Mystery in the Grand Canyon (Sir Edmund of the Wild West #1)

Bowling (Holding on for Dear Life) centers the first-person perspective of Edmund, a seizure-alert service dog who goes from the lap of luxury to the great outdoors in this lightly speculative chapter book series opener. Following his elderly British owner’s death, goldendoodle Edmund is certain that his next job will be as a royal guard dog at Buckingham Palace. Instead, he’s adopted by Willy, a ghost hunter traveling to the Grand Canyon to track down the spirits of a pair of river rafters who disappeared in the 1920s. While Willy uses a machine to hunt apparitions, however, Edmund doesn’t need such devices, as “just like any dog, I could see ghosts.” As Willy and Edmund delve into the mystery of the missing rafters, Edmund communicates with a host of spirits. Along the way, the pooch grows closer to Willy and learns to accept his new lot in life. Though the expository prose can be dense, fascinating American Southwest lore peppers this upbeat tale that features bustling b&w illustrations from Hughes (Sesame Street: Sunny Stories). An author’s note details the real-life inspiration of specific characters and situations. Ages 7–11. Author’s agent: Shannon Hassan, Marsal Lyon Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Francesca Lecchini-Lee, Bright Agency. (Mar.)