What do you think?
Rate this book
Serge & Roscoe
Two mismatched rescue dogs, Serge, an Otterhound on the verge of retirement, and Roscoe, a Border Collie fresh out of the academy, are forced to team up to save the day when a wildfire ravages a Colorado forest.
Roscoe is a Search and Rescue Force rookie who doesn’t play by the rules. Serge is a veteran of the Force, looking forward to a well-earned retirement. Roscoe can’t wait to make his first rescue, while Serge just wants to get through the next three days so he can finally just . . . chillax.
But when the largest fire Colorado has ever seen starts tearing through the forest, it’s all paws on deck for the Search and Rescue team. Serge and Roscoe are thrown together as partners, and with lives on the line, there’s no time for them to not get along. Will this mismatched team figure out how to work together to save the day? Get your woof on in this story of bravery, adventure, and doggy snacks from beloved author and longtime bookstore owner Len Vlahos.
Roscoe is a Search and Rescue Force rookie who doesn’t play by the rules. Serge is a veteran of the Force, looking forward to a well-earned retirement. Roscoe can’t wait to make his first rescue, while Serge just wants to get through the next three days so he can finally just . . . chillax.
But when the largest fire Colorado has ever seen starts tearing through the forest, it’s all paws on deck for the Search and Rescue team. Serge and Roscoe are thrown together as partners, and with lives on the line, there’s no time for them to not get along. Will this mismatched team figure out how to work together to save the day? Get your woof on in this story of bravery, adventure, and doggy snacks from beloved author and longtime bookstore owner Len Vlahos.
1 pages, Audio CD
Published March 11, 2025
2948 people want to read
About the author
Len Vlahos
10 books176 followersI dropped out of NYU film school in the mid 80s to play guitar and write songs for Woofing Cookies. We were a punk-pop four piece -- think R.E.M. meets the Ramones -- that toured up and down the East Coast, and had two singles and one full-length LP on Midnight Records.
The band broke up in 1987 and I followed my other passion, books. I've worked in the book industry ever since.
And, of course, I write. And I write, And I write, write, write.
For fun, I still play guitar and piano, and now I play ice hockey, too (though not very well).
I live in Colorado with my super awesome wife Kristen, our two sons, and our very energetic dog.
The band broke up in 1987 and I followed my other passion, books. I've worked in the book industry ever since.
And, of course, I write. And I write, And I write, write, write.
For fun, I still play guitar and piano, and now I play ice hockey, too (though not very well).
I live in Colorado with my super awesome wife Kristen, our two sons, and our very energetic dog.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 22, 2025
This is a heartwarming story about two dogs who are members of a search and rescue team. One dog is older and experienced while the other is a rookie. At first they seem to disagree about what their job entails. However, they are paired with a kind and knowledgeable handler. Soon they are faced with a formidable, dangerous, and challenging rescue in a large, uncontrolled wildfire. Will they survive this one?
Middle school readers will be drawn in to this story about working together, kindness, determination, courage, and heroism.
Middle school readers will be drawn in to this story about working together, kindness, determination, courage, and heroism.
October 14, 2024
E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus
Roscoe, a border collie, is in training to be a search and rescue dog, and while he is talented in both air scent and tracking, he only follows the rules when it suits him. For example, during a testing situation where he has to locate a baby in a burning house, he breaks several rules, like not going into bushes. He excuses these behaviors by quoting his idol, search and rescue dog Big Wayne. When there is a big forest fire in Colorado, Roscoe finds himself on the way to the scene with Serge, who along with his trainer Andi, is due to retire in three days. Right after the group gets to their base camp, Roscoe once again breaks the rules, "talking" to a bear, who finds him some funny that he rolls on the ground laughing, giving the others in the group time to escape. Serge doesn't appreciate Roscoe's disregard of the rules, which , as he repeatedly says, are there to keep everyone safe. Roscoe wanders off and talks to a mountain lion cub, trying to help him, but this causes Serge to yell at him, and the two bicker. When another family is missing, Roscoe's smelling expertise locates them, but getting Courtney and her baby Jeannie to safety isn't an easy task, especially since Courtney's husband, Roger, also needs to be located. There is a leap off a cliff into a raging river, a close call with a waterfall, and even some help from the same mountain lion that Roscoe befriended. When Andi is missing, and the dogs find her badly injured, they must finally work together to get her to safety. Will Serge be able to show Roscoe that being impetuuous doesn't always end well?
