Betty the Bearded Dragon

By David Roberts and Melanie Demmer

Eight-year-old Kaita Takano and her family are old pros at fostering rescued dogs and cats from the local animal shelter. But they've got their work cut out for them when a beautiful bearded dragon with plenty of attitude arrives at their doorstep. Even though Kaita narrates the rollicking adventure, this charmingly illustrated chapter book is all about Betty!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Capstone Young Readers
• Release date: May 15, 2020
• ISBN: 9781515887478

David Roberts

David Roberts is a hugely talented and versatile artist and author. David began his career in fashion illustration, and his sharp eye for form and composition is showcased beautifully in his books with Andrea Beaty, which include Ada Twist, Scientist and Iggy Peck, Architect. His work ranges from feisty retellings of fairy tales created in collaboration with his sister, Lyn (Little Red, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel), to his brilliantly funny books with Julia Donaldson such as Tyrannosaurus Drip, The Troll and The Cook and the King. In 2006 he won the Nestlé Children’s Book Prize Gold Award for his line drawings in Mouse Noses On Toast, and Little Red was shortlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal. David’s sense of humour shines through in all his work, but especially his illustrations for The Bolds series by Julian Clary and the madcap Dirty Bertie books. Suffragette: The Battle for Equality was David’s first self-authored book and is an exquisitely illustrated history of the women’s suffrage movement, which has been a passion of David’s since his school days.

Book preview

Table of Contents

Cover

Title Page

Characters

Chapter 1:Kaita Knows All

Chapter 2:Meet Betty

Chapter 3:Besties and Beardies

Chapter 4:The Clean Queen

Chapter 5:A Forever Home

Think About It

Draw It! Write It!

Glossary

Be Your Own Furry Foster Family

About the Author

About the Illustrator

Explore More

Copyright

Back Cover

CHAPTER 1

Kaita Knows All

The school bus pulled up to my stop. I waved goodbye to my friends and stepped off. Mom and Ollie were waiting for me.

Hi, Mom! Hi, Ollie! I said. I gave my mom a hug. Then I patted my mini dachshund on his head.

Yip! Yip! Yip! Ollie was always happy to see me.

Mom handed Ollie’s leash to me, and the three of us headed home. Ollie trotted in front. I loved how he held his tail high.

How was your day today, Kaita? Mom asked.

Great! I said. "You’ll never guess what Mrs. Werner told the class. She said I’m an animal expert!"

An expert, huh? Mom said. She looked at me and winked.

"OK, maybe I’m not an expert, I said. I have really learned a lot, though, since last year."

"Yes, we’ve all learned