• Age: 9 to 12
• Grade: 4 to 7
• Reading age: 9 to 12

Charlotte is going to prove her grandma is right—the lake monster is real!

When Charlotte gets a drone for her fourteenth birthday, she’s determined to get footage of Dottie, the elusive lake monster of Dorothy Lake. Her grandma, who has dedicated her life to searching for the monster, is the joke of the town. But when Charlotte manages to capture a video of the monster and posts it online, she’s the sudden target of a media storm. Now everyone is making fun of her too. Worse, droves of monster hunters arrive in her town, crowding the lake. When their boat propellers threaten to hurt Dottie, Charlotte is faced with a difficult choice.

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Gail Anderson-Dargatz, whose fictional style has been coined as "Pacific Northwest Gothic" by the Boston Globe, has been published worldwide in English and in many other languages. A Recipe for Bees and The Cure For Death By Lightning were international bestsellers, and were both finalists for the prestigious Giller Prize in Canada. The Cure For Death By Lightning won the UK’s Betty Trask Prize among other awards. A Rhinestone Button was a national bestseller in Canada and her first book, The Miss Hereford Stories, was short-listed for the Leacock Award for humour. Her most recent novel, The Spawning Grounds, released in fall 2016, was again a bestseller. After nearly a decade of teaching within the Optional-Residency MFA program in creative writing at the University of British Columbia, Gail now mentors writers around the world through her own on-line forums. She lives in the Shuswap, the landscape found in so much of her writing.

Gail Anderson-Dargatz's profile page

• Commended, CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens

“A fabulous read that will leave its readers wondering: 'What would I do if I was placed in a similar situation?’ Highly Recommended.”

CM: Canadian Review of Materials

“Readers will relate to Charlotte’s dogged enthusiasm to redeem her beloved grandmother’s reputation, as well as the allure and volatility of internet fame… Anderson-Dargatz’s novel tackles faith, family dynamics, and staying true to yourself in hi-lo format…A realistic fiction novel with a fun cryptid twist. A recommended addition to hi-lo ­collections.”

School Library Journal (SLJ)

“This story offers an excellent opportunity to talk about topics such as bullying, community, family, and difference in a non-threatening venue.”

Children's Literature Comprehensive Database (CLCD)

“Gail Anderson-Dargatz deftly demonstrates a young teenager’s voice in Charlotte, who is a relatable character…The interesting plot of hunting for lake monsters is very suitable for this audience of late elementary students.”

Canadian Children's Book Centre (CCBC) Canadian Children’s Book News

“In addition to being a fun story with a surprising and satisfying outcome, [Spotting Dottie] tackles valuable interpersonal struggles like truth-telling, self-sacrifice, endangered animals, teasing and bullying, and intergenerational family communication, all in natural and surprisingly subtle ways.”

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