Strudel's Forever Home — Martha Freeman

Strudel, a homeless dachshund, loves listening to Jake read from "Chief, Dog of the Old West" at the animal shelter. When Jake decides to adopt him, Strudel vows to be as brave and loyal as Chief. Only trying to fend off danger in his new home leads to trouble when Strudel makes mistakes such as shredding a "rattlesnake" that is actually a garden hose. But despite Strudel's humorous miscalculations, his instincts are mostly correct. He knows who is really a member of his pack, and that Mom's boyfriend Arne can't be trusted. In a surprising climax Strudel finds his former master, exposes Arne and is reunited with an old friend. Middle-grade readers can get a dog's eye view as an irrepressible dachshund narrates this touching story of a dog who needed a family, and a struggling family who needed a dog.