Sir Edmund of the Wild West: Mystery in the Grand Canyon

The Secret Life of Pets meets Ranger in Time in this humorous, historic, and mildly haunted illustrated chapter book series featuring a service dog who thinks he’s British, tasked with chasing the unsolved ghost stories of the Southwest.

Edmund, a goldendoodle and seizure-alert dog of esteemed lineage (at least according to him) is destined for life in a palace. Buckingham Palace, to be precise.

He is an expert at all things British—from tasty kidney pies to the cozy mysteries of Jessica Fletcher—and thus he believes he is meant to be a Royal Guard, serving the King of England.

But when Edmund’s beloved owner dies, he gets adopted by a veteran called Wild West Willy, an aspiring ghosthunter. Willy aims to travel to the Grand Canyon, where he’ll uncover the truth behind the disappearance of a couple who went missing in 1928. Little does Willy know that Edmund can actually see ghosts!

Should Edmund help out and solve the mystery, even though it isn’t quite as grand as serving in the Royal Guard? Maybe his destiny is closer to home than he realized. . . .

From the award-winning, bestselling author of Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus comes a funny new chapter book series that captures the heartwarming bond between man and his best friend—even when his best friend is a bit delusional.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard SelectionCombined with historical facts about the Grand Canyon and Edmund demonstrating the skills a service dog is capable of, this book delivers an appealing blend of topics and genres. A delight for dog lovers with some wonderfully tender moments.
—Kirkus Reviews

Fascinating American Southwest lore peppers this upbeat tale that features bustling b&w illustrations from Hughes.
—Publishers Weekly

Provides rich opportunities for discussion around how stories can braid together history, folklore, and contemporary challenges like chronic illness or PTSD.
—School Library Journal

Edmund is utterly charming, with Hughes’ pencil sketches bringing him to life in his fluffy, sweet-eyed glory. The mystery is compelling and the danger feels real, with Edmund and Willy traversing the canyon and learning of the many deaths that have taken place there; an afterword offers notes on the historical basis for many of their encounters. Bowling’s story is also a moving tale of finding purpose and making space for grief and love. Good for independent readers or classroom read-alongs.
—BooklistDusti Bowling is the award-winning, Publishers Weekly bestselling author of several middle grade and chapter books. Her books have garnered fifteen starred reviews and have won multiple awards including the Reading the West Award, the Sakura Medal, a Golden Kite Honor, the William Allen White Children's Book Award, and have been nominated for over thirty state awards (having won several). Her books are Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selections and have been named best books of the year by the Chicago Public Library, Kirkus, Bank Street College of Education, A Mighty Girl, Shelf Awareness, and many more. She lives in Arizona with her family.

Beth Hughes is an illustrator and concept artist who loves bright colors and silly animals. Based in the Midwest, most of their days are spent working on projects from picture books to animated television shows (when their dog and cat aren't demanding their attention!).