When Martha eats alphabet soup, the letters go to her brain and she develops the ability to talk. And boy, does she talk. After her family complains that she talks too much, she clams up and stops eating her soup. Then a cat burglar breaks into her house, and Martha finds herself speechless. Can she get help in time? Vocabulary: (E) express, discuss, mumble, exclaim, shout (I) speak, jabber, talk, whisper, communicate
Helen's cousin Carolina is a little bit older but a lot more fashion–conscious. Helen tries to take her advice, even though she's pretty happy with how she looks already. Then Martha becomes the new host of a radio advice show, and people start doing some pretty strange things. Will Helen learn whose opinion really matters? Vocabulary: (E) persuade, defend, encourage, groan, advice (I) disagree, agree, suggest, offer, plead, sigh,
Helen is miserable after Martha volunteers her for a part in the school play. With practice—and a little help from Martha—Helen finds she can do anything she wants, if she puts her mind to it. Vocabulary: (E) talent, expert, knack, gift, outstanding (I) superb, terrific, fantastic, practice, perform, cue, play
A new puppy joins Martha's household, bursting with puppy energy and the desire to chew everything. Unlike Martha, when Skits eats alphabet soup, nothing comes out except "Woof." Feeling like he's let the family down, Skits runs away. But soon Skits discovers that everybody is special in their own way. Vocabulary: (E) exceptional, stupendous, unique, specialize, extraordinary (I) one of a kind, excellent, perfect, super
It's Alice's birthday and everybody's invited, including Martha. The only problem is that Nelson (Martha's cat nemesis) will be there too. When somebody—or some animal—ruins the birthday cake, Alice's brother Ronald thinks Martha's responsible. Martha proclaims her innocence . . . but why was she surrounded by cake crumbs? Vocabulary: (E) innocent, guilty, biased, witness, evidence (I) judge, jury, trial, prove, true, truth
Martha, Helen, and T.D. uncover a plot to rob the jewelry store, or so they think until their two suspects turn out to be police detectives on a stakeout. Now that everybody has gone home in disgrace, how will Martha catch the real criminals? Vocabulary: (E) suspicious, accomplice, plotting, proof, expression (I) fishy, partner, planning, positive
Martha is inspired by her favorite show, "Courageous Collie Carlo." Unfortunately, her attempts to become a doggie hero don't quite work out the way she plans. In the end, both Martha and Helen discover they can be courageous when it really matters. Vocabulary: E) rescue, courageous, danger, protect, hero (I) save, strong, harm, escape, trouble
Ronald finds out that Helen and Alice plan to go camping and warns them about Big Minnie, a mythical monster who lives in the woods. Undeterred, the campers set off. After all, everybody knows Big Minnie's imaginary. Or is she? Vocabulary: (E) honorary, brave, earn, merit badge, frightened, helpful (I) guard, scared, afraid
Helen, Martha, and T.D. visit T.D.'s grandpa CK on his farm. When Martha tries to help with chores, things get a little out of hand. She doesn't think she's cut out to be a farm dog, until she raises the alarm, just in the nick of time. Vocabulary: (E) chores, herd, pasture, responsibility, task, toil (I) job, tired, rise
When Helen gets mad, Martha feels unappreciated and decides to run away. She finds the perfect job to match her abilities—as a telemarketer—and enjoys career success. But she realizes that no amount of success is a substitute for a loving family. Vocabulary: (E) success, appreciate, opportunity, promote, employ (I) manage, hire, work, boss
Granny Flo decides to cut costs at the soup factory. Who would notice if each bowl of soup had only half the letters of the alphabet anyway? Martha would, that's who. As the letters are subtracted from the soup, they're also subtracted from her speech, and Martha loses her ability to communicate. Has Martha ordered her last burger? Vocabulary (E) limit, add, subtract, reduce, diminish (I) few, greater, higher, more, less
Now that Skits is full grown, his rambunctious behavior has really gotten out of hand. Mom and Dad tell Helen she has to train Skits or he will have to be an outside dog. Helen tries all the latest training techniques with no success, until she realizes there's only one sure–fire training method: practice, lots of practice. Vocabulary (E) improve, progress, expand, behave, develop (I) better, misbehave, grow, manners, learn
Martha inadvertently helps some stray dogs rob Karl the butcher. Worried that she'll get blamed for the crime, she conceals the evidence and pretends nothing happened. When the canine criminals recruit her for another heist, she's torn between the truth and a really big salami. Vocabulary: (E) distressed, blame, confess, conceal, shame (I) rob, crime, punish, suspect, honest, hurt
Martha thinks there's something fishy about the Perfect Pup Institute. Why are all these dogs behaving so, well, perfectly? Martha is determined to uncover the secret, before any more dogs lose their essential dogginess. Will she succeed or will she become a perfect pup too? Vocabulary: (E) train, imperfect, obedient, disobedient, misbehave (I) wild, good, bad, sneaky, secret
Martha wants to be a firehouse dog, just like her favorite book, Firehouse Freddie. But somehow all the things Freddie makes look so easy—climbing ladders, carrying hoses—aren't as easy for a real dog to do. Will Martha give up on her dream? Vocabulary: (E) reality, fantasy, fiction, imagine, tale, dispatcher (I) story, real, fact, pretend, actually
Have giant alien pickles invaded Wagstaff City? Truman saw something just like it in a movie, but he never saw the ending. Now they're racing the clock to figure out how to defeat the aliens, before they're really in a pickle! Vocabulary: (E) bizarre, odd, normal, farfetched, rumor, unusual (I) weird, wacky, ordinary, strange, report
Helen agrees to take care of Mrs. Clusky's dog for a few days, and Martha can't wait to welcome their houseguest. To Martha's chagrin, François turns out to be a demanding and manipulative guest who knows just how to charm the humans. When Martha gets blamed for the teacup poodle's bad behavior, something has to be done, but what? Vocabulary: (E) jealous, visitor, privileges, envy, demanding (I) houseguest, welcome, rude, polite, manners
When Martha wins a trip to the Come–On–Inn from a radio call–in show, there's only one problem: No dogs allowed. Helen and Martha put their heads together to come up with a solution. Enter Granny Martha. But when a "mad dog" eats Granny Martha, pandemonium ensues. Where's Martha and why is everybody running for the exits? Vocabulary (E) allow, forbid, permit, restrict, problem (I) guest, rules, invite, vacation
Granny Flo's Alphabet Soup is taking a licking from the competition, Oodles of Os. If Granny Flo goes out of business, how will Martha communicate? To increase sales, Helen, Martha, and T.D. set out to convince Granny Flo to advertise on the popular TV show, International Icon. Who will Granny Flo choose as a spokesperson? Vocabulary: (E) deceive, honest, dishonest, mislead, popular (I) trust, believe, fooling, right, wrong, advertise
Nefarious con artist Weaselgraft hatches a scheme to kidnap Martha by pretending to be Martha's long–lost owner . . . from Poland. The family sniffs something suspicious, but why has Martha suddenly begun speaking Polish? Will they really have to say pozegnalny to Martha? Vocabulary: (E) deny, admit, claim, false, translate (I) switch, mistake, trick, fraud
There's a new dog in town and, boy, is he mean! He barks so much that nobody can sleep. Helen and Martha decide they have to do something. They try steak, squeaky toys, soothing music, but nothing calms the beast within. Then unexpectedly Ronald's parrot reveals the power of a few well–chosen words. Vocabulary: (E) annoy, beware, insult, pleasant, unpleasant (I) bully, mean, loud, tough, naughty
