Pepper and Boo series by Charise Mericle Harper

 

Pepper and Boo are two, slightly crazy dogs. They live with a suspicious housemate, the Cat. This series is perfect for newly independent readers who like funny books. If you are reading a book from this series in your family, you could take turns to be Pepper or Boo or the long-suffering cat. The voices are easy to follow because Charise Haper uses different speech bubble colour to show which dog is speaking.

Cat is a solitary creature, so she speaks to herself and about herself. Her commentary is so funny. 

Plot Book One - A cat surprise: They are two dogs who do not know much about cats. (Who does?) They wonder why the cat sleeps so much (in their beds!), licks itself so much, what the cat is thinking, and what makes the cat happy. Luckily, the cat can explain. The cat knows a lot about being a cat. They know a cat will sleep anywhere (a box, a keyboard, a sink, and Boo's bed) and any time of day. They know what cats like and do not like to eat. They also know that although they are different, they're happy to have housemates like Pepper and Boo.

Plot Book Two - Puddle Trouble: Pepper and Boo are two dogs who like to have fun. The Cat likes to have fun, too, but cat fun is very different from dog fun. Cats can have fun with a newspaper, a bottle cap, an ice cube, and some boxes. Dogs like to have fun by chasing leaves, biting sticks, and licking the grass. That’s not the only way cats and dogs are different. The Cat explains while Pepper and Boo try to find coats so they can go outside on a rainy day. With the perfect coat, cats and dogs can all have fun outside together. 

Plot Book Three - Paws up for joy!: Pepper and Boo are two dogs who love to celebrate. What could be more special than a day in the house without the Cat! The dogs can play with their toys and dance for treats and the cat will not come running. Hooray, the cat is outside. The Cat knows about special things too. Special things can be big, but sometimes special things can also be small. Like a sunny day after lots of rain, a yummy smell, a little bug, or even a sweet sound. When you look, there are joys to be found. At the end of the day there is one last surprise - the feeling of family.

Charise Mericle Harper is author of many books for young readers including the Just Grace series Charise lives in Oregon. You can see lots of other books - picture books, older readers graphic novels and more at her website.