Dogs in space! Share this book with middle graders who enjoy stories about dogs, space adventures, or action adventure stories—or all three! Perfect for fans of Homeward Bound and Woof.

Lopside is a Barkonaut, a specially trained dog who assists human astronauts on missions in space. He and the crew aboard the spaceship Laika are en route to set up an outpost on a distant planet.

When the mission takes a disastrous turn, the Barkonauts on board suddenly find themselves completely alone on their severely damaged ship.

Survival seems impossible. But these dogs are Barkonauts—and Barkonauts always complete their mission.

SOS. Ship damaged. Human crew missing.

We are the dogs. We are alone.

• Dogs in Space: Meet the Barkonauts! Lopside, Champion, Bug, and Daisy are specially trained dogs on a mission to a distant planet aboard the spaceship Laika.
• A Mysterious Disappearance: When a disaster damages their ship, the dogs wake up from hibernation to find their human crew is gone. Where did they go? And can the Barkonauts survive without them?
• An Unlikely Team of Heroes: With a determined leader, a grumpy engineer, a goofy pup, and a little ratter who has to find his courage, this pack must learn to rely on each other to fix their ship and stay alive.
• Action-Packed Space Adventure: From daring spacewalks to engine explosions and desperate repairs, this fast-paced story is perfect for middle grade readers who love thrilling adventures.