George has a good life with the man and the woman. As an aging dog who likes to take it slow, he fits comfortably into their steady, everyday routines. But life changes dramatically when a stray dog comes to stay. Zippity, a small, noisy energetic dog, not only livens up the household but also does amazing things for the man and the woman—things that George has never done. He fetches the newspaper, runs ahead to the grocery store to deliver the shopping list, and even catches fish by himself on their frequent fishing trips. George is not particularly fond of Zippity and the changes he’s brought with him, but when the new dog runs away during a bad storm, it’s dependable old George who manages to track him down. Ard Hoyt’s lively illustrations capture both the humor and the drama of a story showing two very different types of dogs and many ways of contributing to a family. (Ages 3–6)