Here Comes Trouble!

In this very funny sequel to Always in Trouble (2009), the lovably goofy dog Toby has to deal with a rival—Pandora, the cat next door who is temporarily staying with Toby’s family. Pandora embodies everything Toby dislikes about cats: she “was slinky and spunky and snooty and snobby. Worst of all, she didn’t pay any attention to Toby.” Jones’s emphatically scrawled cartoons highlight Toby’s mischievous (and unsuccessful) attempts to get Pandora’s attention. She yawns and sleeps as he jumps in the garbage, runs into the path of an oncoming truck, and eats Pandora’s cat food (and then throws up). Pandora is capable of bad behavior, too, but unlike Toby, she flies under the radar—so much so that only Toby notices when she gets stuck in a tree. Toby’s no Lassie, but he tries, desperately writing “CAT IN TREE” in mud on the kitchen floor. Demas and Jones hone their storytelling and artwork for maximum comic effect in a story about finding allies in unexpected places and making some big messes along the way. Ages 4–8. Agent: Edward Necarsulmer IV, McIntosh & Otis. (Jan.)