Overview

A rambunctious shelter dog finds the perfect job and a loving home in this heartwarming story based on the real heroes of Working Dogs for Conservation. Tucker the dog never means to be trouble: he just loves to play. But at the animal shelter, every visitor says he's too much trouble--until Laura. Laura thinks Tucker might be just right for a very special job. Could all his energy make him an amazing conservation dog? Laura trains Tucker to track down Gila monsters, endangered flowers, even grizzly bear poop. His first assignment is in Hawaii, searching for invasive rosy wolf snails hidden under leaves. Where will his nose lead him next? With colorful, endearing art from illustrator Larry Day and dashes of humor, Carol A. Foote's debut picture book Trouble Dog invites children to join scientists--and their canine colleagues--in their work to save wildlife around the world. Readers will cheer for Tucker's inspiring journey from shelter dog to eager trainee to confident globetrotter. The story concludes with photos and further information about the real dogs and trainers of Working Dogs for Conservation, the world's largest and oldest conservation dog organization. Junior Library Guild Selection (2025)

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Reviews

""Day's illustrations harness the fluidity of watercolor and use loose line work to convey Tucker's perpetual movement."" -- The Horn Book Magazine ""Trouble Dog deftly tells the story of Tucker . . . with plenty of heart for good measure."" -- Shelf Awareness ""An appealing picture book celebrating the contributions of conservation dogs."" -- Booklist ""A fascinating look at a lesser-known field for working dogs and a surefire hit for a fictional tale that has uses for both cross-curricular connections and young dog enthusiasts."" -- School Library Journal ""With humor, heart, suspense, and adventure, this story will win over animal lovers of all ages."" -- Kirkus Reviews ""This is a great example of a book that knows how to take a true story and turn it into a fictional picture book that's friendly to kids and a darn good tale in and of itself. I love the idea of 'bad' dogs with too much energy having ways to put that endless love of play to good use. Foote so cleverly works in all the invasive species and other things that Tucker is taught to find. And that backmatter! Heavens above, is it cool! Even someone who isn't an inveterate dog lover like myself can't help but fall in love with this pup."" --Librarian Betsy Bird, A Fuse #8 Production (an SLJ blog) ""A great story with lots of heart and a good theme-even if you might not be good at a lot of things, you're really really good at something else."" -- Eve Bunting (1928-2023), author of Fly Away Home and Smoky Night ""Young readers will love this narrative glimpse into a conservation dog's life, and be charmed (and comforted) by a relatable, rascally protagonist learning to do good."" -- Liz Garton Scanlon, author of All the World and One Bird

Author Information

Carol Foote is a former freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and a variety of popular science magazines. A strong supporter of wildlife conservation, she met with human and canine members of Working Dogs for Conservation while researching this book. Carol lives near Santa Cruz, California, where she enjoys exploring new places and photographing animals in the wild. Larry Day is the illustrator of Found (Simon & Schuster), A Fort on the Moon (Neal Porter), Underground Railroad (Dial), and over fifteen other books for children. His work has received numerous starred reviews and three gold medals from the Society of Illustrators. Larry currently lives in Colorado. Visit his website at larrydayillustration.com.

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