Welcome to our first Dragon Tail Recommends list, my name is Cornelius Firebreath, I will be your reptilian guide. Our first list will be fun stories about other creatures with magnificent tails. If you don’t have a tail, I am so sorry. Really. You don’t know what you are missing. Ask your dog or cat or lizard. They’ll tell you. We are here to offer glorious adventures about those born with respectable tails. (Bunnies will be included as well even though their “tail” is rather . . . fluffy.)
Girls Just Wanna Have Pugs by J.J. Howard
“The best part of Kat’s day is getting to walk her neighbor’s irresistible pug, Meatball. So when her parents insist she start an extracurricular this year, she makes her own, by turning her hobby into a business: a dog-walking business.
She and her best friends, Taz and Lucy try to get Four Paws Dog Walking into shape. But wrangling puppies and pleasing customers turns out to be harder than they thought! Can Kat keep taking care of the dogs she loves without hurting her friendships?”
My Furry Foster Family: Roo the Rabbit by Debbi Michiko Florence
“Takano’s family animal fosters to prepare them to be new pets. A bunny special arrives at the Takano house, and eight-year-old Kaita is over the moon! But Roo isn’t lick-your-face friendly like the dogs Kaita’s used to fostering, and she soon wonders if she’ll ever be able to break the ice and find the skittish bunny a forever home.”
The Animal Rescue Agency: Case File: Little Claws by Elio Schrefer
“When an animal is in trouble, there’s only one place to turn: the Animal Rescue Agency!
Dashing Esquire Fox used to organize the world’s most elaborate chicken raids until the day she encountered Mr. Pepper. Meeting the blustery old rooster changed her heart, convincing her to turn from a life of crime and instead form the Animal Rescue Agency, which masterminds rescue operations across the globe.
Esquire and her unlikely chicken business manager coordinate their far-flung agents to get them to the Arctic. In that frozen land they learn that what happened to the polar bear cub was no accident—and that saving him will pit them against the scariest predator in the world: a human.”
Donut Feed the Squirrels by Mika Song
“Norma and Belly, two best friend squirrels, would really really really really really like a donut. With a burned breakfast and a cranky donut seller at the local food truck, they may be stuck with only nuts to eat . . . unless they can steal the biggest, most delicious donut of their tiny lives! A fun “donut caper” graphic novel that focuses on madcap action, problem-solving, and the power of working together.”
Wild Survival: Crocodile Rescue! By Melissa Cristina Marquez
“Twelve-year-old Adrianna Villalobos and her older brother Feye travel the globe with their parents, the hosts of a suspenseful nature show called “Wild Survival!” They’ve recently gotten an offer to take the show from YouTube to a TV network, and Adrianna is thrilled. So far, she’s always been behind the scenes, but now she gets to join the rest of her family onscreen. She can’t wait to bring her passion for animals to a wide audience.
Their first stop is the lush mangrove forests of Cuba, where they’re going to help rescue an injured crocodile. But things get off to a rocky start when Feye is injured in an accident partially caused by Adrianna. The status of the show is in jeopardy, and Adrianna’s parents want her back behind the scenes, or maybe even back at home.
Adrianna is determined to prove herself, and save the show-whatever it takes. Even if that means confronting the legendary Mega Croc of Cuba that’s rumored to inhabit the murky waters around their base camp.”
A Pup Called Trouble by Bobbie Pyron
“Brimming with curiosity, Trouble can’t wait to explore the world beyond Singing Creek. So one morning the coyote pup, Trouble, stows away in the back of a truck and ends up lost in the heart of New York City. While Trouble misses his siblings, he quickly makes friends in Central Park’s Ramble: a prankster crow, a timid opossum, and a poetic poodle.
Before long, he goes from howling for home to wondering if he could make a life in the city forever. But when word gets out that a coyote is running wild on city streets, Trouble must choose between the risks of being caught and the dangers of a long journey home.”
Real Pigeons Fight Crime by Andrew McDonald & Ben Wood
“What do REAL PIGEONS do? They fight crime, of course! Wait, what? You didn’t know your town is protected by a secret squad of crime-fighting feathered friends? Well, you are about to get schooled. REAL PIGEONS solve mysteries! REAL PIGEONS fight bad guys! And REAL PIGEONS won’t stop until your neighborhood is safe and the questions are all answered: Like, why have all the breadcrumbs disappeared? And which food truck smells the best?”
Buster by Caleb Zane Huett
“Buster’s in big trouble. He’s been dragged to Dog Court for breaking one of the most sacred of all dog rules: Never, ever talk to a human, or let a human know how smart you really are.
But he swears he had a good reason! The boy he’s been taking care of, Tonio, needed his help in a big way. You see, Tonio is afraid all the time — afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing, afraid of making a fool of himself or (even worse) hurting someone else’s feelings. His doctor thinks having a therapy dog will help his anxiety — and Buster wants to help. He really wants to help. Even if it means breaking the rules.”
Horse Girl by Carrie Seim
“Wills is a seventh grader who’s head-over-hoof for horses, and beyond excited when she gets the chance to start training at the prestigious Oakwood Riding Academy. But Amara–the Queen of the #HorseGirls–and her posse aren’t going to let the certifiably dork-tagious Wills trot her way into their club so easily. Between learning the reins of horse riding, dealing with her Air Force pilot mom being stationed thousands of miles from home, and keeping it together in front of (gasp!) Horse Boys, Wills learns that becoming a part of the #HorseGirl world isn’t easy. But with her rescue horse, Clyde, at her side, it sure will be fun.”
Leonard (My Life as a Cat) by Carlie Sorosiak
“The cat that Olive rescues from a flood has a secret: he’s not really a cat at all, but an alien who crashed to Earth on a beam of light. The cat, whom Olive names Leonard, was prepared to visit the planet as a human—but something went wrong. Now Leonard may never know what it’s like to hold an umbrella, go bowling, or host a dinner party. Leonard tries to figure out how to get from South Carolina to Yellowstone National Park, because if he’s not there at the end of the month, he’ll miss his ride home. But as Olive teaches Leonard about the beautiful and confusing world of humans, he starts to realize how much he cares about this particular one. A sweet and dryly funny story about what it means to be human—and what it means to be home.”