Weaselgraft just can't get Martha off his mind. He must have her. Maybe he can tempt her into his clutches with some well–placed praise and a lifetime supply of bones. He invites her to a talent show, and Martha tells the gang. T.D., Truman, and Carolina are game, but they aren't the kind of game Weaselgraft was hoping to catch. Vocabulary: (E) coax, compliment, flatter, tempt, praise (I) tongue twister, care, friendly, practice, treat
Martha is thrilled when she hears Courageous Collie Carlo is coming to town. But when Martha unexpectedly reveals how uncourageous Carlo really is, she has to help him save his reputation or Carlo's TV career could be history. Vocabulary: (E) ecstatic, embarrass, enthusiastic, eager, reputation (I) fear, excited, glad, upset, fan
Martha has an idea for a thrilling adventure story, so Truman, T.D., and Helen decide to draw it for her. Much to Martha's dismay, they all add their own special touches, including peanut butter, a ground squirrel, and the Incredible Exo–Skeleton–of–Wow. But when life imitates art, things get a little too exciting! Vocabulary: (E) thrilling, hero, villain, astonish, humongous (I) boring, exciting, adventure, incredible, amazing, dull
Helen comes down with laryngitis, and she's sent to bed to recuperate. Martha decides to use her powers of speech to take care of the patient and find a cure. So why are a police car, fire engine, pizza delivery van, and chimney sweep truck all blocking the road in front of Helen's house? Vocabulary: (E) remedy, recover, recuperate, cure, medicine (I) hoarse, rest, well, sick
Truman can't believe his luck when Alice invites the gang to go whale watching . . . . until he realizes that he has to actually get on a boat. Which means he'll get seasick. But Truman's desire to see Balaenoptera musculus drives him to overcome his fear, with a little help from someone who knows the true meaning of perseverance! Vocabulary (E) dread, nauseous, overcome, persevere, seasick (I) ill, quit, queasy, sick, shaky
Carolina is determined to outdo Tiffany Blatsky on the science project. She organizes an expedition with T.D., Truman, and Martha to gather "exotic" plants. When the canoe capsizes, a storm blows up, and the sun starts to go down, they worry they may never get off Flea Island. Vocabulary (E) cooperate, consensus, government, law, supervise (I) agree, lead, in charge, rule, team
Tiffany wants to make Helen's treehouse into a girls' clubhouse. But who should be president? When the girls hold an election (Carolina vs. Tiffany, of course), both candidates aggressively court Helen's vote. Vocabulary (E) campaign, debate, elect, influence, issue (I) choose, decide, lose, vote, win, club
When Martha's family comes to take her home, she decides she can't leave her shelter friends behind. Adopting that many dogs is out of the question, so Martha, Helen, and T.D. cook up a plan to find families for the pound pooches. (2nd of two parts) Vocabulary (E) adopt, affection, devoted, embrace, loyal (I) adore, belong, care, dream, hope
Martha loses her collar and winds up in the animal shelter. She leads an escape attempt, only to find that freedom isn't much without a family. (1st of two parts) Vocabulary (E) abandon, deserted, neglected, overlooked, fortunate (I) alone, forgot, harsh, lonely, tough, rough
After T.D. passes in the wrong drawing in art class (a caricature of his art teacher instead of a perfectly good drawing of the back of Chuck Smith's head), he panics. With Truman and Martha keeping an eye out for the janitor, Helen and T.D. sneak into the school after hours to switch the drawings. But will they get caught, or worse still, eaten by a desert mountain snow wolf? Vocabulary (E) apologize, dilemma, forgive, miserable, regret (I) mistake, solve, sorry, swap, unhappy
Martha always seems to do the wrong thing around Grandma Lucille. To prove that she's really considerate, she decides to do something really special for Grandma's birthday. But finding the perfect present for a human is a lot harder than it looks. Vocabulary (E) considerate, delightful, thoughtful, sincere, considerate (I) kind, lovely, nice, sweet
Professor Monkey is coming to town to promote his craft books with co–author Beppo. But his directions to the bookstore end up under Bob the dog's fiercely guarded porch. Can Martha help Professor Monkey find the bookstore before Beppo turns in her banana suit? Vocabulary (E) directions, retrieves, instructions, follow, lead (I) inside, behind, under, on top, in front, find
Truman needs Martha to help him find something he lost at Dog Head Lake. The only problem is he won't tell Martha what they're looking for because he's too embarrassed. After getting lost deep in the forest and coming face–to–face with his fears, Truman learns a valuable lesson about himself and his . . . whatsit. Vocabulary (E) track, trail, misplace, locate, search (I) lost, found, missing, near, far, around
Why does Truman want to become a hobo and/or join the circus? Is he actually trying to run away? Maybe it has something to do with tomorrow's softball game, and the fact that Truman can't actually catch the ball. Can Martha and Alice help? Vocabulary: (E) achievement, attempt, concentrate, effort, patient (I) throw, catch, toss, lesson
Carolina decides to enter François in the dog show, and Helen just can't help herself. She has to enter Martha, too, so she can show Carolina who the true champion really is. A little competition between cousins isn't a bad thing, or is it? Vocabulary (E) competition, contest, champion, rival, victory (I) beat, enter, lose, prize, win
Is someone fixing up the haunted house? If not, who ordered those flowers? Was it the ghost of Mrs. Parkington's Great–Aunt Martha? Whoever or whatever it was, Martha has to go in there to protect Helen, before it's too late! Vocabulary: (E) eerie, explain, gullible, logical, impossible (I) creepy, ghost, haunted, unlikely, spook
Uh–oh. Martha walked under a ladder—and broke a mirror—so now she thinks she's jinxed. And she's worried her bad luck is rubbing off on everybody else. Helen tries to explain that all the accidents are just coincidence, but things just keep getting worse. Vocabulary (E) jinx, superstitious, curse, coincidence, reason (I) luck, chance, accident, fluke, doomed
Skits and Martha are feeling desperate while they wait in the broiling sun for Helen to finish shopping. Fed up, Skits decides to follow the cool air into the store, and Martha has to follow to get him out. What are they going to do now that they're stuck in the bathroom and the store is about to close?! (1st of two parts) Vocabulary (E) escape, entrance, flee, stuck, trapped (I) hurry, closed, inside, open, outside
Helen can't find Martha and Skits anywhere. Little does she know, they're trapped inside the darkened department store, trying to find the exit . . . when they aren't distracted by the comfy beds, overflowing garbage cans, and automatic tennis–ball shooter. Will they find their way out before it's time to blow out Mom's birthday candles? (2nd of two parts) Vocabulary (E) avoid, capture, distract, exit, intruder (I) catch, door, get away, guard, hide
Martha can't keep her paws away from her itchy ear mites. Until they're gone, she has to wear a cone on her head to keep her from scratching. Martha hates the cone; it gets in the way and makes everything sound weird. Worse than that, it terrifies Jake. Will Martha have to live in the cellar until she gets better? Vocabulary (E) device, contraption, devise, invent, variation (I) helmet, gadget, machine, idea, cone
The gang decides to make homemade valentines for each other. But when everybody's art supplies begin disappearing, their affectionate mood begins to fade. Can Martha solve the mystery of the stolen supplies? Vocabulary: (E) craft, personalized, design, exquisite, original (I) draw, create, supplies, materials, decorate