Strengths: What Roscoe lacks in adhering to rules, he makes up for in skill, which seems to take him pretty far. Serge, who is a bit weary and has spent a lot of time in search and rescue, is a good foil for this sort of daredevil young newcomer. The Colorado wild fire setting is all too realistic, and it's well portrayed, although things end perhaps a bit more happily than they do in real life. The illustrations are a good touch; I wish we would see far more occasional illustrations in middle grade literature.
Weaknesses: I had a little trouble believing that Serge had to attend dog sensitivity training; Roscoe accuses him of being sizist, and this is brought up. Roscoe talking to the bear and mountain lion also gave me pause, but younger readers will just take for granted that this happens.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who want an action packed outdoor adventure from the dog's point of view, like Cameron's Ripley: Fire Station Five, Mason and Stephens' Rescue Dogs, or Stier's A Dog's Day series.
Roscoe, a border collie, is in training to be a search and rescue dog, and while he is talented in both air scent and tracking, he only follows the rules when it suits him. For example, during a testing situation where he has to locate a baby in a burning house, he breaks several rules, like not going into bushes. He excuses these behaviors by quoting his idol, search and rescue dog Big Wayne. When there is a big forest fire in Colorado, Roscoe finds himself on the way to the scene with Serge, who along with his trainer Andi, is due to retire in three days. Right after the group gets to their base camp, Roscoe once again breaks the rules, "talking" to a bear, who finds him some funny that he rolls on the ground laughing, giving the others in the group time to escape. Serge doesn't appreciate Roscoe's disregard of the rules, which , as he repeatedly says, are there to keep everyone safe. Roscoe wanders off and talks to a mountain lion cub, trying to help him, but this causes Serge to yell at him, and the two bicker. When another family is missing, Roscoe's smelling expertise locates them, but getting Courtney and her baby Jeannie to safety isn't an easy task, especially since Courtney's husband, Roger, also needs to be located. There is a leap off a cliff into a raging river, a close call with a waterfall, and even some help from the same mountain lion that Roscoe befriended. When Andi is missing, and the dogs find her badly injured, they must finally work together to get her to safety. Will Serge be able to show Roscoe that being impetuuous doesn't always end well?
Strengths: What Roscoe lacks in adhering to rules, he makes up for in skill, which seems to take him pretty far. Serge, who is a bit weary and has spent a lot of time in search and rescue, is a good foil for this sort of daredevil young newcomer. The Colorado wild fire setting is all too realistic, and it's well portrayed, although things end perhaps a bit more happily than they do in real life. The illustrations are a good touch; I wish we would see far more occasional illustrations in middle grade literature.
Weaknesses: I had a little trouble believing that Serge had to attend dog sensitivity training; Roscoe accuses him of being sizist, and this is brought up. Roscoe talking to the bear and mountain lion also gave me pause, but younger readers will just take for granted that this happens.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who want an action packed outdoor adventure from the dog's point of view, like Cameron's Ripley: Fire Station Five, Mason and Stephens' Rescue Dogs, or Stier's A Dog's Day series.
May 3, 2025
This was an enjoyable adventure book featuring two "Search and Rescue"/ Serge and Roscoe dog, one veteran and one rookie. They have different approaches to their work. When placed as partners together to save a family missing in a forest fire, they come to understand each other and help to save their human partner. A great book for dog lovers, adventure lovers and fantasy (the dogs communicate with each other as well as other animals).
June 10, 2025
A Search and Rescue dog team, one a rookie and one a veteran, have their first mission together.
June 27, 2025
Audiobook:
11 yr old: 4 stars
7 yr old: 5 stars
11 yr old: 4 stars
7 yr old: 5 stars
December 20, 2025
Serge & Roscoe
Overall Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (3/5)
A buddymovie book about two search and rescue dogs who help each other grow.
Overall Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (3/5)
A buddy
May 31, 2025
Edit: After publication we read this book as a family. We all loved it. I can't believe it only has 12 ratings. According to the kids, 5 stars doesn't even begin to cover its deserved rating. The husband gave it 1 silver star and 2 golden bones.
I received an ARC of this book through netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I am so impressed with this book. I love it when I read one that I immediately want to recommend to a child in my life. This is one of those. My daughter will seriously love this book. Just like I did. It tells a great story, dogs, cute illustrations, dogs, social and emtional instruction, dogs, environmental science, and dogs. Also, a heroic mountain lion. And lots of love. This one is going to be a big winner with the kids.
I received an ARC of this book through netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I am so impressed with this book. I love it when I read one that I immediately want to recommend to a child in my life. This is one of those. My daughter will seriously love this book. Just like I did. It tells a great story, dogs, cute illustrations, dogs, social and emtional instruction, dogs, environmental science, and dogs. Also, a heroic mountain lion. And lots of love. This one is going to be a big winner with the kids.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews