I've enjoyed many volumes of this charming - and sometimes heart-wrenching - series, and ordered this rather badly-battered but still readable ex-library copy from Better World Books to fill in the gaps. This one has Suguri, her boss Teppei, and his dog Noa on the cover, and a miniature schnauzer on the back.

This volume includes a surprising new addition to the animal cast: a kitten, found drifting downstream in a box. There are some charming and funny bits here, in the attempts of the staff to find a new home for it - and in Teppei's dog Noa's interest in adopting the newcomer...

Another story deals with a woman who tries to return the dog that her elderly father just bought; this one leads to some domestic revelations - and a rather dramatic what's-buried-in-the-yard scene as well.

And then there's the subplot about the Dog Cafe, where Suguri's dog Lupin disgraces himself and her by his lack of proper training. (Among the actual dog-training scenes are some more offbeat and funny ones, such as Suguri's attempt to find an outfit for her dog; not that he wants one, but she seems to think it's necessary for the cafe. The panel showing him in a full samurai outfit is very funny indeed.)

Another nice entry in this charming series.

[There's a TV Tropes page for the series, but do beware of spoilers.]

I plan to leave this book in or near Coffee Labs at around 2 or so; hope the finder enjoys it!

*** Released as part of the E-less release challenge. ***