• Age: 7 to 9
• Grade: 2 to 4

Silver Birch Award shortlist, 2005

Diamond Willow Award nominee 2006

Saskatchewan Book Awards Shortlist - Children's Book, 2005

Look out - here come the Prairie Dogs!

He used to be known as Prince Pierrot Rudolphe IV. He used to perform at dog shows to please his masters - now he does what he pleases. He used to live the lonely life of the star, traveling to cities everywhere in a silver coach. Now he travels on four paws through the dusty streets of Silvertree, a tiny town in the middle of nowhere.

p align=left">And he travels with three new friends: Dare, the terrier that nothing can scare; Mouse, the loyal sidekick with a taste for bugs; and Mew, the pup who thinks she's a cat. Together they call themselves the Prairie Dogs, a happy-go-lucky gang of strays that spends its days scrounging meals and playing in the park. Nothing serious - Pierre's a Good Dog, after all, and someday his masters will return for him. Until then, he plans to enjoy his free and easy life, and try to stay out of trouble.

Too bad trouble comes looking for him. There's the wild wolf-dog, for one thing, and the enraged dogcatcher who thinks Pierre's the one who killed his prize peacocks. There's the Great Dane Titan, and the skunk babies whom Mew adopts. And there's the Bull Dogs, the posse of roughnecks who think a dog with Pierre's brains belongs with them (too bad about the sissy haircut!).

Before long, Pierre and Dare are head-to-head with the Bull Dogs, trying to save the life of the only human in town they care about.

Glenda Goertzen currently lives in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. When not writing, Glenda spends her spare time reading and enjoying the outdoors.

Glenda Goertzen's profile page

Philippe Béha has been a freelance illustrator for 30 years. He is passionate about children's books and has illustrated some 130 picture books that have earned him many awards, including The Canada Council for the Arts Award, the Governor General's Award, the Christie Award and the Prix Québec/Wallonie-Bruxelles.

Philippe Béha's profile page

"(The Prairie Dogs') genuine appeal is Goertzen's ability to think like a dog and write humorously from that mind set."
-- Canadian Children's Book News magazine

"The book was very enjoyable. . . The novel is highly recommended as a read aloud book to younger children and a must for school, public and personal libraries for middle year students.
Highly Recommended."
-- CM Magazine