Martha can't believe that Helen and Alice are making such a fuss about a kitten. Everyone knows kittens are not to be tolerated. But could this kitten be different? Vocabulary (E) discriminate, prejudice, territory, tolerate, socialize, sociable (I) buddy, pal, greet, ignore
Alice is shocked to discover that Truman has never actually tried ice cream. Alice thinks deciding you won't like ice cream without trying it is, well, prejudiced! Can Helen and T.D. find a compromise that satisfies Alice but doesn't force Truman to give in to peer pressure? Vocabulary (E) aversion, disgust, peer pressure, prefer, narrow–minded (I) against, choice, dislike, flavor, like
Being able to translate animal speech sure comes in handy when Martha gets a job as the vet's assistant. But when Mrs. Clusky's niece brings her puppy to the vet — and he speaks nothing but incomprehensible puppy talk — artha's going to need more than her linguistic skills to figure out what's wrong. Vocabulary (E) examine, observe, research, symptom, vaccine (I) test, treat, checkup, veterinarian, healthy
Carolina is starting a newspaper, the Carolina Town Crier, and she needs some crack reporters to track down the news. T.D. turns investigative reporter, until he becomes the headline himself. Martha thinks she's uncovered a real scoop, but Carolina disagrees, no bones about it. Vocabulary (E) inspect, information, investigate, scoop, uncover (I) news, story, headline, cover, print
Alice is a talented athlete, but grace is not her middle name. After she sees a performance of the ballet, she secretly wishes she could take ballet lessons. But how can she ever admit she's interested when she knows her brother Ronald will tease her mercilessly? Vocabulary (E) awkward, balance, clumsy, graceful, coordinated (I) athlete, dancer, klutz, stumble, beautiful
After she sees a dog agility course on TV, Martha decides being an agility dog is just the thing for her. But when she tries out a course that Mrs. Clusky built for François, her agility dream becomes a nightmare. Now Martha won't even walk in public. How can Helen and Alice get Martha back on her feet? Vocabulary (E) agility, flexible, nimble, challenge, course (I) speed, smooth, quick, move, fall
Martha wakes up singing and not just because she's happy. She can't stop! Helen and Martha visit the vet, some musicians, and an opera singer, trying to discover the source of her musical malady to no avail. Will Martha ever be able to talk without a tempo again? Vocabulary (E) instrument, musician, vocalist, recording, tempo, melody (I) sing, song, music, hear, sound
Everybody's singing about Shecky the Sea Lion and it's driving T.D. nuts! He could write a better song than that, and that's just what he's going to do! He recruits the gang to join his band and then sets out to write a hit song. . . . about Belgium? Inspiration strikes, but what will they do for an encore? Vocabulary (E) lyrics, audience, rhythm, inspiration, encore (I) band, beat, hit, concert, catchy
Martha and Skits hate the sound of thunder. One day Skits gets fed up and tries to outrun the storm, but soon discovers that all roads somehow lead back home. Vocabulary (E) storm, thunder, lightning, shower, precipitation, hail (I) wet, downpour, rainfall, drizzle
Windy McCloud, Wagstaff City's meteorologist, wants Martha to be her weather dog. Martha's thrilled that she'll be able to change the weather to suit Helen and her friends, until she finds out she's not going to make the weather, she's going to predict it. But all her predictions are way off. What should she tell Windy? Vocabulary (E) forecast, temperature, meteorologist, predict, weather (I) sunny, shower, snow, rain, cloudy, lightning
Martha just wants a nice quiet place to take a nap. All she needs is for everybody to be quiet for, oh, 16 hours a day. Is that too much to ask? Helen and the gang try to help by designing a doghouse for Martha. Vocabulary (E) architect, blueprint, construction, shelter, model (I) build, building, tools, sketch, porch
Carolina is over the moon when she finds out that Mindy Munchhausen, host of "Operation Catwalk," will be judging Wagstaff City's dog costume parade. She teams up with Helen to design outfits for Martha and Skits, sure that this will be her big break. Is Carolina on her way to Fashion Avenue? Vocabulary (E) apparel, measurement, outfit, pattern, style (I) sew, fit, hem, model, fashion
T.D. gets hoodwinked by Weaselgraft and Pablum into buying a steak tree. He's sure if he takes good care of it, soon he'll be harvesting freshly blossomed steaks. But when the buds open to reveal flowers instead of sirloins, T.D. has to think fast before he's humiliated in front of his friends. Vocabulary (E) bloom, blossom, harvest, sprout, trend (I) branch, bud, grow, plant, pick
Martha, T.D., and T.D.'s dad spend the weekend at CK's farm, trying to keep a gopher from eating all the crops. After many failed schemes to catch the gluttonous gopher, they realize the best way to keep him from eating the crops is by offering him a better meal elsewhere! Vocabulary (E) agriculture, burrow, crop, pest, produce (I) farm, gnaw, plants, trap, underground
Alice's family gets a robotic pet called Dynamo who can do everything a real dog can do and help you with your math homework. Martha decides to show that she's even more perfect than the perfect pet, so Helen won't replace her with a mechanical mutt. If that fails, can she work with Nelson to get rid of Dynamo? Vocabulary (E) command, function, manual, mechanical, program (I) robot, charge, fetch, alive, button
While playing with Alice's laptop computer, Martha accidentally hits the wrong button and gets zapped inside! Will Helen figure out a way to get her out of there before those marauding video monsters gobble her up? Vocabulary (E) deleted, attach, email, folder, file (I) computer, send, desktop, laptop, icon
Every spring, Martha gets an urge to dig that she just can't control. When Martha's habit gets her in trouble with the whole neighborhood, the family decides they need to put her desire to dig to good use. Vocabulary (E) habit, weakness, urge, crave, drive (I) want, stop, desire, need, irresistible
Ronald gives Helen his old gamekid, and pretty soon she's hooked! She forgets to walk Martha, neglects her homework, and becomes completely preoccupied. When Helen forgets to feed Martha and Skits again, and misses the fieldtrip because she forgot her permission slip, she turns to Martha for help. Can Helen break the habit? Vocabulary (E) addict, obsessed, preoccupied, monitor, restraint (I) hooked, quit, level, rid, break
Helen is sad when her drawing doesn't win the art competition, so Mom decides to bake her a cake to cheer her up. But when a last–minute order comes in at the flower shop, Martha and Skits decide to take over. Do two dogs with no thumbs (and a cookbook) have what it takes to bake? Vocabulary (E) recipe, ingredients, from scratch, blend, beat (I) mix, pour, bake, oven, stir
Always on the lookout for a way to avoid bathing, Martha decides T.D.'s dad O.G. should invent a perfume that will cover up her doggy scent. After a few tries, he concocts the perfect pooch perfume. So why is Martha begging for a bath? Vocabulary (E) combine, concoct, dissolve, separate, extract (I) spritz, drop, spray, fragrance, perfume, strong
Mrs. Demson hates dogs and blames them for everything, which is a problem since she lives right down the street from Martha. But she changes her tune after Martha witnesses an accident that destroys Mrs. Demson's lawn furniture. Now Mrs. Demson will do anything to get Martha to appear as her witness in court. Vocabulary (E) accuse, testify, defendant, plaintiff, objection (I) describe, answer, question, explain, accident
Something smells bad and it's Martha. Faced with yet another bath, Martha makes a stand for her right to, well, stink. But if Martha is going to stand up for her rights, Dad says she can do it outside. Will Martha be an outside dog forever? Vocabulary (E) right, compromise, principle, resolve, option (I) fair, unfair, give in, freedom, civilized, demand
