Hazel Helps Out

Dori Hillestad Butler

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Book cover for Hazel Helps Out
Image for variant 9781682637234
Book cover for Hazel Helps Out
Image for variant 9781682637234

Hazel Helps Out

Hazel Helps Out

Dori Hillestad Butler

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Description

Can Hazel find a new home, a place for herself, and a way to contribute to the family doggy daycare business?

Nine-year-old Hazel and her mother are facing some big changes. Grandma has been running Dog Days, a dog day care, all by herself for a long time, but now she needs some help--help that she doesn't really want to accept. Fortunately, Mom's best friend Amanda and her kids, KC and Jonah, live nearby. Amanda and Mom dreamed of running the business when they grew up. That time could be coming.

Hazel and Mom arrive for a visit that might turn into a long-term stay. First, they have to figure out what's going on. It's hard to get prickly Grandma to tell them anything, about the business or her health. There are a lot of dogs to keep track of, including Houdini, who keeps them on their toes by repeatedly escaping. Hazel knows KC and Jonah, but they aren't friends--at least not yet. And Hazel's elderly dog Spot is having a hard time keeping up with the younger, more active dogs.

Mom and Amanda don't want to tell Grandma about Houdini. Grandma doesn't want to tell Mom and Amanda the truth about her health. All Hazel knows is that she doesn't like keeping secrets. If only there was a way to get everyone, young and old, to work together.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

About the Author

Dori Hillestad Butler has published magazine stories, educational materials, plays, book reviews, characters for a board game, and over sixty children's books. A two-time Geisel Honor Book winner, she has also been nominated for children's choice awards in nineteen different states and won the 2011 Edgar Award for the best juvenile mystery for Buddy Files: Case of the Lost Boy.

Genevieve Kote is a French Canadian illustrator and comic book artist based in Montreal. She loves drawing characters and animals and bringing their adventures to life. Kote's work includes the Animal Rescue Friends series, the Agents of H.E.A.R.T. series and Hike on Haunted Hill. In her free time she can be found reading novels, baking or exploring the city and other parts of the world. She shares her studio with her cat Clara and many plants.

Critical Reviews

Authentic depictions of friendship and family dynamics and realistic opportunities for responsibilities and problem-solving are smoothly and entertainingly combined here. . . . the visuals add to the charm and hint at some diversity among the other humans. An appealing, doggedly upbeat tale.
--Kirkus Reviews

Kote's grayscale illustrations contain lots of charm and personality, and their frequency helps break up blocks of text for independent readers still getting comfortable with longer books. Fans of the original series will be happy to see a cameo by Kayla and King, while new characters bring fresh perspectives to the familiar world.
--Booklist

Publishing Information

Publisher: Peachtree Publishers
Pub date: 2026-10-27
Length: 128 pages

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