PW calls SERGE & ROSCOE by Len Vlahos “a breezy read. . . with palpable charm”
Impetuous border collie Roscoe recently graduated from Search and Rescue Force Academy. Passionate and well-meaning, he keeps getting in trouble during search and rescue operations because he persistently disregards his training and violates safety protocols. Meanwhile, Serge is a surly otterhound who is days away from retirement. He has no patience for the new “little twerp” on the force and is none too happy when his beloved human handler tasks him with “teach[ing] Roscoe the ropes.” The dogs’ rocky relationship is tested when they’re deployed to the largest wildfire Colorado has ever experienced. Can the veteran hound and rookie pup help each other grow and work together to save a family in need—and themselves? The tense disaster scenario presents the ideal backdrop for this furry take on familiar buddy-cop dynamics by Vlahos (Girl on the Ferris Wheel). Short chapters contribute to a breezy read, and illustrations by Miron (The GreatHowler in the Sky) portray the dogs with palpable charm. The human cast is shown with varying skin tones. Ages 8–12. Agent: Allison Hellegers, Stimola Literary Studio. (Mar.)