T.D. thinks it would be funny to put Martha's name on the list for substitute teachers. What started out as a joke, turns into a nightmare for Helen, Alice, and T.D., when Martha gets the job and takes it very seriously. Vocabulary (E) attendance, substitute, attention, behavior, report (I) teacher, lesson, student, school, homework
T.D. swears he'll start working on his report just as soon as he watches the "Harry Blotter, Boy Wizard" movie marathon, all nine parts! As Helen predicted, T.D. winds up in a panic until he has a moment of inspiration. Can he pull off his project in time? Vocabulary (E) assignment, inventor, discover, biography, subject (I) chapter, study, project, class, grade
Helen's mom and dad are starring in the community theater production, and Helen's the stage manager. Even Martha gets a part... as a bull. When the big night finally comes, Mom and Dad get trapped in their dressing room. The play must go on, but now the bull is the bullfighter and the bullfighter is... her sister? What will they do for an encore? Vocabulary (E) tradition, custom, culture, generation, annual (I) family, different, community, theater, marry
When Helen leaves Martha off her family tree, Martha decides to make her own pack. However, the call of the wild becomes the call of the can opener for her pack mates, and soon Martha is left alone at Doghead Lake, hunting for dinner. But can she really eat that poor wounded duck? Vocabulary (E) family tree, ancestors, descendant, pack, relatives (I) wolf, sister, brother, cousin, daughter
For the same story from a different sensory perspective, Martha once again finds herself trapped in Weaselgraft and Pablum's lair, but this time she leads Helen and T.D. to their hideout by describing what she hears. It sounded like a good idea. . . . Vocabulary (E) blaring, clanging, creak, rumble, audio (I) noise, listen, siren, bell, ears
Martha is secretly trapped inside Pablum and Weaselgraft's hideout. She manages to call Helen and tell her how to get there by smell. Can Helen and T.D. follow her scent map and uncover Weaselgraft and Pablum's lair? Vocabulary (E) aroma, fragrance, scent, stench, reek (I) smell, stink, whiff, odor
Why is Martha so grumpy? She's offended just about everybody with her insults. Truman figures out that she's saying the exact reverse of what she means to say. But can they figure out the cure before she ruins Grandpa Bernie's birthday party? Vocabulary (E) exactly, correct, offend, reverse, contrary (I) opposite, meant, top, backwards, bottom
Truman and T.D. both wish they had a brother. If Skits and Martha can be sort of siblings, why can't the two of them? Helen and Alice bet the boys that they can't keep the brother thing up for a week, because they don't exactly have a lot in common. Vocabulary (E) sibling, common, similar, contrast, identical (I) together, alike, twins, both, only
Martha hosts a TV show where she helps people understand their animals better by explaining what they're saying. Unfortunately, the only viewers are Martha and her friends, so the producers try a new format, Crime Scene Doggie. Vocabulary (E) interview, conversation, understand, interpret, comprehend (I) chat, thoughts, think, mind, know
Martha and Skits don't want to share their newest, coolest dog toy. Their bickering is driving Helen nuts, and now T.D. and Alice have taken sides. Can't they all just get along? Vocabulary (E) quarrel, bicker, negotiate, barter, truce (I) selfish, fight, share, take a turn, trade
Ralph, the wounded duck from the lake, has settled in at Martha's house to convalesce. Pretty soon, it feels like the duck is taking over. How long does it take for a duck's wing to heal anyway? Is it possible that Ralph has gotten a little too comfortable? Vocabulary (E) mend, heal, fake, mood, spirits (I) feel, worse, glum, down, low
Martha becomes a hospital therapy dog, spreading cheer among the patients. But trouble brews when Mrs. Demson, who claims a horrible allergy to dogs, is admitted for an invisible rash. Can Martha sneak in to help the other patients without Mrs. Demson knowing? Vocabulary (E) therapy, patient, cheer, relief, treatment (I) hospital, rash, pain, doctor, nurse
Where has Truman been and why is he acting so weird? He's hiding in the garage, lurking in the shadows. He finally agrees to tell the whole gruesome story, but will it be too horrible for them to bear? Vocabulary (E) appearance, self–conscious, mortified, flaw, vain (I) picture, horrible, barber, photo, haircut
Skits loves to watch Malcolm, the blue monkey on TV. In fact, he loves Malcolm so much he wants to be Malcolm, and he starts wearing a polka dot bowtie. Martha is mortified to be seen with him in public. How long is this phase going to last—or could it be permanent? Vocabulary (E) phase, temporary, outgrow, imitate, mature (I) copy, same, babyish, younger
What's gotten into Bob? He's off his chain and he's chasing Truman all over town. Soon Truman, Helen, Alice, T.D., Kazuo the dog officer, the pizza guy, and Bob's owner are all up a tree, imprisoned by a barking Bob. Can Martha figure out what's bothering Bob? Vocabulary (E) anxious, serene, provoke, disturb, bother (I) calm, settle down, relax, awful, quiet
It's sweltering hot and everybody is miserable. To distract Jake from the heat, Martha tells him about Goldi–Martha and the Skits Hatter and Little Red Riding Helen and their adventures among giants, queens, and a very familiar fire–breathing cat. Vocabulary (E) irritating, soothing, comfortable, cozy, sweltering (I) scratchy, cool, lumpy, bumpy, hot
T.D. has too much junk! T.D.'s mom makes him an offer: He can keep everything he has, as long as he doesn't bring anything else home. Does T.D. have the willpower? Vocabulary (E) worthless, rubbish, clutter, salvage, priceless, perspective (I) garbage, junk, collect, keep, sell
Martha's family has a birthday surprise — a new dog bed! After a few sleepless nights, the family realizes that Martha misses her stinky old chair. But Mrs. Demson bought it and has plans of her own for the chair after she sees one just like it on Antiques Roadshow. Vocabulary (E) antique, donate, upholstery, profit, valuable (I) furniture, worth, worthless, rich, cost, clean
The zoo is in danger of closing! Helen and T.D. volunteer for an animal painting class to try and save it. But it turns out animal painting isn't exactly what they thought... Vocabulary (E) realistic, easel, participate, abstract, portrait (I) painting, artwork, brushes, course, sculpture, pose
Granny Flo is hosting a variety show. Helen and Carolina team up to perform a pantomime, Alice practices her tap routine, and Truman perfects his water glass symphony, but T.D. and Martha struggle to come up with an act. Will they ever find their voice? Vocabulary (E) pantomime, routine, rehearse, ventriloquist, entertain (I) host, show, old-fashioned, star, act
Helen and her friends are devastated about the fireworks ban. Martha realizes that she helped Mrs. Demson ruin their fun, but can she find a way to reverse the ban and still protect her sensitive ears? (2nd of two parts) Vocabulary (E) purpose, signature, unite, majority, prohibit (I) fireworks, summer, write, support
For Martha and the other dogs, Saturday night fireworks are the worst part of summer, and Mrs. Demson couldn't agree more. In fact, she's trying to get people to sign a petition to ban fireworks. Can Martha get enough signatures to make summer less scary for dogs? (1st of two parts) Vocabulary (E) petition, illegal, cause, picket, goal, ban, protest (I) sign, ask, on strike
Someone keeps stealing the zoo's peanut supply. All clues point to Jeffy the elephant, but Martha and Skits are determined to prove his innocence. Can their crack crime-fighting team — a lemur, a bat, a penguin, a baby tiger, and Jeffy — help them outwit the thieves? Vocabulary (E) mystery, clue, culprit, hunch, motive (I) first, second, next, last, after
