Give that dog a puddle and he'd splash. Give him a whistle and he'd roll over. Give him a rule and he'd break it.

One day a passel of puppies was born. Each puppy was designated for a Very Important Job, like Service Dog, or Search and Rescue Dog, or Groomed for the Show Ring Dog.

Each puppy, that is, except Mogie. Mogie was a ball-chasing, tail-wagging, moon-howling pup. Not the kind of pup for any of those jobs!

But there is a place that is just right for Mogie: a very special house where sick children and their families can stay while they undergo long-term treatment. A place with children who NEED a ball-chasing, tail-wagging, moon-howling pup.

And there's one little boy in particular who needs Mogie. And Mogie is about to prove he's the best darn pooch in the passel. Based on a true story, this heartwarming picture book is published in conjunction with the Ronald McDonald House.

This book was recognised by the Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Award.

This book has been graded for interest at 4-8 years.

There are 40 pages in this book. This is a picture book. A picture book uses pictures and text to tell the story. The number of words varies from zero ('wordless') to around 1k over 32 pages. Picture books are typically aimed at young readers (age 3-6) but can also be aimed at older children (7+). This book was published 2014 by Simon & Schuster .

Elizabeth Verdick has written more than thirty books for toddlers to teens. She collaborated with Marc Rosenthal on Small Walt , which Kirkus Reviews called "reminiscent of Virginia Burton's classics" in a starred review; its sequel, Small Walt and Mo the Tow ; and Bike & Trike . She is a graduate of the Hamline University MFA and lives in Woodbury, Minnesota. Learn more at ElizabethVerdick. com. Kathi Appelt has written a number of successful picture books. This is her debut novel. She lives in Texas.