Synopses & Reviews
Paolo's plan for August in Orange Grove City is to hire out his little brother to the neighbors. Georgie is six; he needs a manager.
But then the family dog, Rufus, is stolen.
Overnight, Paolo is trying to manage not just Georgie, but their deaf cousin, Billy, who speaks only with his hands; Henry, a strange vacation visitor whom the boys discover living locked in his aunt's attic; and Butter Schwartz, a lonely, half-wild schemer with a paper route. The last two are definite dognapping suspects....
To top it all, a girl with a big-time crush on Paolo won't let him be, day or night, crisis or no crisis. For her, missing Rufus is nothing to snaring Paolo, who has met his match as a manager.
The solution to the mystery of Rufus, the threat of Theresa, and the future must rest in Billy's hands.
About the Author
andlt;bandgt;D. James Smithandlt;/bandgt; lives in California, where he studied with poet Philip Levine. A recipient of a fellowship in creative writing from the National Endowment for the Arts, his work appears frequently in literary magazines, most recently, andlt;Iandgt;The Amherst Review, New Millennium Writings, the Notre Dame Review,andlt;/iandgt; and andlt;Iandgt;Stand.andlt;/iandgt; His previous books include a collection of poems, andlt;Iandgt;Prayers for the Dead Ventriloquist,andlt;/iandgt; and an adult novel, andlt;Iandgt;My Brother's Passion. andlt;/iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;His novels for younger readers are andlt;Iandgt;Fast Companyandlt;/iandgt; and his first book about Paolo and friends, andlt;Iandgt;The Boys of San Joaquin.andlt;/iandgt;