After Martha accidentally eats a secret code, it's really, really hard to understand what she's saying. Now Martha's lost and she's leaving Helen coded phone messages. Can Helen break the code and find out where she is? Vocabulary (E) code, decipher, message, gibberish, arbitrary (I) break, unbreakable, crack, secret, key, figure out
Martha's family is going out West on vacation and Martha doesn't want to be left behind. But that cargo hold where dogs have to travel sounds scary. Can Martha find her ticket to ride? Vocabulary (E) cargo, passenger, turbulence, arrive, depart (I) travel, suitcase, flight, trip, take off
Martha is excited to go on a cattle drive. Cookie the cowhand isn't so sure that Martha is fit for the trip and he might be right. Can Martha show Cookie that she has what it takes to be at home on the range? Vocabulary (E) vacation, stampede, lodging, sightseeing, cattle drive, scenery (I) wagon, cowboy, camp, outdoors, tour
The president is calling! One of his aides heard about Martha's speaking ability and he needs her to report to the White House immediately. But why does the president want Martha? Is there a top-secret cat conspiracy? (2nd of two parts) Vocabulary (E) mission, function, appoint, advise, representative, cabinet (I) aide, serve, official, secretary
The new president is looking for a dog to live in the White House. Martha knows the perfect dog for the job! What better way to recommend some of her neighborhood pals than to put in a few calls to the White House herself? (1st of two parts) Vocabulary (E) neighborhood, national, volunteer, recommend, community, nominate (I) president, white house, leader, country
Truman tells Martha the story of Balto, the heroic Alaskan sled dog. Now Martha wants to become a sled dog, too! Weaselgraft and Pablum overhear her desire to mush. Will Malto deliver herself right into their hands? Vocabulary (E) serum, sled, vehicle, transform, accelerate (I) glide, hitch, steer, haul, brake
Stuck in a traffic jam, Helen's dad tells the story of the day Jake was born, and how Martha was able to drum up an inventive means of transportation to get mom to the hospital on time. Vocabulary (E) schedule, delivery, funicular, delay, transportation (I) flag down, lift, early, late, traffic, on time
Teddy, a neighborhood dog, is sick, and the vet doesn't know why. When Martha is called in to consult, even she can't diagnose the patient. Enlisting the help of the dog pack, they scour the yard for hazardous materials — when the cause of the problem could be right under their noses. Vocabulary (E) hazardous, ingest, environment, poisonous, pesticide (I) rotten, spoil, safe, dangerous, gross
When Martha gets a piece of glass in her paw, everyone realizes that littering hurts more than the environment. But what can they do about it? As Alice, Helen, and T.D. know, protecting the environment (and paws) is important, but it is easier said than done. Vocabulary (E) discard, litter, thoughtless, debris, recycle (I) careless, trash, important, broke, injured
Inspired by an old Tarzan-style movie, T.D. decides to learn animal languages and become an animal linguist. Under Martha's tutelage, he begins his lessons. Vocabulary (E) enunciate, language, linguist, vocabulary, accent (I) tone, again, repeat, animal, phrase
Señor Craig expects everyone to present an oral report in Spanish, and Alice is a nervous wreck! With the help of Martha and some Mexican alphabet soup, she aces her presentation, but did she actually deserve her grade? Vocabulary (E) recite, memorize, bilingual, pronounce, articulate (I) speech, oral, aloud, voice, remember
Mrs. Clusky asks the class to present projects on the solar system, but T.D. finds himself distracted by comic books. Can he save the Planet of the Dogs from evil space cats and still get his homework in on time? Vocabulary (E) planet, star, solar system, constellation, orbit (I) sun, moon, earth, space, spaceship
Inspired by T.D.'s comic about the Planet of the Dogs, Martha has a dream about what life would be like as an alien space dog. Vocabulary (E) universe, extraterrestrial, astronomy, astronaut, asteroid, invasion, humane (I) alien, world, creature
Martha's Life in Crime, part 1 Martha tells the story of her puppy days in the animal shelter and her excitement of finding a family. But it turns out that Helen wasn't the first person who adopted Martha. (1st of two parts) Vocabulary (E) autobiography, possible, yearn, promise, narrate, flashback (I) tell, back then, now, recall, before
Puppy Martha's new owner turns out to have unsavory plans for her. Can Martha turn the tables on the bumbling crooks and still find a family? (2nd of two parts) Vocabulary (E) reminiscing, background, aspire, sequence (I) time, past, wish, happened, when
T.D.'s little cousin C.D. really likes dogs. Really, really likes dogs. C.D. loves dogs so much he squeezes them too hard. Can Martha teach C.D. how to be gentle with dogs? Vocabulary (E) sensitive, aggressive, delicate, aggravate, out of control (I) shy, gentle, choke, careful, tame
Truman is worried that his mom doesn't think he's special anymore. She's too busy taking care of the babies at her daycare. Martha knows just how he feels. She felt the same way when the family got that cute puppy Skits. Vocabulary (E) include, exclude, notice, snub, replace (I) favorite, special, touchy, cute, cuddly
Skits is afraid of hockey pucks, but why? Helen tells the story of how puppy Skits chased a puck onto thin ice, and how quick thinking by Martha saved the day. Vocabulary (E) risky, thaw, solid, freeze, frozen, defrost (I) ice, cold, melt, puck, hockey, thin
When Helen and Martha discover a dog locked in a hot car on a sweltering summer's day, they snap into action. While they try to track down the owner, it becomes almost impossible for them to keep their cool. Vocabulary (E) emergency, scorching, parched, sizzling, broiling (I) panting, sweat, heat, thirsty, page
Crabby Mrs. Demson is suddenly friendly, cheerful, and fun. What could be wrong with her? Martha sets out to get to the bottom of the mystery. Vocabulary (E) complain, disposition, cruel, personality, amiable (I) grumpy, crabby, lovable, cranky, cheerful
Helen is shocked to find that someone has eaten the cookies she was supposed to sell for the school fundraiser. Feeling stuffed and guilty, Martha knows just the thing to raise the money: a dog circus! Vocabulary (E) charity, contribute, fundraiser, salesman, benefit (I) funds, grand finale, money, owe, raise
Martha is on a super secret mission to find out who's trying to steal the formula for Granny's soup. Can Martha stop the crooks before they put Granny Flo — and Martha's speaking voice — out of commission? (1st of two parts) Vocabulary (E) secret agent, service, formula, surveillance, defeat (I) safe, steal, spy, chief, warn
The life of a secret agent dog turns out to be trickier than Martha expected. Undaunted, Martha uses disguises and gadgets to hound the evil soup thieves. (2nd of two parts) Vocabulary (E) trespass, self-destruct, invisible, scheme, mastermind (I) disguise, combination, crook, hideout
Martha has been offered a chance to host a children's TV show with her friends! The gang tries to agree on the perfect kids' show. (1st of two parts) Vocabulary (E) genre(s), drama(tic)(s), educational, merchandise, style, comed(y)(ies)(ic) (I) co-star, medical, program(s), watch, script
Having your own kids' show is more complicated than Martha expected. Our talking dog comes up with a whale of a show. But is her new partner — or TV — ready for it? (2nd of two parts) Vocabulary (E) pilot, imaginative, suspense, depict(ing)(ion)(ed) (I) duo, viewers, children('s), pirate(s), whale
Everyone is excited for Carolina's birthday, everyone, that is, except Carolina. She still hasn't used her gift certificate from last year's birthday, and it is going to expire... tonight! She and Helen rush to the store to pick out the perfect gift. What will it be? Vocabulary (E) gift certificate, expire, purchase, splurge, redeem, squirrel away (I) save, cash, pay/paid, pick
