Remembering Vera

"Well... I'm a-keepin' her!"

That's what Coast Guard serviceman Davie Bunch says when he finds the sweetest little puppy hiding between the crates one day when he is sweeping the dock. There has never been a puppy in the barracks before, and Davie knows he had better hide her from the commander or he'll have to give her up. He names her Vera after one of his favorite aunts, and soon Vera is the best-kept secret on the base.

Then one blustery day when a disaster call comes in and the crew needs to get a lifeline to a capsized boat, it's Vera to the rescue. Though surprised, the commander finds himself cheering Vera on, and soon the US Coast Guard has a new mascot and brave little Vera has a new home.

Inspired by true events and a real dog named Vera who lived at the US Coast Guard base on the western tip of Alameda in the San Francisco Bay, this heartwarming story by beloved author-illustrator Patricia Polacco celebrates loyalty and the unbreakable bond of friendship.