Sachs, Betsy

Billy Getten, a boy who is so eager to have a dog that he eats dog biscuits, falls madly in love with a stray taken in by the local veterinarian, and now faces the task of convincing his parents that he is responsible enough to be a dog owner.

Fourth-grader Billy Getten tries to juggle three jobs--and watch his younger sister--in order to earn enough money to buy a new bicycle.

All Billy wants is a dog of his own, but he gets a baby sister instead.

When Billy Getten's class puts on a holiday play he learns how different cultures celebrate winter and wonders if there really is a Santa Claus.