THE WIZARD'S DOG

Merlin's adopted pup, Nosewise, lives with the legendary wizard in a house deep in the woods. Nosewise already knows simple tricks like Sit! and Shake! But when he sees Merlin teach his young apprentice, Morgana, to command fire and summon lightning, Nosewise realizes those are the tricks he'd really like to learn. He discovers a neat one when Morgana places a charmed stone around his neck like a collar: the enchantment allows him to talk.
Soon Morgana is teaching Nosewise the ways of magic in secret, but her unsupervised practice in the woods leads an evil sorcerer to their home. With Merlin captured and Morgana deceived, it's up to Nosewise to save his friends and put his family back together again. Fortunately, he has a naturally strong sense of smell and a new friend Arthur to help him out on his quest across legendary England.
Gale, the critically-acclaimed author of The Bully Book and The Zoo at the Edge of the World, refreshes the Arthurian legend through sharp dialogue and engaging characters while perfectly illuminating the concerns of middle-grade readers itching to grow up yet daunted by the wider world. Nosewise is a humorous narrator on a fast-paced journey that will keep readers hooked until the dramatic end.

The sequel THE WIZARD'S DOG FETCHES THE GRAIL to be published in June 2018. Manuscript available upon request.