The eXpets

Ages 7 to 12, Grades 2 to 7

Perfect for fans of Captain Underpants and Dog Man, this first book in a hilarious new middle grade graphic novel series follows a stinky dog reluctantly recruited by a team of super-pets to rescue missing kittens!

Bosco the dog loves being a house pet, loves his comfy dog bed and nice big house and, of course, his favorite toy kitty. So when two burglars break in, Bosco defends his home with all his might, which includes releasing some well-timed—and near supersonic—stink that repels the would-be thieves. With his foes in retreat, Bosco thinks it’s all over…until a robot descends from the sky.

The flying robot delivers Bosco to the city and tells him that, due to his unusual “abilities,” he’s been chosen to become one of the eXpets, a team of superheroes with extraordinary abilities who team up to solve problems of all sizes. Bosco would be joining a turtle mastermind, a laser-eyed kitty, Wonder-Guppy, and Ginormous Gerbil. The mission? Rescuing the world’s kittens, who have all gone mysteriously missing. Bosco isn’t sure he’s all that extraordinary and certainly doesn’t enjoy tasks with a lot of pressure. But…how can he turn his back on kittens?!

Can the ragtag group move past getting off on the wrong paw to track down the catnapped cuties and save the day?

About the Author

Mark Tatulli is an internationally syndicated cartoonist, best known for his popular comic strips Heart of the City and Lio, which appear in 400 newspapers all over the world. Lio was nominated for Germany’s 2010 Max & Moritz Award and won the National Cartoonists Society’s Best Comic Strip in 2008. He’s expanded his cartooning and writing into middle grade books, making the illustrated series Desmond Pucket and the graphic novel series The eXpets. He also wrote and illustrated two picture books, Daydreaming and They Came. In addition to his cartooning experience, Tatulli is also an accomplished filmmaker and animator, and is the recipient of three Emmy Awards for his prior work in television. Mark lives in a Spielbergian development in New Jersey with his wife Donna and several nefarious cats.