Smells Like Treasure

Gr 4—7—Homer Winslow Pudding, nephew of the late, great treasure hunter Drake Pudding, received upon his uncle's untimely demise a basset hound named Dog and a gold membership coin for L.O.S.T. (the Society of Legends, Objects, Secrets, and Treasures). When a letter from this clandestine organization arrives, stating simply, "Your time has come," Homer can't wait to get started. He hopes that L.O.S.T. will help finance his search for the booty of legendary pirate Rumpold Smeller, and Dog will get to use his secret skill-sniffing out treasure (the only thing he can, in fact, smell). Unfortunately, attempting to take his place in L.O.S.T. turns out to be more difficult than Homer imagined. His one-time friend, Lorelei, stole the membership coin in Smells Like Dog (Little, Brown, 2010) and now she's back, claiming that Drake actually bequeathed it to her. The two must compete for the seat, and what follows is a funny, suspenseful adventure that stretches the borders of readers' imaginations. A heartwarming and quirky cast of characters adds to the fun. Rumpold Smeller's tale is woven throughout Homer's, a story-within-a-story with its own delightful surprise ending. Homer and Dog are a strange, silly, and lovable duo.—Mandy Lawrence, Fowler Middle School, Frisco, TX