K9 Mattis on the Job: A Day in the Life of a Police Dog

Meet Mattis, a K9 police dog who loves helping people and fighting crime alongside his partner, Sergeant Mark. Learn what Mattis's favorite part of the day is as he follows scent trails, tracks down missing items, and performs his official police work. K9 Mattis on the Job from author and police sergeant Mark Tappan will captivate kids as they discover what a day in the life of a German shepherd police dog is all about.

Real-life hero Mattis the K9 officer first captured America's hearts on A&E's America's Top Dog and at school visits across the country. Now, through this fun story based on Mattis's official police work, kids will find out what this pup loves to do each day, from driving to the police station in the morning (okay, Sergeant Mark does most of the driving) to training with the other officers to using his super sniffer to find missing items! But can you guess what Mattis's favorite part of the day is?

This picture book

• is for boys and girls ages 4 to 8;
• is for kids who love dogs, are fascinated by police officers or other first responders, or are fans of PAW Patrol's Chase and Officer Buckle and Gloria;
• includes bright, action-packed illustrations; and
• is a perfect choice for read-aloud events at school or libraries.

Find out why so many have already fallen in love with one of America's fluffiest heroes!

Sergeant Mark Tappan shares a special bond with his K9 partner Mattis, one of the most decorated police K9s of all time. He knows that true success is built on relationships—with friends and family, the communities we’re in, and the dogs beside us. He learned his canine-training skills from his father, who trained Labrador retrievers. Mark often talks about how his determination and competitive drive set him up well for his careers as a marine, a youth pastor, and now a sergeant in the Alpharetta Police Department. While Mark has trained many dogs in his tenure as an officer, he believes Mattis is the best.

Donald Wu was born in Hong Kong and grew up in Oakland, California. His passion for drawing and comic books led him to attend California College of the Arts, where he studied illustration. He has been working full time in the field of children’s illustration for over 15 years. When Donald is not in his home studio, surrounded by toys and books, he can be found on the bay, paddling with his dragon-boat team. Donald currently lives in the San Francisco Bay area with his wife, Leanne; son, Nolan; daughter, Violet; and dog, Honey.