When Carolina reads about a dog inheriting millions, she's appalled. What could a dog do with all that money? Martha discovers that it isn't who spends it, but how you spend it, that matters most. Vocabulary (E) inherit(s)(ed)(ing)(ance), wealthy, greedy, generous, fortune (I) will, buy, spend, stingy, give(ing)
TD thinks dogs have it easy — no school, no homework, no schedule — but Martha begs to differ. When the two decide to switch roles for a day, they discover that life can be surprisingly tough in someone else's shoes (or tail). Vocabulary (E) hypothesis, experiment, conclusion, compare(d), result(s) (I) human, canine, science, easy, hard(er)
When Truman sends away for a science kit, he dreams about all the new inventions he will create. But can reality really live up to his big dreams? Vocabulary (E) explore, theory, analyz(e)(ing), outcome, effect (I) note(s), lab, kit, finding(s), magnet(ism)(s)
With The Ronald Report as her new competition, Carolina needs stories, big stories, to keep her paper afloat. But then she finds a story that's stranger than she bargained for. Vocabulary (E) fabricate(d), source, exaggerate(d)(ing)(tions), (un)reliable, anonymous, retract(ed)(ing)(ion) (I) reporter, lie(s), record, ton, pounds
When Martha begins to sniff out leads for Carolina's paper, the news is not fit to print. Can Martha redeem herself before she puts the paper out of business? Vocabulary (E) article, deadline, eavesdropped(ing), gossip(ing), private (I) type(ing), read(s)(ing), tip, paper, surprise
Martha shares the Great Oral History of Dogs with Helen, TD, and Truman. According to Martha, dogs gave humans lots of stuff: fire, philosophy, physics, art, and even language. Could this explain why Shakespeare's hero is named Hamlet? Vocabulary (E) primitive, civilization, prehistor(y)(ic), ancient, philosopher, origin (I) stone(s), fire, cave(man)(boy)(girl)(dog)(kids), history
The gang has borrowed a video camera from the library so they can film their very own Wild West production. They each tell their version, featuring with pioneers, outlaws, and...strawberry milkshakes? Vocabulary (E) pioneer, frontier, found(ed), outlaw, property (I) west(ern), mayor, sheriff, town, settle(r)(d)
TD has found the best birthday gift of all time for his cousin CD: He's going to put on a magic show at his party. He wants to really "wow" the crowd, so the bigger the trick, the better. But what happens when his magic gets out of control? Vocabulary (E) feat, rational(ly), vanish, illusion, dubious (I) disappear, magic, appear, explanation, powers
To escape a storm, the kids and dogs retreat into the Boxwood's house. TD, Alice, and Helen decide to tell spooky stories to pass the time. But as spooky things start happening in the house, they wonder if their stories might be a little too real. Vocabulary (E) silhouette, unexpected, nightmare, phantom, ominous (I) scare(d)(y), dark(ness), windy, rainy, night(time)
An opera contest! Sounds boring! But before you know it, the kids have cooked up their own ideas of what an opera should be. Vocabulary (E) opera, soprano, bass, quartet, accomplish (I) scene, rhyme, costume, stage, prop(s)
Bad guys Pablum and Weaselgraft have a plan to turn a charity concert into a heist by using the power of music. Very strange music. Can Martha turn down the volume on their evil scheming before it's too late? Vocabulary (E) orchestra, symphony, conduct(or)(ing), percussion, composition (I) trumpet, string, maestro, gong, usher
Truman is afraid to try out his new sled on the town's steepest, scariest, lumpiest hill. His friends are convinced that Truman is braver than he seems. Is he? Vocabulary (E) panic, reaction, terrify(ed)(ing), phobia, reassur(e)(ing) (I) height(s), worr(y)(ied), dizzy, steep, tall
Everyone's too busy to play with Skits. While he's moping around the neighborhood, he meets Milo, a lonesome newcomer who just moved to Wagstaff City. The two bond, but when they tell their respective families about their new companion, no one believes they're real? Vocabulary (E) occupied, companion, lonesome, disappoint, imaginary (I) bored, lonely, twice, play(ed)(ing), fun
Mrs. Boxwood offers Martha a part in Alice in Wonderland, and Martha is thrilled at her new chance to become a star of the stage. But when Martha finds out what she's cast as, she's horrified. Vocabulary (E) character(s), motivat(e)(ation), portray(s), psychology, instinct(ual) (I) part, actors, play, line(s), show
When Ronald finds a book on psychology, he becomes the expert on everyone's "problems." Is his cure worse than the complaint? Vocabulary (E) attitude, diagnose(is)(ed)(ing), emulate(ing), mimic(ing) (I) mental, borrow, worried, used book(s), yogurt
Martha wishes she could help solve crimes like Rascal the police dog, and she's in luck! Officer O'Reilly lets Martha fill in while Rascal is away. Out patrolling, Martha smells a rat. Can she convince them that there's something rotten in the rutabaga? Vocabulary (E) patrol, citation, smuggle, secur(e)(ity) (I) officer, police, freeze, beat, cop
Helen wishes she could be a kid detective just like her favorite book character, Curious Crystal. When Helen and Martha find a business card for "The Whistler" with "You've been warned" written on the back, they think their career as super sleuths has begun. Vocabulary (E) caper, detective, camouflage, pursu(e)(it), stakeout (I) footprint, monocle, criminal, notebook, handwriting
TD isn't satisfied with any Greek myth, so he decides to write his own version. With the help of Martha and Truman, he puts on a performance that exceeds everyone's expectations... Vocabulary (E) version, alter, revis(e)(ing), adaptation, dramatize (I) change, fix, perfect, plot, nymph
On a rainy, boring day, the gang does what everybody does on a rainy day: act out Greek myths! And, as always, they are really better with dogs! Vocabulary (E) myth, legend, moral, reflection, fate (I) point, ending, setting, over, greek
It's a pool party! Everyone is going, including Alice... until she becomes involved in a strange cover-up. Vocabulary (E) (self)confiden(t)(ce), complexion, timid, outgoing, bashful (I) color, sort, brand, fair/fair-skinned, dye
Carolina adopts a new puppy, and she's so excited. It matches her purse! But when the gang points out the pup won't stay pocketbook-sized for long (check out those paws!), she regrets her impulsive adoption. Will they be able to find a home for Lily? Vocabulary (E) shallow, temperament, vicious, impulsive, foster, hypoallergenic (I) sweet, type, breed, kind, nasty
Wagstaff City's environmental club is having a "Go Green Go-Cart Race," fueled by alternative energy. Using sun, wind, and pond scum, the gang gathers at the starting line. Who will win the trophy — and most importantly, how? Vocabulary (E) energy, solar, alternative, convert, generate (I) cart, (re)use, green, power, parts
Who's been stealing things from the local junkyard? When Detective TD announces the identity of his main suspect, everyone is shocked. Vocabulary (E) waste, pollut(e)(ing)(tion), landfill, biodegradable (I) aluminum, copper, metal(s), trophy, sleepwalking
The gang is camping out. The tent is pitched, they've played a hundred hands of Go Fish, and they've even eaten all the s'mores — but they still aren't tired. When TD suggests they tell science fiction stories, no one expects this story to end as it does: to be continued! Vocabulary (E) science fiction, data, unpredictable, forsee(able), unforeseen, feline(s) (I) gather(ing), mysterious, peculiar, vine
A shadow on the outside of the tent inspires still more stories. With humans shrinking to the size of ants, and ants growing to the size of humans, everyone has something to contribute. Vocabulary (E) miniature(ize), enormous, magnify(ing), improbable, scientist (I) ray, puny, huge, giant, mini
For TD, summer always goes by too quickly, so he decides to spend this summer in the only place where the days never end: school. But is sitting alone in an empty classroom the best way to spend summer? Vocabulary (E) moment(s), endless, infinite, eternal, interrupt (I) minute, hour, day, tomorrow, never, forever
