As if obedience school wasn't bad enough, Ike now finds himself in jail — wrongly accused (of course!) of terrorizing the Hibbins' cats & stealing their cat treats. Once again, he pleads his case to Mrs LaRue, who's vacationing in France, but to no avail. When a string of canary burglaries stalls the Snort City Police force's investigation — and reveals their crime-solving ineptitude — Ike flees custody and takes matters into his own paws. Expect more mad-cap comedy in Ike's daring escapades (real and imagined), as well as ingenious split-screen visuals from the incomparable Mark Teague.

"Last seen heroically saving his owner, Mrs. LaRue, obedience school dropout and creative letter writer Ike returns for another canine caper in this snappy follow-up. This time out, the pooch fond of putting pen to paper is suspected of complicity in the disappearance of Mrs. Hibbins's cats (who happen to be Ike's longtime nemeses). Just as the cats go missing, so do several canaries and other birds from local pet stores. Coincidence? Ike thinks not. Feeling wrongly accused and unfairly detained by police, Ike escapes custody and investigates the Hibbins mystery himself. All the while he keeps Mrs. LaRue, who is on a European vacation, apprised of his progress in letters worthy of a pup with a penchant for melodrama: 'An unfortunate misunderstanding (as well as very sloppy police work) has landed me in jail,' he writes. Teague once again lets readers in on the fun — viewing the action both as it happens (in full-color scenes) and as embellished in Ike's imagination (featured in black-and-white). For example, the postscript 'P.S. Imagine how I feel cooped up inside this loathsome dungeon!' accompanies a color illustration of Ike and a police officer playing a hand of cards in a sunny room, as well as a black-and-white image of Ike being innocently duped by the cats. Lively acrylics paired with comical correspondence result in a picture book that will have Ike fans howling. Ages 4-8. (Sept.)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information, Inc.)

"The contrast between the melodrama of Ike's imagined world and the comfort of his true experiences should elicit many smiles....Teague's visual characterizations of animals and people are also a treat....[A] satisfying epistolary tale." School Library Journal

"Teague's textured acrylic paintings...contribute plenty to the visual verve and great good fun of Ike's adventure." Children's Literature

"Teague's innovative approach to storytelling is fun, but educational as well, skillfully imparting some valuable lessons in point of view and reading between the lines." Kirkus Reviews

Ike LaRue, the devilish dog hero of Mark Teague's runaway hit Dear Mrs. LaRue, goes from obedience school dropout to shrewd sleuth in this humorous sequel. Illustrations.