addie May's heart was pounding. Which dog would win?
Faster and faster. Neck and neck. It was a race to the finish.
"AND THE WINNER IS ... PHANTOM!" announced the man in charge.
The crowd burst into noisy cheers.
"Yay for Phantom!"
"Phantom rocks!"
"Phantom is the Man!"
"No way! Phantom is the Dog!"
Addie May watched Teddy scoop up Phantom in his arms and hold him high in the air like a dog trophy. If Madame President of Save the Chihuahuas Sondra Hopkins were around, she'd probably complain that Teddy was giving Phantom a fear of heights.
Zack, looking stunned by his loss, tucked Tex into his arms. He walked over and shook Teddy's hand.
That Zack, thought Addie May, has real class. Not like Teddy.
"Good trial run, boys," said the man in charge. "We expect both of you to be here for the real race this weekend! Zack's dad will be our master of ceremonies."
Zack and Teddy nodded hard. Then Teddy held Phantom in the air again while people clapped.
Addie May turned to go. She didn't want to run into either Zack or Teddy. She turned to get one last look at Zack. But instead she saw Teddy.
When he thought no one was watching, he dropped a quick kiss on Phantom's head.
CHAPTER 4Addie May found herself thinking about Zack and Teddy the next morning as she ate her oatmeal. She thought about them during school when she was supposed to be paying attention to Mimi's oral report on Sedimentary Rocks and Why We Need Them. She thought about them as she walked home from school, kicking rocks.
She always started out thinking about Zack. But somehow she always ended up thinking about Teddy.
Addie May was confused. What kind of boy went around kissing dogs? Could it be that Teddy wasn't so mean after all?
Addie May was still thinking about Teddy and Phantom as she rode her bike to the playground, where she was meeting friends to play soccer. Tulips as pink as lipstick were blooming everywhere. Spring had come to Salt Lake City! The warm breeze tickled her face and ruffled her hair. Addie May loved how free riding her bike always made her feel ...
"SCRAM!"
An angry voice startled Addie May. Her bike wobbled, and she nearly toppled over. Addie May stopped and saw a bald man with arms as thick as hams watering his front yard. He wore a T-shirt that said SOMETIMES I WAKE UP GRUMPY. OTHER TIMES I LET HIM SLEEP.
"I SAID BEAT IT!"
The man scowled in her direction. Was he scowling at her?
No. He was scowling at the lilac bushes lining his driveway. He pointed the garden hose at them and sprayed.
Addie May heard a yelp. A little dog with one floppy ear shot out from beneath the lilacs like a Fourth of July bottle rocket.
Addie May gasped. Could it be? The little dog looked just like ...
"Phantom! Come here, boy!"
Teddy Krebs rounded the corner and ran toward Phantom, whistling. Phantom shook the water off his back and ran toward Teddy. Then he leaped straight into Teddy's outstretched arms.
What were Teddy and Phantom doing in Addie May's neighborhood?
"THIS IS YOUR LAST WARNING!" the man shouted at Teddy. "KEEP YOUR MUTT OFF MY PROPERTY OR YOU'LL BOTH BE SORRY!"
Teddy was shaking. His face looked like a red balloon ready to pop.
The man sprayed an arc of water in Teddy's direction and scowled again. Then he threw down the hose, turned off the faucet, and stomped inside his house.
"You leave us alone!" Teddy shouted. But it was too late. The front door was already shut.
"Wow," Addie May said.
Teddy turned and saw Addie May for the first time.
"How long have you been there?" Teddy snarled at her.
Addie May bristled.
"None of your beeswax," she shot back.
Teddy opened his mouth — no doubt to say something rude. But Phantom squirmed up his chest and licked Teddy on his chin. Teddy smiled.
In spite of herself, Addie May smiled, too.
"Who was that?" Addie May nodded at the man's house.
"Our new neighbor," Teddy answered. "He hates dogs."
Addie May blinked. "You live around here?"
It was true that Teddy was in her class at school. But she had no idea he lived so close to her.
"We do now." Teddy shrugged, then pointed. "Me and my dad and Phantom — we moved into that apartment building this week."
It was the same apartment building where Addie May used to help Frank deliver newspapers — the same apartment building where the Ghost Lady lived.
Addie May looked up and saw a curtain in a third-story window move.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from The Chihuahua Chase by A. E. Cannon. Copyright © 2010 A. E. Cannon. Excerpted by permission of Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
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