Entering his beagle, Lucy, in a contest to be "spokespet" for Pet-O-Rama helps shy, nine-year-old Bobby get over his anxiety about speaking in front of groups of people, from his third-grade classmates to the contest judges.
Lucy, the beagle, does not mind her humans very well until third-grader Bobby joins a soccer team, Lucy becomes the mascot, and the coach gives Lucy obedience training.
Halloween is near and Bobby has a great idea for costumes for himself and his dog, Lucy, but when he brings Lucy's costume to school for show-and-tell it disappears, and Bobby suspects the unfriendly new student took it.
"Bobby Quinn has a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving--his grandmother's visit, an adopted baby brother or sister on the way--but what he's most thankful for is his beagle Lucy, who hasn't been acting like herself lately"--