Helen shouldn't have watched that scary movie right before she went to sleep. Now she's sure there's something under her bed! Martha helps her understand that things are not always what they seem. Vocabulary (E) instant, perception, transpire(d), occur(ed), review(ing) (I) crash, touch(ing), second, events, vase
Billy Collins writes great poems about dogs, and Martha thinks she knows why. Obviously, the former poet laureate must be a canine himself! When Martha meets Billy Collins she's in for a few surprises...as is he. Vocabulary (E) poem, poet, prose, imposter, metaphor(ically)
When Milo reads in front of other people he gets nervous. T.D. has the perfect, confidence-building solution: a Reading Buddy! The whole gang gets excited about helping Milo. Maybe too excited. Can Milo find the Reading Buddy who's perfect for him? Vocabulary (E) fluent, struggle, apprehensive, interject, nervous
Struck by a falling book of five-hundred-and-one English Verbs, Martha instantly becomes - Verb Dog! Using her unique superpower to control people with verbs, Martha sniffs out trouble and defends the town from evil. Vocabulary (E) verb, amublate, elevate, descend, (un)petrify
Weaselgraft and Pablum have a new invention that is sure to make them rich again. The Adverbalizer activates adverbs – giving the user the ability to make things happen completely, sloppily, instantly… Of course T.D. orders one…immediately! Vocabulary (E) sloppily, instantly, immediately, completely, adverb
The Wagstaff Dogs are tired of losing every game. In their search for new leadership, the gang is shocked to discover a fanatical football coach in...Carolina? Can the girly-girl protect her image and still bring the team to victory? Vocabulary (E) pass, tackle, fumble, huddle, intercept(ion)
T.D. ponders the age-old question: what’s more powerful, a bulldozer or a dinosaur? The kids can’t come to an agreement, so T.D. does what any boy faced with this question would do. He uses a time machine to bring a dinosaur back from the late Cretaceous period. Let the competition begin. Vocabulary (E) match, force, equal, contend(er), clash
Martha pitches in to run Tio Jorge’s market when everyone else is busy. Will Martha and her canine coworkers be able to satisfy their customers’ needs? Or is a staff of dogs in a store full of food a recipe for trouble? Vocabulary (E) market, stock, inventory, display, order
Burger Boy, the gang’s favorite childhood restaurant, is going out of business. Can Martha and Friends’ advertising campaign save their local eatery? Or are they doomed because of competition from the newest burgerchain in town, Big Burgertorium? Vocabulary (E) business, customer, commercial, advertistement, market(ing)
The Bookbots are back and faced with a new nemesis: The Announcer. Armed with the power to bring nouns from books to life, the Announcer is wreaking havoc on Wagstaff City. Can our heroes utilize their semantic savvy to stifle this rampaging rapscallion? Vocabulary (E) noun, remove, term, insert, announce(r)
The Announcer is still at large and has put the city into grammatical peril. Fortunately, the Bookbots have discovered a secret weapon: adjectives. Equipped with this new linguistic leverage, our heroes may just be able to save their beloved city from their phonological foe. Vocabulary (E) oath, adjective, define, modify, weightless
Helen’s hefty schoolwork load leaves her with little time left to spend with Martha. At loose ends, Martha finds a friend in Professor Monkey, whose wacky inventions propel Martha into a world of new adventures. Vocabulary (E) relie(f)(ve), genius, unwind, cherish, pressure
When Carolina chastises Martha for her doggish mannerisms, Martha wishes Carolina could just see things from her point of view. That night, Carolina goes to sleep only to awake as...a dog! What will happen when she’s forced to take on a furry, four-legged perspective? Vocabulary (E) empathy, sympathy, characteristics, mannerisms, point of view
When Martha learns that Helen’s extended family will be coming for Thanksgiving, she decides to search for her own long-lost canine siblings. Tails begin to wag as the family reunites, but where is Martha’s mother? Vocabulary (E) reunion, prepare, organize, trace, quest
Still in search of her mother, Martha digs into her past to uncover the reason they were separated. Can Martha and her friends solve the mystery and find her mom in time for the family reunion? Vocabulary (E) assemble, connect, memory, recognize, arrange
Milo is super-exited to go to Camp Winnetka this summer – he’s been packing since Christmas. But when Truman discovers that Camp Winnetka is closing, he takes it upon himself to cheer Milo up -- by showing him how miserable and grueling camp can be. Vocabulary (E) activity, hike, forage, nature, grueling
Astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson (Truman’s #1 hero), is holding a seminar at the library. Truman becomes more and more certain that his activity partner T.D. is going to embarrass him in front of his idol. Does T.D. have what it takes to become a great scientist? Vocabulary (E) telescope, seminar, identify, curious, astrophysicist, presentation
Helen’s family friend Kit Luntanne (Jennifer Westfeldt) is upset. She’s had to leave her lovable dog, Cora, at home while she travels with her acting troupe. Backstage at the theater, Martha meets Ham Johnson (Jon Hamm), an actor who admires Kit and wants to impress her. Together they hatch a plan to reunite Kit with her dog. What could possibly go wrong? Vocabulary (E) admire, reunite, ambition, famous, audition
Confusion ensues as Martha and Ham cross paths with a troupe of circus dogs who all look exactly like Cora. Can our heroes find the real Cora before she’s sent off to perform in the big top? Or before Kit finds out about the mess they’ve made? Vocabulary (E) actress, stash, bold, chaos, understudy
When Martha is asked to sing at an animal rescue fundraiser, she’s thrilled. But on the day of the concert, Martha gets mixed up with another Martha – a dog belonging to a lady named Jennifer (Jennifer Garner). Can Martha help Jennifer locate her missing pup before it’s time to sing? Vocabulary (E) number, diva, solo, aria, a cappella
Martha’s constant pursuit of snacks has added some extra pounds and the vet says she needs to lose some weight. The family resolves to help Martha control her portions and maintain a balanced diet, but when Martha learns what this means, she’s pretty fed up. No more late-night pizza? Vocabulary (E) weight, portion, restrict, nutrition, balanced diet
Due to a lack of funds, the museum’s fossil exhibit is closing and Milo and Truman are devastated. What’s more fun than fossils? Can the Mesozoic enthusiasts find a way to save the dinos? Vocabulary (E) museum, fossil, funds, exhibit, archaeologist
Can a dog break through the space-time continuum? T.D. thinks so. As Martha recounts the tale of how T.D. first found Skits, we learn that innocent, easy-going Skits may in fact have been a time-traveling puppy! Vocabulary (E) paleontologist, expedition, past, era, age, museum
Martha is hit with a stark realization: the Tooth Fairy doesn’t like dogs. Determined to right a wrong, Martha and Skits bound boldly into the night as the Puppy Tooth Fairies. The problem is puppies lose a lot of teeth. So do kittens and elephants and…*gulp*…whales? Vocabulary (E) anticipation/ing, exhausted, dejected, determined, concerned
It’s impossible. It’s unthinkable. It’s unbearable. Helen is leaving Martha and going to art camp. Full of separation anxiety, Martha’s melancholy clouds even her ability to help T.D. take off his shoes. Feeling blue without her companion, Helen pours her feelings into her paintings. Vocabulary (E) morose, pitiful, sentimental, mope(ing), blue
TV producer Laslo Huckey knows just what people want to watch: puppies. But puppies doing what? He challenges Martha and the gang to come up with the perfect pitch for a puppy show. Vocabulary (E) gist, brainstorm, concept, situation, introduce
