“Hey, I told you—I’m an excellent actress. That’s what the scene needed. A kiss to shock the audience. An actress always gives the scene what it needs to move forward.”
Oscar nodded. He wasn’t going to let Molly see how much she’d just hurt his feelings. Because he was a dogg. Doggs weren’t supposed to have sad feelings. At least, not for very long.
“Yeah, I knew you were faking it, Molly… I mean Miss Hissleton. I really shouldn’t call you by your first name, right? We’re not friends. Never have been, never will be. I mean, how could we be friends? You’re a katt. I’m a dogg. I get it.”
Molly grinned. “Well, actually you don’t get it, goofball.”
“Huh?”
“I was acting just now.”
“Huh?”
“We are friends. In fact, after everything we went through together, I’d say we’re the best of friends. BFFs, even. Best Friends Forever. I guess that’s what happens when you save each other’s lives on a daily basis. I’m sorry it took me awhile to understand how much you mean to me. I’ll never forget it from now on.”
Oscar was so happy, his tail nearly thumped a hole in the stage floor. He grabbed Molly’s paw and held it high.
It brought the house down.
Chapter 63
The next summer, two enraged drivers were racing their cars toward the Western Frontier Park.
One was full of katts. The other carried doggs.
“Aw, cheese on a biscuit!” growled the dogg behind the wheel of the car on the left. “That crazy katt up there hocked up a hairball and splattered it all over my windshield!”
He floored his accelerator. The car sped up.
“Brody?” said his wife, holding on to an overhead handle for dear life. “Did you forget to take your distemper shot this morning?”
“No, Trixie. But I am gonna run that katt off the road.”
“You’re scaring me!”
“Then sit on a wee-wee pad!”
The dogg car pulled alongside the katt car.
“Hey, fish breath!” shouted the dogg.
“Doggs,” sneered the katt driver. “The more they bark, the less I care.”
“You want some of this?” asked the dogg, balling up his paw.
“Some of what? Your ignorance or your stupidity?”
When they were maybe one hundred yards away from the entrance to the Western Frontier Park, the two drivers heard a siren. They both looked up at their rearview mirrors and saw…
A katt wearing a helmet with a twirling red light riding on the back of a very fast running dogg.
“Pull over, please!” called the katt through a bullhorn. Her diction was extremely good. Her delivery, very dramatic.
The two drivers did as they were told, even though the katt and dogg law enforcement officers appeared to be very young.
The athletic dogg sprang up and over the two parked vehicles and spun around so his katt passenger could address the two drivers.
“My name is Park Ranger Molly. This is my partner, Park Ranger Oscar.”
Oscar wagged his tail and panted.
“You are about to enter the Western Frontier Park, folks,” said Molly sternly. Stern was one of her best emotions.
“You’re leaving so-called civilization,” said Oscar. “So, new rules.”
“Hey,” said the driver of the dogg vehicle. “I’ve seen you two kids on TV.”
Molly smiled. It was fun being famous.
Oscar grinned, too. It was fun spending the summer with his best pal. Especially since they got to be in charge of stuff like welcoming new guests.
“Now then,” said Oscar, “if you will kindly proceed to the brand new Katt and Dogg Campground.”
“Huh?” said the dogg driver.
“The Katt and Dogg Campground,” said Molly proudly. “Out here, katts and doggs dwell together in peace and harmony.”
“Or they will go home,” said Oscar. “That work for you?”
The dogg driver looked to his wife and the eager puppies in the backseat.
“Sure,” he said. “We’ll give it a try.”
“As will we,” said the katt driver with a sigh.
Oscar’s tail started wagging. “Who says you can’t teach old doggs new tricks?”
“Old katts, too!” said Molly.
Molly and Oscar laughed.
They did that a lot.
Because best friends forever always do.
About the Authors
James Patterson received the Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community from the National Book Foundation. He holds the Guinness World Record for the most #1 New York Times bestsellers, including Max Einstein, Middle School, I Funny, and Jacky Ha-Ha, and his books have sold more than 385 million copies worldwide. A tireless champion of the power of books and reading, Patterson created a children’s book imprint, JIMMY Patterson, whose mission is simple: “We want every kid who finishes a JIMMY Book to say, ‘PLEASE GIVE ME ANOTHER BOOK.’” He has donated more than three million books to students and soldiers and funds more than four hundred Teacher Education Scholarships at twenty-four colleges and universities. He has also donated millions of dollars to independent bookstores and school libraries. Patterson invests proceeds from the sales of JIMMY Patterson Books in pro-reading initiatives.
