Published by Scholastic

Summary:  Ember is a chihuahua who believes he is in training to become a Dark Lord and one day rule the world.  One night a strange orange cat shows up with an assignment:  if he looks after her kittens for a week, teaching them everything he knows, she will give him an army.  Assisted by the other pets in the house and the neighborhood, Ember begins training the kittens, who turn out to have some ideas of their own.  In between those adventures, Ember is trying to figure out the perfect birthday gift for his girl, Lucy.  By the end of the week, the pets have defeated Ogre, the evil cat next door, figured out what to do for Lucy, and assembled an army…of kittens.  The final page introduces a nemesis for Ember, a pet is sure to be the centerpiece of book #4.  96 pages; grades 1-4.

Pros:  You can generally count on Scholastic Branches to produce good early chapter books, and this series is no exception.  Lots of cute animals, plenty of illustrations, and a fast-moving plot with twists at the end of every chapter make this a series that those just getting into chapter books will want to get their hands on. I missed book 1 last year, which is why I’m reviewing 2023’s book 3.

Cons:  Ember was too kind and friendly to be believable as an aspiring Dark Overlord.