Happy: The True Story of a Stray Dog Who Became a Hero

Who knew a street mutt could win the hearts of a whole town?

Happy, a scruffy stray dog, becomes a beloved hero when a fire threatens his new home. He will need all the help he can get in a town without a fire department or even fire hydrants. In this true story, neighbors work together to find a creative way to put out the fire, and Happy discovers that having a friend is the best reward.

KATE McCORMICK lives in Houston, less than a block from where Happy became an unlikely hero in 1931. She learned about Happy while researching her first book, Images of America: Southside Place. Beginning with an undated newspaper article, Kate tracked down the descendants of Happy’s owners who shared family photos and memories to help bring Happy’s story to life. The prepublished manuscript of Happy was named a finalist for the 2019 Joan Lowery Nixon Memorial Award. TINA OCHENANTE (formerly Tina Armenante) is a children’s book illustrator who studied at the Cambridge School of Art in the United Kingdom. She currently lives in San Francisco with her husband, son, and dog named Alfonso.