Chris Grabenstein is a New York Times bestselling author who has collaborated with James Patterson on the I Funny, Treasure Hunters, Jacky Ha-Ha, and House of Robots series, as well as Max Einstein, Word of Mouse, Pottymouth and Stoopid, Laugh Out Loud, and Daniel X: Armageddon. He lives in New York City.
Anuki López is an illustrator who has been drawing ever since she can remember—notebooks and pencils were her favorite childhood toys and she has never outgrown them! When Anuki is not drawing, she spends time with her lovely dog, Tanuki, who served as her drawing inspiration for Katt vs. Dogg. She lives in Seville, Spain.
JIMMY PATTERSON BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS
James Patterson Presents
Sci-Fi Junior High by John Martin and Scott Seegert
Sci-Fi Junior High: Crash Landing by John Martin and Scott Seegert
How to Be a Supervillain by Michael Fry
How to Be a Supervillain: Born to Be Good by Michael Fry
How to Be a Supervillain: Bad Guys Finish First by Michael Fry
The Unflushables by Ron Bates
Ernestine, Catastrophe Queen by Merrill Wyatt
The Middle School Series by James Patterson
Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life
Middle School: Get Me Out of Here!
Middle School: Big Fat Liar
Middle School: How I Survived Bullies, Broccoli, and Snake Hill
Middle School: Ultimate Showdown
Middle School: Save Rafe!
Middle School: Just My Rotten Luck
Middle School: Dog’s Best Friend
Middle School: Escape to Australia
Middle School: From Hero to Zero
Middle School: Born to Rock
The I Funny Series by James Patterson
I Funny
I Even Funnier
I Totally Funniest
I Funny TV
I Funny: School of Laughs
The Nerdiest, Wimpiest, Dorkiest I Funny Ever
The House of Robots Series by James Patterson
House of Robots
House of Robots: Robots Go Wild!
House of Robots: Robot Revolution
The Treasure Hunters Series by James Patterson
Treasure Hunters
Treasure Hunters: Danger Down the Nile
Treasure Hunters: Secret of the Forbidden City
Treasure Hunters: Peril at the Top of the World
Treasure Hunters: Quest for the City of Gold
Treasure Hunters: All-American Adventure
The Daniel X Series by James Patterson
The Dangerous Days of Daniel X
Daniel X: Watch the Skies
Daniel X: Demons and Druids
Daniel X: Game Over
Daniel X: Armageddon
Daniel X: Lights Out
Other Illustrated Novels and Stories
Katt vs. Dogg
Dog Diaries
Max Einstein: The Genius Experiment
Unbelievably Boring Bart
Not So Normal Norbert
Laugh Out Loud
Pottymouth and Stoopid
Jacky Ha-Ha
Jacky Ha-Ha: My Life Is a Joke
Public School Superhero
Word of Mouse
Give Please a Chance
Give Thank You a Try
Big Words for Little Geniuses
Cuddly Critters for Little Geniuses
The Candies Save Christmas
For exclusives, trailers, and other information, visit jimmypatterson.org.
PATTERSON FAMILY “KATTS AND DOGGS”
KATTS
Red Boy
Ebenezer (“Ebby”)
Inky
Max (“Maximus Kittimus”)
Kismet
Tippy-Tin
Angel (“Angie Puddin’”)
Dukie
Stubbs
O’Mally
Gizmo
Black Bird
GEO
DOGGS
Lucky, Sheepdog
Whiskey, Airedale Terrier
Laddie (“Pickles”), Cairn Terrier
Buddy, English Springer Spaniel
Gypsy, Doberman Pinscher
Mitzy, Dachshund
Bumper, Shepherd
Bingo, Manchester/Fox Terrier mix
Deli, Labrador Retriever/Setter mix
Bubba, Newfoundland
Sparky (“Sparkle Plenty”), Corgi
Nippy, Mutt
Babe, German Shepherd
Toffee, Irish Setter
Madison, German Shepherd
Chester, Labrador Retriever/Husky/Chow Chow mix
Duffy, Labrador Retriever/English Setter mix
Spotch, Labrador Retriever
Finnegan, Mutt
Stilch, Shetland Sheepdog mix
Diablo, Labrador Retriever
Beau (“Who Who Man”), Newfoundland/Labrador Retriever mix
Moxie, Labrador Retriever
Tazwasil, Jack Russell/Border Collie mix
Sassy, English Labrador Retriever
Shiraz, English Labrador Retriever
Hallie, Labrador Retriever
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Katt vs. Dogg Page 12
