Theo’s friends with Paul Eessman, the hapless cop next door, and his undeclared ambition is to be a police officer. Theo joins forces with Paul to save Sherlock, the witless family dog, when an authoritarian new officer threatens to impound him, and the family has no receipt to prove ownership; other dogs begin to meet a similar fate. Nic and Ellen resort to harsh tactics: tossing hot coffee in the cop’s face. Rob decides to hide Sherlock with Stola in jail, where she’s been for years. Shockingly, Stola produces a valid receipt (uncharacteristically, for a Pincher, she didn’t steal Sherlock). A hint about the new cop’s identity is soon confirmed, and the focus shifts to Theo’s rescue plan. The book comes to a satisfying close, but loose ends remain to pull readers into the next absorbing, convention-flouting adventure. Vignette illustrations offer zany realism; characters’ clothing cues identify roles. Interludes from Sherlock’s perspective ramp up the humor. Although the language, translated from Swedish, lacks Dav Pilkey’s verve, Dog Man fans will devour this series. Children need not be familiar with the first installment, though they’ll want to go back to it. Characters are light-skinned.
