James and Mandy's neighborhood has taken first place in the holiday lights Best Block contest, b ut will Rosco's attempts at helping wreak havoc and wreck Opening Night? And will Mandy's insistence on working independently be her downfall at the school train parade? Find out in this heartwarming Christmas adventure, the fifth installment in the Rosco the Rascal series, which follows the adventures of a fifth grade boy, his second grade sister, and their fun-loving German shepherd. Renaissance Accelerated Reader Book Level 4.2. AR Quiz No. 500815 *Recommended for kids 6-8. Grades K-3. *Books do not need to be read in series order *Contains a back-of-book dictionary with underlined words to encourage the use of new vocabulary *Early Middle Grade reading level: perfect for an advanced younger reader or an on-level older reader *Great for 3rd grade secular holiday classroom read-aloud This book is Story Monster approved! The Story Monsters Approved! book designation program was developed to recognize and honor accomplished authors in the field of children’s literature that inspire, inform, teach, or entertain. A Story Monsters seal of approval on a book tells teachers, librarians, and parents they are giving children the very best. ~Story Monsters LLC Fans of The Magic Tree House series will love this brother and sister pair, and fans of classic, heroic dogs - from Lassie to Beethoven - will love Rosco. "I really like this book and this author. She genuinely understands what matters to young children, and writes with warmth, humor, and more suspense than you might expect in a Christmas story. As an adult reader, by the time I was one third through the book, I couldn't put it down. Can fifth grader James cope with being constantly overshadowed by the popular boy down the street? Can first grader Mandy make real her wish to do things all by herself without messing up infront of everyone? And can Rosco the German Shepherd prove to one and all that he's not a stupid, clumsy oaf, and save the neighborhood from the brink of Christmas disaster (which he partly caused)? These are all real human (and canine?) feelings which anyone can relate to. My favorite parts are those told from the dog's point of view-both heart-warming and very funny at the same time. A clever addition to the e-book version is the clickable links to define some of the "hard" words and phrases (such as "cringe" and "steal the show"), which are great for building confidence in early readers. If you want stories to stir the hearts of the young people in your life, the Rosco the Rascal series is a lovable choice. This book, though seasonal, is my favorite so far." -Author Larry Feign, Goodreads ​ ​