Fenway and the Bone Thieves, page 1
SNIFF OUT ALL THE
MAKE WAY FOR FENWAY!
CHAPTER BOOKS!
Fenway and the Bone Thieves
Fenway and the Frisbee Trick
DIG UP THESE MIDDLE GRADE BOOKS ABOUT FENWAY, TOO!
Fenway and Hattie
Fenway and Hattie and the Evil Bunny Gang
Fenway and Hattie Up to New Tricks
Fenway and Hattie in the Wild
G. P. PUTNAM’S SONS
An imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, New York
First published in the United States of America by G. P. Putnam’s Sons,
an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2022
Text copyright © 2022 by Victoria J. Coe
Illustrations copyright © 2022 by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.
ISBN 9780593406915 (hardcover)
ISBN 9780593406922 (paperback)
ISBN 9780593406939 (ebook)
Design by Marikka Tamura, adapted for ebook by Michelle Quintero
This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
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To Tracey and Randi, and for Marietta, who brought us all together. —V.J.C.
To Max and Mattiece:
Life has been interesting, adventurous, fun, and beautiful with you in it, thank you. Love, Mama —J.L.V.
CONTENTS
1. The Treat Place
2. The Prize
3. The Ladies
4. Squirrel Trouble!
5. Rain
6. Holes
7. Chase!
8. The Dream
9. Surprise
10. The Bone
1
THE TREAT PLACE
Everyone knows that dogs are better than squirrels. Dogs make humans happy. Dogs live in houses. Dogs ride in cars. Squirrels do none of these things.
Squirrels go where they don’t belong. Squirrels take things that aren’t theirs. Squirrels are sneaky.
It’s a good thing humans have dogs to keep them safe from squirrels.
Right now, I’m in the car with my family—Food Lady, Fetch Man, and Hattie—and no squirrels. I snuggle against Hattie in the back seat. She is the best short human ever.
She pats my head. “Good boy, Fenway,” she coos. That’s Human for “You’re doing a great job.” What can I say? I’m a professional.
I can hardly wait to find out where we’re going.
The car pauses at the end of our street. I poke my head out the window. A sneaky squirrel is there on the sidewalk glaring up at me.
“Look at me, Rodent,” I bark at him. “I’m riding in a car!”
He turns and scampers up a tree.
As the car speeds away, I add, “You’d better stay up there where you belong!”
There’s nothing like a car ride. The breeze rushes through my fur. My nose sniffs oaks and pines and grass. My tail thumps against Hattie’s leg. This is the life!
When the car turns, I smell another scent. It’s the parking lot outside the Treat Place. That’s the giant building with lots of dogs and humans—and toys and treats. Yippee!
I paw the door handle. “Hooray! Hooray!” I bark. “Let’s get in there!”
Hattie giggles and opens the door. We hurry out of the car. I try to run straight into the Treat Place, but the leash holds me back. Of course Hattie wants me to wait for her. She loves going to the Treat Place as much as I do.
We lead Food Lady and Fetch Man inside. My tail swishes wildly. The Treat Place has rows and rows of awesome things to check out. And it smells great, like loads of other dogs. And have I mentioned the yummy treats? I’m going to show Hattie where to find them.
I stick my head into the first row. Wowee—toys! My tail wags faster. “I could use a few more balls and squeakers and plushies,” I bark to Hattie. But she doesn’t give in. We follow Fetch Man and Food Lady to the next row.
I sniff there, too. Whoopee—treats! I smack my chops. “Let’s get some snacks,” I whine. “I’m soooo hungry!”
“Fenway,” Hattie says. She leads me away. “No.”
My ears sag. Why aren’t we getting any treats? What could be more important?
Food Lady steers a cart down another row, where Fetch Man grabs two big bags of kibble. And after that, we turn toward the back of the building. We are heading farther from the treats. I begin to get a bad feeling. This cannot be good.
2
THE PRIZE
We meet a friendly German Shepherd, but Hattie won’t let us exchange bum sniffs. And then Fetch Man steers the cart down a row that smells like nasty cleaners. Yuck!
Food Lady stops and stares at the bottles on the shelves. She picks them up one by one. She studies them as if they’re actually interesting. Eventually, she puts one in the cart and heads toward some that smell even worse.
Ew! The odor reminds me of those horrible drops that Hattie rubs on the back of my neck. “No, Hattie,” I plead as she follows Fetch Man and Food Lady. “Let’s skip the yucky drops and go back to the treats.”
But we don’t. Food Lady tosses two boxes of yucky drops into the cart. Just when I think this trip cannot get any more terrible, we stroll past bottles that smell like shampoo. What did I do to deserve this?
I have to get back to the treat row. And then convince Hattie that I need one. Or a bunch.
