The Great Vandal Scandal - (The Great Pet Heist) by Emily Ecton

About the Book

The animals of the Strathmore building have a mission--convince the raccoons who have invaded the loading dock to leave the building before Biscuit, the Yorkie on the second floor, is evicted for his non-stop barking, and Madison, Butterbean's human, is blamed for the destruction the raccoons are causing.

Book Synopsis

The Secret Life of Pets meets Spy School as furry friends come out of retirement to do some secret spy work sure to inspire "chuckles aplenty" (Kirkus Reviews) in this hilarious companion to The Great Pet Heist and The Great Ghost Hoax.

Big plans are afoot! Butterbean is going to become a therapist (unless maybe she means a therapy dog?). The white cat is going to do a commercial for caviar-flavored pet treats. And Wallace is moving into a great new apartment. But these plans don't include a group of rowdy raccoons taking over the loading dock and throwing the building into turmoil.

Now residents from the whole building are coming to the Strathmore Seven for help--from Second Floor Biscuit, a Yorkie with an unfortunate haircut who faces eviction for barking at the intruders, to the loading dock rats, who are feeling intimidated and upset. And even worse, Madison gets blamed for the vandalism! It's up to Butterbean and the rest of the pets to stop the raccoons and restore their friend's reputation--before it's too late.

Review Quotes

"A series of break-ins gives the Strathmore apartment building's animal detectives an exciting new mystery to solve. . . The nonstop action and droll exchanges offer chuckles aplenty on the way to a tidy resolution made all the more satisfactory by a hilarious viral video and a well-deserved comedown for nasty nemesis Mrs. Hates Dogs on Six. Mottram's rich, if rare, spots and vignettes feature creatures as aglow with character as the racially diverse human cast. Another wild caper for this winning animal ensemble." --Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Emily Ecton is the author of The Great Pet Heist series as well as a number of middle grade books published under the names Emily Ecton and Emily Fairlie. She is also a former writer and producer for Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me!, the Peabody Award­-winning comedy news quiz on NPR. She lives in Virginia, with Howdy, a dog who dreams of someday going to a supermarket. Visit her at EmilyEcton.com.

Dave Mottram is an illustrator living in Ohio who worked as a graphic designer for many years, which led him to pursue his passion for illustration. He paints traditionally and digitally with color and layers and line. He loves tacos, animals, tikis, and nerding out over art supplies. Visit him at DaveMottram.com.