Bronze-prize winner of the Moonbeam Children’s Award for best first book!

It is a day like any other in sunny Oak Grove—until Riker the poodle comes squealing around the corner in his bright yellow taxi! Mr. Mouse, Mrs. Dragonfly, Professor Squirrel, and even Riker’s very best friend witness the terrible taxi trouble he’s causing, but what can they do? Leave it to Riker to offer up a playful and imaginative solution!

Tracy Sides is an epidemiologist who has worked in public health for more than twenty years. She is also an adventurer who loves dogs. However, not even bushwhacking in the rain forests of Costa Rica, bicycling across the US, or bungee jumping in New Zealand could prepare her for the amazing adventure of raising a puppy named Riker, who became her beloved companion and friend. She wrote this book as a tribute to the endless source of love and amusement that pets can bring into our lives.

Tracy Sides lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota, with her husband and a lifetime of joyful memories running, playing, skijoring, and cuddling with Riker the black poodle.

Kevin Cannon is a cartoonist and illustrator. His cartoon maps have appeared in the Village Voice, Miami New Times, Minnesota Monthly, and the Star Tribune, among other publications. Kevin has illustrated numerous children's books, including Ben and Lucy Play Pond Hockey and Charley the Bulldog's Fantastic Fruit Stand. He lives in Minneapolis with his beautiful wife, Maggie, and adorable son, Ulysses.

"It is a day like any other in sunny Oak Grove -- until Riker the poodle comes squealing around the corner in his bright yellow taxi! Mr. Mouse, Mrs. Dragonfly, Professor Squirrel, and even Riker's very best friend witness the terrible taxi trouble he's causing, but what can they do? Leave it to Riker to offer up a playful and imaginative solution! The collaborative work of author Tracy Sides and illustrator Kevin Cannon, "Riker's Taxi Trouble" is a wonderfully entertaining and original picture book story for children ages 5-6, making it especially appropriate and recommended for family, elementary school, and community library collections." - Midwest Book Review