Author: Clare Hutton
Illustrators: Maike Plenzke and Allison Steinfeld
Published: 2025
Summary
Summer McKinny is a ten-year-old girl growing up in Columbia, Maryland. Through her journal, we learn about how she convinced her parents to let her adopt a dog, showing that she was responsible and trustworthy. Her dog, Crescent, is a year old as the journal starts (in September). Things are going well, and Summer can't wait for her Aunt Olivia to visit while their mom is away on a business trip!
But Aunt Olivia brings a surprise: her cat (it doesn't seem like Summer's parents knew, either). Crescent isn't used to cats, and Fettucine (the cat) isn't used to dogs. Plus, Aunt Olivia used to be scared of dogs, and is still pretty nervous around them.
This all seems well-planned...
Summer doesn't think it's fair that Crescent has to be outside so much, because Fettucine keeps escaping the guest room Aunt Olivia's staying in. And she's worried that all the bonding Aunt Olivia and Summer's older sister, Holly, are doing over the cat. Is Summer being pushed out? But she has plenty of good things going on as well: with her dad's permission, she starts a dog-walking business that she loves, and she volunteers regularly at the shelter where she got Crescent. There's also a contest at an upcoming craft fair that Summer just knows she can win--she'll make homemade dog treats!
Of course, that's a lot for one ten-year-old. On her aunt's advice (Aunt Olivia owns a small business), Summer delegates some tasks to Holly, paying her to walk the dogs some days. That goes pretty well until one day when Fettucine escapes (Summer gets the cat back, and learns that the cat has diabetes in the process). Holly blames Summer, and doesn't want to work for her anymore. It becomes a whole thing until Summer gets some advice from the pet shelter, and the sisters are able to move past their fight and work together. And Crescent and Fettucine learn to enjoy each other's company!
The craft fair is coming up too, and Aunt Olivia provides guidance for Summer. She ends up winning the prize for best business presentation, and her mom arrives home from her trip in time to see it happen.
Before Aunt Olivia heads home, she has a surprise (that she explicitly says she cleared with brother and sister-in-law): it's a senior cat from the shelter! Summer and Holly are thrilled that they now have two pets to love.
Misc
The author dedicates her book to "Fiona, who wishes she had a dog."
Katie Flory, who works for the Maryland Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and Jannear Garrus, who founded the Chesapeake Educational Alliance and works with homeschoolers, both advised on the book.
Summer was born on the first day of summer. Her sister Holly was born on the first day of winter.
My mother-in-law asked me if I'm a dog person or a cat person. I've decided that overall, I'm a lazy person. Cats are good if you want to really lean into that since they don't need as much work (especially short-haired cats), and dogs are good if you want motivation to do things like go for a walk. At the moment, I have two cats and one dog.
There's a lot of tidbits about good business practices sprinkled throughout the book, like keeping track of expenses and marketing.
The end of the book has a recipe for dog treats, and an interview with a nine-year-old business owner.
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