The Emperor's Gruckle Hound — Kathryn Cave

It's the Emperor's birthday -- but he's not happy. Presents spill over the steps of the palace, but he doesn't like any of them. Then Fred, the gardener, finds a missing label and attaches it to a stray puppy -- The Last of the Gruckle Hounds. The Emperor is overjoyed (never mind that he doesn't know what a gruckle is!) The Last of the Gruckle Hounds lives a life of luxury, sleeping on silk cushions, feasting on salmon -- while his twin brother, Scruff, searches for slops in the city's bins. Will the puppies ever meet again? And, if they do, will Fred's trick be discovered?