Ocean’s Eleven meets The Secret Life of Pets in this “classic caper” ( Booklist ) following a ragtag group of pets who will do whatever it takes to avoid being sent to the pound. Butterbean knew she wasn’t always a good dog. Still, she’d never considered herself a BAD dog—until the morning that her owner, Mrs. Food, fell in the hallway. Admittedly the tile was slipperier than usual, mostly because Butterbean had just thrown up on it. Now Butterbean and her fellow pets have to come up with a grand plan to support themselves in case Mrs. Food is unable to keep taking care of them. When they discover a mysterious man in their building who seems to have lots of loot, they plan a heist. Oscar the mynah bird is the brains of the operation. Walt the cat has the necessary slyness and slink. Marco and Polo are the reconnaissance rats. And Butterbean...well, no one would ever suspect a cute little wiener dog, right? Can these animal friends can pull off the heist of the century? “It’s amusing just to watch the merry band of misfit pets navigate the wide world of the eclectic high-rise apartment, but there’s enough true suspense to keep the larger story moving. This classic caper may have young readers looking sideways at their own pets when the story is through.” -- Booklist "Ecton creates a strong personality for each animal, from the hyper dog Butterbean to the know-it-all bird Oscar, and pet lovers will be sure to enjoy the banter between them. . . . Adorable illustrations from Mottram help readers visualize the characters and add an appealing visual element. A story sure to charm children who like to imagine what their beloved pets are up to when they are away." -- School Library Journal "Bantering dialogue, the distinct personalities of the pets (expressively illustrated by Mottram), and the whimsical premise make for an exciting caper." -- Kirkus Reviews Emily Ecton is the author of The Great Pet Heist series as well as a number of middle grade books published under the names Emily Ecton and Emily Fairlie. She is also a former writer and producer for Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me! , the Peabody Award­–winning comedy news quiz on NPR. She lives in Virginia, with Howdy, a dog who dreams of someday going to a supermarket. Visit her at EmilyEcton.com. Dave Mottram is an illustrator living in Ohio who worked as a graphic designer for many years, which led him to pursue his passion for illustration. He paints traditionally and digitally with color and layers and line. He loves tacos, animals, tikis, and nerding out over art supplies. Visit him at DaveMottram.com. Chapter 1 1 BUTTERBEAN KNEW SHE WASN’T ALWAYS a good dog. But until the morning of Tuesday, October 20, she’d never considered herself a BAD dog. And she definitely never thought that by Wednesday, October 21, she’d be a member of an International Crime Syndicate. “The Fall,” as they all described it afterward, happened at precisely 10 a.m. (Oscar was watching the clock. His shows were coming on.) The tile in the kitchen had always been a little slippery, but on Tuesday, October 20, it was much more slippery than usual, mostly because Butterbean had just thrown up on it. To be fair, she’d spent most of the morning chasing her tail, and she’d actually been feeling pretty proud of herself for barfing on the tile instead of the cream-colored carpet. But that was before everything changed. At precisely 9:59 a.m. Central Time (one minute before The Price Is Right ), Mrs. Food emerged from her office and started down the hallway for her second cup of coffee. Exactly forty-five seconds later, her foot made contact with Butterbean’s former breakfast. And at 10 a.m. on the dot, she hit the floor. The crash was so loud and it scared Butterbean so badly that she tried to wedge herself into the gap under the couch. (She was not successful.) It was so loud that Walt stopped her morning grooming ritual and sat frozen for a full minute with her tongue out and her leg poised in midair. It was so loud that Oscar squawked and puffed his feathers out in a very undignified way. (Oscar denies this.) Then there was a terrible silence. No one moved. Finally Walt lowered her leg and glared at Butterbean. “Way to go, Pukey.” Butterbean ignored the comment. It was hardly her fault that Mrs. Food had decided to take a nap. It wasn’t even unusual for Mrs. Food to lie down—she did that all the time. Sure, she usually did it on the couch or on her bed or someplace squishy. But Butterbean wasn’t one to judge. Butterbean did wish that Mrs. Food would get up, though. Butterbean had never seen her lie on the floor quite like that. It seemed wrong, somehow. “Mrs. Food?” Butterbean said. Mrs. Food didn’t respond. Butterbean frowned. Usually Mrs. Food got cranky when Butterbean tried to chat during her naptime. Sometimes she even threw pillows or socks, which was huge fun. But this time she just lay there. She didn’t even look comfortable. A terrib