Smart Dog — Vivian Vande Velde

Everyone knows that dogs can't talk.

They can roll over. They can fetch a stick or a ball. They can even understand words like “Sit” or “Stay.” But they most certainly can't say, “Excuse me. I'm in trouble. Could you please help me?”

Or at least that's what Amy thinks before she meets Sherlock, a brilliant talking dog who escaped from a university lab. When she agrees to help Sherlock hide, Amy's life begins to change. She's always been an easy target at school, but with a talking dog by her side, she may at last have the courage to stand up to the class bully once and for all.