What's a girl to do when her parents won't let her get a puppy? If she's fifth-grader Billie Stoner and has a baby-sitter who also happens to be a teenage mad scientist, she can make her pet turn invisible! But Billie soon finds that keeping her new dog, Harry Houdini, under wraps isn't as easy as she had hoped--especially in her tiny Manhattan apartment. To begin with, he still smells like a puppy, feels like a puppy, and worst of all, *sounds* like a puppy. There are only so many times Billie can pretend to be barking before her parents thinks she's going crazy! And with her evil classmate, Alissa, catching on to the secret, just how long can Billie keep Harry concealed? Fans of *The Invisible Day*, which *Publishers Weekly* called a sure-fire crowd pleaser, will warmly welcome Marthe Jocelyn's unforgettable cast of zany characters, as well as some exciting new additions. With Abby Carter's quirky pencil illustrations, both delightfully funny and contemporary, this easy-to-read novel will be an instant hit with hip young readers. Marthe Jocelyn is a successful toy maker and children's-clothing designer who also illustrates books. Abby Carter is the illustrator of many children's books, including *The Invisible Day*. Marthe Jocelyn lives in New York City.
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### From School Library Journal
Grade 3-6-Sixth-grader Billie Stoner is back for another adventure along with her friend Jody, a science genius who invented a special invisibility powder in The Invisible Day (Dutton, 1997). Here, Billie's longing for a pet overwhelms her good sense. The girls agree that making a puppy invisible might be a good way to have a dog without Billie's mother knowing. What follows are two madcap days that stretch Billie's endurance and inventiveness to the breaking point, as she struggles to keep Harry hidden at home and at school. When she finally realizes that her pet needs a proper home, she struggles to make him reappear without being discovered. Billie's well-developed character shines through in the descriptions of her frenetic days of dog ownership. As a result of her experiences, she learns to temper her egocentrism and to balance her frustration with the foibles of her family with her love for them. Though the other characters are not as fully drawn, their relationships with Billie ring true. Her scrapes with a younger, pesty sister and her anxiety over her divorced parents' antagonism toward one another are particularly convincing. Billie's constructive handling of her problems and her amusingly perceptive comments about the people in her world add depth to the story. A too-pat ending only slightly mars an otherwise lively and enjoyable tale.
*Maggie McEwen, Coffin Elementary School, Brunswick, ME*
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
### Review
“Young readers in the mood for something that registers 9.6 on the silly meter will thoroughly enjoy this book. Highly recommended.”
–*Canadian Book Annual Review*
*From the Hardcover edition.*
Description:
What's a girl to do when her parents won't let her get a puppy? If she's fifth-grader Billie Stoner and has a baby-sitter who also happens to be a teenage mad scientist, she can make her pet turn invisible! But Billie soon finds that keeping her new dog, Harry Houdini, under wraps isn't as easy as she had hoped--especially in her tiny Manhattan apartment. To begin with, he still smells like a puppy, feels like a puppy, and worst of all, *sounds* like a puppy. There are only so many times Billie can pretend to be barking before her parents thinks she's going crazy! And with her evil classmate, Alissa, catching on to the secret, just how long can Billie keep Harry concealed? Fans of *The Invisible Day*, which *Publishers Weekly* called a sure-fire crowd pleaser, will warmly welcome Marthe Jocelyn's unforgettable cast of zany characters, as well as some exciting new additions. With Abby Carter's quirky pencil illustrations, both delightfully funny and contemporary, this easy-to-read novel will be an instant hit with hip young readers. Marthe Jocelyn is a successful toy maker and children's-clothing designer who also illustrates books. Abby Carter is the illustrator of many children's books, including *The Invisible Day*. Marthe Jocelyn lives in New York City. ** ### From School Library Journal Grade 3-6-Sixth-grader Billie Stoner is back for another adventure along with her friend Jody, a science genius who invented a special invisibility powder in The Invisible Day (Dutton, 1997). Here, Billie's longing for a pet overwhelms her good sense. The girls agree that making a puppy invisible might be a good way to have a dog without Billie's mother knowing. What follows are two madcap days that stretch Billie's endurance and inventiveness to the breaking point, as she struggles to keep Harry hidden at home and at school. When she finally realizes that her pet needs a proper home, she struggles to make him reappear without being discovered. Billie's well-developed character shines through in the descriptions of her frenetic days of dog ownership. As a result of her experiences, she learns to temper her egocentrism and to balance her frustration with the foibles of her family with her love for them. Though the other characters are not as fully drawn, their relationships with Billie ring true. Her scrapes with a younger, pesty sister and her anxiety over her divorced parents' antagonism toward one another are particularly convincing. Billie's constructive handling of her problems and her amusingly perceptive comments about the people in her world add depth to the story. A too-pat ending only slightly mars an otherwise lively and enjoyable tale. *Maggie McEwen, Coffin Elementary School, Brunswick, ME* Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. ### Review “Young readers in the mood for something that registers 9.6 on the silly meter will thoroughly enjoy this book. Highly recommended.” –*Canadian Book Annual Review* *From the Hardcover edition.*