“Two humans stood outside my cage, a white-haired woman and a gum-chewing kid. Gum chewing is one of the best sounds out there, and the smell’s not bad, either. I liked the kid from the get-go.”
Meet Bowser, who is rescued from the animal shelter and becomes eleven-year-old Birdie Gaux’s birthday present. Set in a small Louisiana town, this is a story of a girl and her dog – from the dog’s point of view. Birdie’s grandmother runs the “Gaux Family Fish and Bait: Guided Swamp Tours, Live Bait, Crawfish by the Sack, Box Lunches to Go.” Returning from the animal shelter, they find that Grammy’s prized trophy marlin, Black Jack, has been stolen. Bowser and Birdie become inseparable as they investigate the theft amid rumors of buried treasure. There are nighttime boat rides, a mysterious black truck, visits from the sheriff, and encounters with an owl named Night Train.
Can Birdie and Bowser find the clues to catch the thief? Is a treasure map really hidden behind the glass eye of the stuffed marlin? Where did the treasure, if there is one, come from and what does it have to do with Birdie’s family?
“Jump off the bridge? What a great idea! One thing I was learning fast: No one knew how to have fun like Birdie. The next moment we were both in midair, the polka-dot flip-flop flying free and spinning high in the air. Then came a fall somewhat longer than I’d expected and … Splash! Have I already mentioned I’d never swum in my life and didn’t even know if I could? And there I was, plunging down through bayou water that grew darker and darker and colder and colder. It sure would have been nice to have known the answer to this swimming-ability question ahead of time.”
This fast-paced adventure is filled with humor, suspense, and lightning-quick twists and turns. Jump in and enjoy the ride with Bowser and Birdie!