Having run a successful pet funeral business for some time, Ernie hires Swimming Pool to assist him, yet when he refuses to give her the raise she deserves, Swimming Pool sets up her own business that operates in direct competition with her former boss.

The Beloved Dearly

Children's Books

Cooney, Doug

Literature & Fiction

Simon&Schuster Children's Publishing

I Know Who Likes You

When Swimming Pool's mother insists she graduate from charm school or give up baseball, Ernie, who is the reluctant team manager, and Dusty, the catcher, pull together to help the team and their friend.

Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers

Ernie is a twelve-year-old tycoon, always on the lookout for a fast buck. This time he stumbles onto a money-making bonanza: pet funerals. He hires Dusty to decorate the burial boxes and Tony to dig the holes, but his prize find is Swimming Pool, a tomboy who can cry on cue. Business goes through the roof -- until Ernie loses Swimming Pool over a raise and the whole venture unravels. Here is a rollicking, fun-spirited novel about friendship, loss, business -- and how we learn to express our feelings.

Animals

"She's practically perfect," Megan said thoughtfully. She repeated the new girl's name, practicing the way Ms. Endee had written it on the whiteboard. "Alexis Powell." Megan has spent forever planning her positively purple birthday sleepover. She's even made glittery purple invitations for every girl in her class. Then a new girl, Alexis, joins their class. Alexis seems perfect: She's smart, pretty, and rules the soccer games on the playground. But no matter how hard Megan tries to be a friend to Alexis, the new girl is aloof or rude. At first, Megan thinks Alexis is shy. Then Megan starts to fear that Alexis is treating her differently because she's deaf. When the girls are forced to collaborate on a science fair project, Megan learns the truth -- and realizes that nobody's perfect. Once again Marlee Matlin draws on experiences from her own childhood to tell Megan's story. In this funny, poignant book, readers will root for Megan, a spirited young girl who doesn't let anything stand in her way.

Nobody's Perfect

Matlin, Marlee

"It doesn't make sense to me...in the book, Dorothy is a girl who can hear and talk - and Toto is a little dog. So I'm sorry - but I just don't see a Dorothy who's deaf and talks with her hands and has a great big dog for Toto!" Megan's fourth-grade class is putting on their own original musical based on the book The Wizard of Oz, and Megan wants to be the star of the show and play Dorothy. Since she's deaf, she will sign the songs for her audition. However, a problem develops when Lizzie, her best friend from camp, transfers from her all-deaf school to Megan's class - and signs the same two songs that Megan was going to do! Luckily, Megan has some other ideas up her sleeve... Academy Award-winning actress Marlee Matlin and Doug Cooney follow Deaf Child Crossing and Nobody's Perfect with this winning story that perfectly captures the humor, joys, and frustration of childhood friendships.

Leading Ladies

Newly appointed Little League team manager, Ernie, fears it's the end of the Central Comets when Swimming Pool's mom gives her an ultimatum: Go to charm school, or no more Little League. Swimming Pool, the tomboy - in charm school? That's a stretch. And no matter how hard she tries, she can't seem to get the hang of acting like a "girlie-girl" To make matters worse, Ernie's dad is dating Cat Lady, and Ernie's teammates think it's a big joke. But just when it seems like all is lost, Ernie comes up with a plan: He'll enlist Dusty and open his own charm school. Now if he can only figure out who left him the note that says, "I know who likes you"

S&S Books for Young Readers

Megan has spent forever planning her positively purple birthday sleepover. She's even made glittery purple invitations for every girl in her class. Then a new girl, Alexis Powell, joins their class. Alexis seems perfect: She's smart, pretty, and rules the soccer games on the playground. But no matter how hard Megan tries to be a friend to Alexis, the new girl is aloof or rude. At first Megan thinks Alexis is shy. Then Megan starts to fear that Alexis is treating her differently because she's deaf. When the girls are forced to collaborate on a science fair project, Megan learns the truth -- and realizes that nobody's perfect. Once again Marlee Matlin draws on experiences from her own childhood to tell Megan's story. In this funny, poignant book, readers will root for Megan, a spirited young girl who doesn't let anything stand in her way.

FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. Having run a successful pet funeral business for some time, Ernie hires Swimming Pool to assist him. Yet when he refuses to give her the raise she deserves, Swimming Pool sets up her own business to compete with her former boss.

The Beloved Dearly (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition)

Humor & Entertainment

Turtleback Books

The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip: Based on the Novel By George Saunders

Dramatic Publishing

Ernie Castellano, fast-talking wheeler-dealer kid, has come up with his greatest idea yet: pet funerals! With his pals Dusty (an artist in coffins) and Swimming Pool (one of the world's great criers, an asset to any funeral she attends) Ernie creates a thriving business burying bunnies and interring iguanas. But when Ernie's ego gets out of control, he digs a hole for himself that may be too deep to climb out of. High-spirited, hilarious, and unexpectedly moving, The Beloved Dearly is a sparkling debut for a major new voice in books for young readers. Doug Cooney resides in Los Angeles, where he writes for stage, screen, and television. He recently finished the screenplay for an animated version of the classic Dr. Seuss film “The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T.” An accomplished actor and performance artist, Doug himself provides a richly nuanced narration for this recording. Cast: Karam Anthony, David Baker, Daniel Bostick, Doug Cooney, Joanna D'Aloisio, Will Dougherty, Liam Fitzpatrick, Taylor Gray, Morgan Gregory, Jeffrey Izant, Jennifer Menter, Spencer Murphy, Kelly Parks, Ryan Sparkes, Joe Sweeney, Lauren Unbekant, Carmen Viviano-Crafts, Juno Wright.

The Beloved Dearly: Library Edition

Growing Up & Facts of Life

Full Cast Audio

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Cooney, Doug. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Cooney, Doug

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Cooney, Doug. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

The Beloved Dearly

I Know Who Likes You

The Beloved Dearly

Nobody's Perfect

Leading Ladies

I Know Who Likes You

Nobody's Perfect

The Beloved Dearly (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition)

The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip: Based on the Novel By George Saunders

The Beloved Dearly: Library Edition