Marsha Hayles
Putnam / 2002

This boy's backyard doesn't have a plain old baby pool, sandbox, and lawn chair; it has an ocean teeming with pirates, a dangerous race course to conquer, and a jungle filled with wild animals just waiting to attack. This rambunctious hero faces every challenge with daring valor, saving the day for himself and his trusty canine sidekick. But when a fierce dragon knocks him off of his horse, his lady brave (mom, of course) comes to the rescue—he can't save them all!