The Underdogs

From the writer of the bestselling Dragon Masters series and the illustrator of the bestselling Diary of a Pug series comes a high-energy, illustrated chapter book series about four dogs who learn that being yourself is much more fun than being Best in Show.

Welcome to the town of Barksdale, where the canine residents strive for perfection. Every shopkeeper claims to be the "best groomer" or sell the "best biscuits." And at Barksdale Academy, the pressure is on every year for one pup to be named Best in Show.

Nova, Duke, Harley, and Peanut have never won Best in Show... which is okay with them! But they have to work together to pass their Agility Exam, because either the whole pack passes or the whole pack fails.

Nova has convinced her pals to train, but on her practice course, Duke is afraid to climb the high ramp, Harley keeps chasing squirrels, and Peanut can't make it through the hoops. Nova's not doing much better -- she's so excited she keeps knocking the whole course over!

Will the pups make the grade, or are they doomed to be Underdogs forever?

With black-and-white illustrations on every page and hilarious antics throughout, this series is perfect for readers who are just starting to read chapter books on their own, or for anyone who loves a good underdog story!

Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Published: 10/05/2021
Pages: 160
Weight: 0.4lbs
Size: 7.40h x 5.90w x 0.50d
ISBN: 9781338732726
Age: Ages 9-12

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 3.7
Point Value: 1
Interest Level: Middle Grade
Quiz #/Name: 514499 / Underdogs


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 10/01/2021
School Library Journal 11/01/2021 pg. 67

About the Author

Kyla May is an Australian illustrator, writer, and designer. She is the creator and illustrator of two early chapter book series: Lotus Lane (Chemin du Lotus) and Diary of a Pug (Journal d'un carlin). She is also the illustrator of The Sloth Life and The Underdogs series. In addition to books, Kyla creates animation. She lives by the beach in Victoria, Australia, with her three daughters.

Tracey West is the author of the New York Times bestselling series Dragon Masters, for Scholastic Branches. She has written more than 400 books for children, including the Underdogs series, illustrated by Kyla May; the Pixie Tricks series, illustrated by Xavier Bonet, and the perennially popular Pokémon chapter books. She lives with her husband, adopted dogs, and chickens in the western Catskill mountains of New York State.