Hardcover. Boston, Houghton Mifflin, 1st, 2001, Book: Very Good, Dust Jacket: Good, Hardcover in a bright, unclipped dust jacket. Preston and his wife, Ruth, own Ellington Lodge. Preston is a checkers-playing fiend and is known around the neighborhood as the greatest checkers player in the world. When a small dog named Marley shows up at Ellington Lodge, Preston at first thinks he's harmless, and Ruth is delighted because Marley helps out with chores that Preston has no time for, due to his checkers games. Ever-helpful Marley soon seems to cast a spell over everyone at the lodge with his cooking talent, amazing storytelling, speed painting, and magic tricks. Color art by Egan. Dust jacket has some wrinkling, book is clean.