The Expets - by Mark Tatulli (Hardcover)

About the Book

"This is a story of a pet dog named Bosco who discovers he has special skills and is asked to join the eXpets and saved the world's kittens from an evil mastermind"--

Book Synopsis

Perfect for fans of Captain Underpants and Dog Man, this first book in a hilarious new middle grade graphic novel series follows a stinky dog reluctantly recruited by a team of super-pets to rescue missing kittens!

Bosco the dog loves being a house pet, loves his comfy dog bed and nice big house and, of course, his favorite toy kitty. So when two burglars break in, Bosco defends his home with all his might, which includes releasing some well-timed--and near supersonic--stink that repels the would-be thieves. With his foes in retreat, Bosco thinks it's all over...until a robot descends from the sky.

The flying robot delivers Bosco to the city and tells him that, due to his unusual "abilities," he's been chosen to become one of the eXpets, a team of superheroes with extraordinary abilities who team up to solve problems of all sizes. Bosco would be joining a turtle mastermind, a laser-eyed kitty, Wonder-Guppy, and Ginormous Gerbil. The mission? Rescuing the world's kittens, who have all gone mysteriously missing. Bosco isn't sure he's all that extraordinary and certainly doesn't enjoy tasks with a lot of pressure. But...how can he turn his back on kittens?!

Can the ragtag group move past getting off on the wrong paw to track down the catnapped cuties and save the day?

Review Quotes

After all the kittens in the world are abducted, it's domesticated animal superheroes to the rescue! [...] Cue the slogan--"eXpets exceed expectations!"--on the way to a triumphant finish featuring a round of parties and parades back on Earth, plus a twist or two to set up future episodes. Plenty of silly hijinks to keep the pages turning; readers will find this a gas.

--Kirkus Reviews "3/1/24"

About the Author

Mark Tatulli is the author of the illustrated middle grade books The Big Break and Short & Skinny as well as the Desmond Pucket and eXpets series. He wrote and illustrated two picture books: Daydreaming and They Came. He is also an internationally syndicated cartoonist, best known for his popular comic strips Heart of the City and Lio, which appear in 400 newspapers all over the world. In addition to his cartooning experience, Tatulli is an accomplished filmmaker and animator and is the recipient of three Emmy Awards for his prior work in television. Mark lives in a Spielbergian development in New Jersey with his wife Donna and several nefarious cats.