It’s the first day of spring and everybody wants to play their favorite outdoor game, Kickup! Only, where’s the ball? In order to find it, the kids recount their memories of the last game. The problem is, everybody remembers things differently… Vocabulary (E) certain, specific, sure, detail(s), previously
Inspired by Ronald’s parrot, Martha starts doing impersonations. It turns out her imitation of Helen’s mom is spot-on. But when she starts answering phone calls in Mariella’s voice, she gets a bit more than she bargained for… Vocabulary (E) resemble/resemblance, impersonate/ation, genuine, authentic, accurate
When Martha finds out that wearing a Courageous Collie Carlo Collar makes people give you food, she has to have one. Ignoring Helen’s claims that the product isn’t as magical as it seems, Martha sets out to earn some cash for the collar. Vocabulary (E) artificial, cheap, expensive, phony, bogu
Inspired by her favorite mystery novel, Heroic Helen is on the hunt for trouble. When she notices TD’s grades have suddenly improved and spies him meeting secretly with Martha and Francois, things get personal. Has she uncovered a cheating scandal between her dog and her best friend? Vocabulary (E) cheat, cram, quiz, tutor, drill
Martha feels it’s high time to get a puppy, but the family disagrees. Even Jake knows that two dogs is plenty. With no other option, Martha sets out to do what any dog would: train a baby to become a puppy. Vocabulary (E) destroy, mess, ruin, spotless, tear
Trash cans are being knocked down across Wagstaff City and Mrs. Demson knows just who to blame: dogs. With her tail against the wall, Martha scrambles to find the real culprit before the town enacts a dreaded leash law. Vocabulary (E) alibi, assume, incident, nocturnal, responsible
Mice have invaded the neighborhood and Martha’s here to help. Her rodent-ridding skills are superb, but once she gets to know these friendly, furry nomads the job gets complicated. Vocabulary (E) invade, obstacle, predicament, relocate, solution
Kenan Thompson guest stars as Truman’s cousin, Stanley, who’s obsession with watching movies tends to get on his cousin’s nerves. When the gang spots two crooks at the Wagstaff City Hotel, Stanley’s knowledge of heist movies may be the best tool they’ve got to prevent a robbery. Vocabulary (E) athletic, burly, lanky, muscular, scrawny
Milo never wins anything. Tired of being trophyless and second-bested by his friends, he devises a way to triumph by making up his own games. The only trouble is, his friends are pretty good at those too… Vocabulary (E) dexterity, endurance, sport, stamina, swift
Buying a bigger TV usually means a better entertainment experience. For the Lorraine’s, it means the return of Ralph, the conniving duck whose obsession with television has Helen’s family desperate to be duck-free. But this time, Ralph has an even bigger surprise under his feathers… Vocabulary (E) layover, migrate, pause, remain, stay
Martha can’t figure out why there’s a sheep in her kitchen until Bo, a border collie, rushes in to explain that they got lost on their way to a herding festival. Can Helen and Martha get them there before it starts? And before the sheep eats all their pillows? Vocabulary (E) dawdle, halt, insist, persistent, route
When Alice tells the story of how she got Nelson, her class is confused. She ate pizza while playing hockey in an animal shelter? With a little help from Helen and T.D., she might be able to tell it correctly, even if it is about cats… Vocabulary (E) comprehend, digress, edit, order, tangent
Princesses Carolina, Alice and Helen needeth a castle. Skipper Truman and First Mate T.D. are scouring the land for a ship. The problem: Helen only has one tree house. Who will prevail in the clash between bucanneers and royalty? Vocabulary (E) narrative, recap, scenario, summary, theme
A dog in a sweater? Not on Martha’s watch. But what can she do when Grandma Lucille presents her with a neatly knitted pullover? Desperate to rid herself from woolly embarrasment, Martha sets out to prove that no sweater can withstand the rugged lifestyle of a dog. Vocabulary (E) dignified, fib, hideous, loathe, undignified
T.D.’s day starts like any other: getting on a bus and riding it to the end of the line. But when he passes by a toy that looks suspiciously like one he used to own, he’s pulled into a mystery that even he couldn’t dream up. Who’s behind this game of a boy and his missing plastic dinosaur? Vocabulary (E) absorbing, appealing, fascinating, intriguing, rendezvous
No cat is stronger than a Bookbot…unless the Bookbots are out of shape! And with little crime to fight, our heroes have become just that. Will they be able to get fit in time to stop a new literacy-loathing villain on the rise? Vocabulary (E) fitness, in shape, lazy, sluggish, strength
When the dogs join Helen and T.D. to clean Grandpa Bernie’s garage, they meet Candy, an elderly dog who claims she was bit by a ball from outer space! As Bernie’s trash becomes T.D.’s treasure, Martha and Skits dig through Candy’s yard for the truth behind the fanged space ball. Vocabulary (E) achey, elderly, mobility, vigor, youthful
A dog speaking Shakespeare? ‘Tis a consumation devoutly to be wished and achieved when Martha swallows Hamlet. Never was a dog’s desire for meat so artfully expressed. Vocabulary (E) dialogue, director, monologue, producer, soliloquy
It’s the Town Crier deadline and Carolina needs a headline. Hot on the trail for a story, and a biscuit, Senior Canine Reporter Martha stumbles into a scoop that screams front page: the whereabouts of Big Minnie. But is exposing Minnie’s privacy worth the story? Vocabulary (E) confirm, feature, integrity, topic, verify
It’s April Fools Day in Wagstaff City and T.D., the King of Pranks, is…too busy to plan pranks? He’s preoccupied with an invitation to receive an award from the Wagstaff City Genius Society. Martha smells deception, but will T.D. catch on before it’s too late? Vocabulary (E) convince, dupe, ploy, prank, ruse
A ferocious new pooch has the neighborhood dogs’ fur on end. Martha may never go outside again. Even Skits is spooked. Can anyone neutralize this bully’s bark? Vocabulary (E) harass, intimidate, pick(ing) on, reluctant, tease
Why is there a tomato on T.D.’s shirt? Helen’s eager to know. Unfortunately, she’d have an easier time getting Martha to skip breakfast than getting a straight answer from T.D. Will she ever find out? Vocabulary (E) image, indicate, insignia, remind, symbol
Is Martha only speaking in questions? Why would that be? Can Skits help her figure it out? Did somebody put something funny in her soup? Will the questions ever stop??? Vocabulary (E) convey, inquire, period, punctuation, question mark
A blizzard is headed towards Wagstaff City and Mittens the cat is trapped in an alley. Fears rise when the story unfolds: Mittens has kittens. Abandoning animal prejudices, Martha and Skits trample into the snow-capped city to rescue the endangered cat and her young. Vocabulary (E) attack, comfort, nourish, secure, snuggle
A blackout in Wagstaff City renders Helen, T.D. and Truman incapable of playing their favorite videogame, Multi-Dimensional Intergalactic Kleine Nachtgopher Attack Four. But with a little imagination, a basket of laundry and some salad tongs, these nachtgophers might not be so powerless after all. Vocabulary (E) blackout, chill, discomfort, shiver, starve
When T.D. finds out the Pony Express wasn’t a train for horses, he’s crushed. It was the only thing worth doing a report on for Mrs. Clusky’s class. Helen tries to spark his interests in other topics, but it just won’t work. Is there anything he can get passionate enough about to research? Vocabulary (E) apathetic, avid, eliminate, indifferent, passionate
Lily needs help. She tore a pillow while she was sleeping. Canine Cleaners Martha and Skits answer the call…and make things a whole lot worse. Can they clean up their mess made before Milo’s dad gets home? Vocabulary (E) destroy, mess, ruin, spotless, tear
