The Prairie Dogs

By Glenda Goertzen

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.

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.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 155005113X
• ISBN13: 9781550051131
• Release Date: October 2004
• Publisher: Fitzhenry & Whiteside
• Length: 164 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.2" x 7.6"
• Age Range: 7 to 9 years
• Grade Range: Grades 2 to 4

Customer Reviews

The Prairie Dogs

Can a pampered show poodle survive on the mean streets of a small prairie town? Prince Pierrot Rudolphe IV L'Orgueil de Montreal, aka Pierre is about to find out that there's a different life for him than the agility circuit. Of course, that life is not without its ups and downs, and if his people ever find him, will he want to go back to his previous life, or stay with his friends? This is a cute chapter book, suitable for young readers, about grade 3 to 6. I think it would make a great book for reading aloud to younger children, especially if they're dog lovers.