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The Adventures of Captain Cutie Pie and Deputy Boo

Book 4: Christmas in July
By: Denise Cole and Andrea Lurier

When the goats’ most treasured toy – a big red ball – disappears, emotions run high. The ball isn’t just a toy—it’s a family heirloom, passed down through generations, and the key to the goats’ favorite activity: “Play, play, play, every day, all day!”

Certain that someone must have taken their ball, the goats are very upset and quickly turn to Captain Cutie Pie and Deputy Boo for help.

Determined to solve the mystery without accusing any innocent friends, our heroes decide to conduct a careful and thoughtful investigation. With help from Blue the Messenger, they soon discover a big red ball… But is it the goats’ big red ball? After all, as the goat Kiley wisely points out, there are a “quadruple zillion million” red balls in the world.

As Captain Cutie Pie and Deputy Boo gather clues and listen to everyone’s side of the story, they show the neighborhood that slowing down, asking questions, and being fair matter just as much as solving the mystery.

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The Adventures of Captain Cutie Pie and Deputy Boo
Book 4
Christmas in July

When the goats’ most treasured toy – a big red ball – disappears, emotions run high. The ball isn’t just a toy—it’s a family heirloom, passed down through generations, and the key to the goats’ favorite activity: “play, play, play, every day, all day!” Certain someone must have taken their ball, the goats are upset and frustrated. They quickly turn to Captain Cutie Pie and Deputy Boo for help.

Determined to solve the mystery without accusing any innocent friends, our heroes decide to conduct a careful and thoughtful investigation. With help from Blue the Messenger, they soon discover a big red ball… but is it the big red ball? After all, as the goat Kiley wisely points out, there are a “quadruple zillion million” red balls in the world.

As Captain Cutie Pie and Deputy Boo gather clues and listen to everyone’s side of the story, they show the neighborhood that slowing down, asking questions, and being fair matter just as much as solving the mystery.

Can careful thinking, teamwork, and kindness lead Captain Cutie Pie and Deputy Boo to the right ball — so the goats can get back to doing what they do best?

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Other Books by the Author

The Adventures of Captain Cutie Pie and Deputy Boo
Book 1
How They Got Their Nicknames

The first book in the series introduces Bubba and Boo—a cat and a bird who are brothers—as they set off to explore their new neighborhood after moving to Marshall Township. They had overheard an exciting (and true!) story about a beaver. Curiosity about the beaver takes over, and the adventure begins.

As Bubba and Boo search for the mysterious beaver, they make lots of new friends along the way—all inspired by real animals that live in and around Marshall Township.

At last, they meet the beaver, Matilda, and discover she has a problem she can’t fix on her own. Bubba and Boo spring into action, calling on their new friends for help, and showing that teamwork makes even the biggest problems feel smaller. Thankful for their leadership, Matilda gives Bubba and Boo their nicknames—Captain Cutie Pie and Deputy Boo. The neighborhood friends agree these are fitting titles for their new neighbors.

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The Adventures of Captain Cutie Pie and Deputy Boo
Book 2
Everyone is Afraid of Something

A new animal—an ostrich—has just moved into Marshall Township! Excited to welcome their new neighbor and eager to help him feel at home, Bubba and Boo decide to throw a surprise welcome party with all their neighborhood friends.

Eddie, the neighborhood prankster, insists he’s heard that ostriches stick their heads in the sand when they’re scared. Bubba and Boo do a little research and try to explain to Eddie that this idea is actually just a myth. Eddie, however, is determined to prove he’s right. Instead of helping with the party, he cooks up a mischievous plan to scare the ostrich and see what happens.

The discussion around what ostriches do when they’re scared acts as a springboard for the neighborhood friends to discuss things that scare them and how they handle their fears. With a playful and entertaining tone, the story invites children to talk openly with their caregivers about their own worries and feelings.

As two very different plans develop and unfold at the same time, they race toward each other in a fun, fast-paced, and exciting climax that brings the whole neighborhood together.

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The Adventures of Captain Cutie Pie and Deputy Boo
Book 3
Everyone Has Something to Contribute

The family of goats that live up the road from Bubba and Boo are in trouble. They were out playing on a beautiful sunny day, getting farther and farther away from home, when suddenly a fierce storm struck. The pounding rain causes the water of Big Sewickley Creek to rise and wash away the little wooden bridge that is the goats’ only way home. A few of the goats get stranded on the other side of the creek. They need help from their neighborhood friends, but the task seems impossible to accomplish.

The goats send a message to our heroes, Captain Cutie Pie (Bubba) and Deputy Boo, seeking their help. Okay, but can a cat and a bird build a bridge? Sure, they can! In fact, they build the most perfect bridge, metaphorically speaking, proving that teamwork, creativity, and kindness can overcome any obstacle. Together they show that everyone – no matter how big, small, furry, or feathered – has something to contribute.

Heartfelt, funny, and full of community spirit, Captain Cutie Pie and Deputy Boo’s latest mission reminds readers that the strongest bridges are built not from wood or stone, but from friendship and cooperation.

This story is about discovering the hidden and unique talents each of us brings to the world.

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Reviewed by Elizabeth Upshur for Reader Views (2026)

Author Denise Cole and Andrea Lurier’s latest installment in the darling animal series, The Adventures of Captain Cutie Pie and Deputy Boo (book 3) has arrived! In this story, Everyone has Something to Contribute, our favorite cat and bird duo are relaxing at home as a thunderstorm approaches. With high chances of rain, it looks like a good day to curl up inside and snack on cat food and bird seed. But wait! Our intrepid pair are called upon by their friend Blue (a Blue Heron) with a message—their friends, the goats, are trapped on the other side of a river!

Yup, thanks to this thunderstorm, the river has overflowed and swallowed up the bridge, leaving them stranded and far away from their family and their safe, warm barn. Captain Cutie Pie and Deputy Boo quickly assess the situation and realize that they need more help to get out of this sticky situation. They call on an old friend who offers them some wisdom…in the form of what sounds like a riddle! Undeterred, and now armed with that knowledge, they brave the continued storms to solve the riddles, gather their friends, and use all of their combined skills to get the goats safely home. Can they mount this rescue before their human returns home? Read through and see how this adventure ends!

I appreciate the focus on the baby goats and how they learn and grow from their experience in the storm to fully understand that everyone, no matter their size, their strength, or their attention span, has something to offer and to help in a situation. The message unfolds without being preachy or too obvious. This is a very relevant message for young readers to learn and to think about as they start to consider what problems they might want to solve in the world and what their future holds.

This book definitely invites conversation and reflection beyond the story—as audiences ask themselves, will they use their love of food to help become a food scientist, a chef, or a farmer? Will they follow their love of science to become an astronaut or their interest in music to become a choreographer? There are so many wonderful ways to follow our curiosity, and for that curiosity to usher something new and incredible to the world, from making a bridge across literal troubled waters to engineering the world’s tallest skyscraper. The Adventures of Captain Cutie Pie and Deputy Boo: Everyone has Something to Contribute is a fantastic read.