Food Lady puts a bottle of flowery shampoo into the cart. Fetch Man turns the cart and heads back to the front of the Treat Place. Uh-oh. That means they’re getting ready to leave.
This is every kind of wrong. I spin around and drag Hattie to the treat row. “This way, Hattie!” I bark. “You forgot my treat!”
Hattie lets out a loud sigh.
I jump and pull. “I’ll never give up!”
“Fenway, heel!” she commands.
Oh, I know this! I can get what I want by making her happy. I stop jumping and plop onto my bum. I gaze up at my short human. I tilt my head in that cute way she likes.
“Aw, Fenway,” she sings. I can tell from her eyes that it’s working. She pats my head, and I give her hand a sweet little lick.
Hooray! Hattie reaches for a delicious-smelling bone. Wowee, a bone is an even better prize than I was hoping for! I can’t wait to sink my teeth into it!
We rush back to Fetch Man and Food Lady with the bone. “Please?” Hattie asks them.
Food Lady raises an eyebrow. Fetch Man shrugs. Whoopee! That means they’re going to say yes!
I drop onto my bum again. I look up at Hattie, ready to snatch that wonderful bone from her hand. I knew if I tried hard enough, this would work!
But when Food Lady says, “Okay,” Hattie plunks the bone into the cart along with the rest of the stuff.
Wait a minute! She was supposed to give it to me.
This isn’t fair! That bone is so close. I can smell it. I can see it. But I can’t have it.
This is the worst day ever!
When we get back to the car, Fetch Man puts everything in the trunk—including the bone. On the way home, I make a decision. I’m going to get that bone, and when I do, nobody will ever take it away.
3
THE LADIES
At home, Fetch Man and Food Lady take the bags out of the car. As soon as Hattie unclips my leash, I trot after Food Lady.
She has the crinkly bag with the bone inside. And it’s mine, all mine!
When we get to the Eating Place, Food Lady sets the bag on the counter. My tongue drools. My tail goes nuts.
Hattie goes to the counter, too. I hear the bag crinkle. Instead of jumping and whining, I sink onto my bum. Waiting is hard. But it pays off!
“Here, Fenway,” Hattie says. She tosses the bone right into my mouth—chomp! Finally! We rush over to the sliding door, and she lets me outside.
I sprint down the steps into the Dog Park behind our house. It’s a grassy space with a giant tree and a wooden fence all around. I can hardly wait to enjoy my bone!
“Is that you, Fenway?” my friend Patches says from the other side of the fence. She is a white dog with dark patches.
“I don’t smell him,” Goldie says to her. She’s a Golden Retriever. “All I smell is a delicious bone.”
Patches and
I let the bone fall to the grass and then peer through the slats. “It’s me and a bone!” I say. “It was hard work convincing Hattie to get it for me.”
The ladies look at each other, then back at me. “I’ll bet,” Goldie says.
“Good job, Fenway,” says Patches.
“You’re a dog who never gives up,” Goldie adds.
Gee, I could get used to all this praise. “Thanks, ladies,” I say.
Goldie stares at the bone. She smacks her chops. “That sure smells yummy,” she says.
Patches noses her. “That bone belongs to Fenway,” she says. “If you want one, you can convince Angel to get a bone for you.” Angel is their short human.
Goldie grumbles something I can’t quite hear.
“Anyway, ladies,” I say, eyeing the bone on the ground. “I’ll be heading off now. You know, to enjoy the bone.”
“Of course,” I hear Patches say as I snatch the bone. I prance into the middle of the soft, cool grass.
I’m about to plop down for a good, long chew when I’m startled by horrible sounds. They’re coming from the giant tree.
CHIPPER-CHATTER-SQUAWK!
Those sounds can only mean one thing—a sneaky squirrel is coming! I turn around, my fur prickling.
The squirrel clatters down the trunk headfirst and springs into the grass. His bushy tail flounces behind him.
I take off like a shot. “It’s called a Dog Park for a reason!” I bark. “No squirrels allowed!”
He scampers toward Food Lady’s vegetable patch. Ha! I’ll race around the other way.
Just as I’m about to head him off, I hear that horrible sound again. But this time it’s coming from the middle of the Dog Park.
CHIPPER-CHATTER-SQUAWK!
I spin around, and I can hardly believe my eyes. A bigger squirrel is about to pounce on my bone.
4
SQUIRREL TROUBLE!
I race toward the second squirrel. “That’s my bone, Rodent!” I bark. “Get away! Or else!”
He takes his time glancing up. He does not look frightened at all.
But he must see the tough dog coming right at him. He must hear the warning. Is he waiting until the last moment to make a surprise move?
CHIPPER-CHATTER-SQUAWK! sounds behind me.
Uh-oh! The first squirrel is headed this way! I should have known the two of them were in this together.
I run faster. “That bone is mine!” I bark.
The big squirrel waits until I’m about to lunge. Then he suddenly hops up and scampers across the Dog Park.
The chase is on! “You don’t belong here!” I bark. I follow that squirrel to the wooden fence behind the giant tree.
He leaps. He claws. He clatters to the top.
I jump up and paw the fence. “And don’t come back!” I bark. I watch until his bushy tail disappears over the other side.
Whew!
I whirl around and begin trotting back through the grass. That’s when I see the first squirrel again. Now he’s hovering over my bone!
Did he think I’d give up? “Leave that . . . alone!” I pant. “It’s not . . . yours!”
This squirrel is just as sneaky as the bigger one. He doesn’t move. He sits next to the bone, calm as can be.
But I’m ready for whatever he’s got. I race toward him. “I mean business!”
The squirrel stares at me until I’m close enough to pounce. Then he slowly wanders away as if he just decided to leave.
He speeds up as I chase him, then bolts over the fence like the other one. Whew! Time to hurry back to my bone.
I sink into the grass and give it a lick. At last! But I’m not chewing. I’m thinking.
Two squirrels have tried to take my bone so far. Hmm. Leaving it in the middle of the Dog Park might not be a good idea.
I’ll never be able to enjoy my bone if I’m always chasing sneaky squirrels away. If only there was a way to hide it from them . . .
Aha!
I leap up and run in circles. I’ll hide my bone so no one can take it! It’s the Best Idea Ever! I just have to find the perfect place.
I take the bone over to the bushes along the far-side fence. I sniff the sweet-smelling mulch. I give it a swipe. Wowee! This would be so easy to dig in!
Then two swipes later, my paw snags an acorn. Yikes! That means this is a squirrel’s hiding spot. I have to find a better one.
I wander around the Dog Park, searching. How about under the giant tree? No, squirrels scurry up and down the trunk all the time.
There must be a place that no squirrel would ever look. I’m strolling through the grass when I come to the vegetable patch. I notice damp soil around a tall, leafy plant that smells like tomatoes. Whenever I go near this spot, I get shooed away.
That’s it! Everybody knows that Food Lady’s vegetable patch is off-limits. It’s the perfect spot to hide my bone!
I quickly dig a bone-size hole, drop it in, and cover it up.
5
RAIN
At lunchtime, I’m inside the house pacing near the sliding door. Rain drips down the glass.
Normally, I’d be sitting next to Hattie’s chair in the Eating Place. She loves to secretly drop her crusts so I can gobble them up. But I’m not thinking about Hattie’s yummy crusts.
I’m thinking about my bone.
Burying it was a good idea. No one can take it from me. Except now that it’s buried, I don’t have it, either. What fun is having a bone if I can’t munch on it?
Every time I gaze out into the Dog Park, I see rain, rain, and more rain. I don’t see my bone, but luckily, I don’t see any sneaky squirrels, either. They’d better not show up the moment I look away.
“Oh, Fenway!” Hattie calls in her sweet voice.
My tail swishes, and I trot into the Eating Place. Wowee! I bet something wonderful is about to happen. Does she have another bone to give me?
Hattie stands at the counter. “Here, boy,” she says.
Sniff, sniff. She has a delicious treat in her hand! Whoopee! I knew it was something wonderful!
I sit on my bum. I cock my head and give her my cutest look.
But instead of tossing me the treat, Hattie holds it over my head. She brings her hand down slowly. My mouth is ready!
But she grabs the scruff of my neck. That’s not where treats go!
Oh no! Her other hand is coming down from the counter, and it smells like horrible-smelling drops! Ew! She rubs them into my fur.
My tail droops. What a terrible surprise!
“Good boy,” she says, letting me go. The treat sails into my mouth.
Munch! Yippee! Is that ever delicious! “Thanks, Hattie! That was awesome!” I bark. I rush back to the sliding door. “But what I really want is to go outside and get my bone.”
Hattie just looks out at the rain and shrugs.
My ears sag. I know what this means. When it rains, Hattie doesn’t open the door to the Dog Park. She only takes me out in the front. And on the leash. I’m going to have to wait.
I hate waiting!
I follow Hattie into the Lounging Place. She flops onto the couch with a book.
I’m about to curl up on the rug when I spy my bone! It’s under the couch!
Did I forget it was here?
Wowee! I drop to my belly and wiggle in. My jaws open up and—chomp! I back out into the room, my tail high and proud.
I give the bone a few more chomps and—squeeeak-squeeeak-squeeeak.
What? I drop that bone, and my tail wilts.
My new bone doesn’t squeak. And it doesn’t taste like a rubbery toy. This is a toy bone.
* * *
For the rest of the day, I’m stuck inside. I pace around the house, trying not to think about how much I want that bone. The real one.
