by Ellen Miles
Charles headed down the hall and found Sammy outside their classroom. He and Dad were already taping up Charles’s poster near the table where Sammy had displayed his mold projects.
“These are fantastic,” said Charles, looking over the plastic bags full of weird and colorful molds growing on different foods. Sammy had made hilarious name tags for each one.
“I know,” said Sammy. “Best project ever. I bet I win an award.”
Once Charles had put his poster up, there wasn’t much to do but wait. Charles felt in his pocket for the special treats — string cheese and bacon-flavored jerky — he had brought for Roxy. He called Roxy over and showed Sammy how good she had gotten at her fetch trick.
“Take it,” he said, pointing to the octopus toy he had brought along. Roxy scampered over and grabbed the toy in her tiny jaws, shaking it happily. “Good girl,” said Charles. He pointed to Sammy. “Now go to Sammy and drop it.” She pranced over to Sammy and plopped the octopus right into his hand. “Good girl!” Charles said again. “Perfect!” He gave her a tiny piece of jerky. She was such a smarty. It had not been hard at all to do what Mr. Mason had asked—teach Roxy to take the toy to a nearby person. All he had to do was point and say the commands.
What could go wrong?
Charles tried not to think about it. Instead, he carried Roxy in his arms while he examined Sammy’s molds carefully, reading the name tags Sammy had made for each one.
Charles laughed. The signs were hilarious, if not exactly scientific. Like, “Hi, I’m Cladosporium bread mold. Please don’t eat me unless you want to get really sick!” That was Sammy for you. He couldn’t resist a joke.
Then Charles felt a tap on his shoulder. He spun around to see Mr. Mason, with Janice and Derek.
“Oh!” said Janice. “She’s the cutest!”
At the word “cutest,” Roxy tilted her head and looked at Janice, her eyes sparkling.
Exactly! That’s me! I think you and I are going to get along great.
Janice looked like she was about to faint from the cuteness. Then Mr. Mason cleared his throat. “I knew you’d love her,” he said. “And I know how long you’ve wanted a dog. So I have a question for you. What would you think about adopting Roxy?”
Janice bit her lip. “I’d love to, but I’ve told you. As a single mom —”
Mr. Mason pulled the blue velvet bag out of his pocket. He looked at Roxy. “Take it,” he said, holding it out for the little pup to see.
Roxy trotted right over and took the bag gently in her teeth, carrying it by its gold satin ribbon. Then Mr. Mason pointed at Janice, and Roxy started to head her way. “Give it to Janice,” he said.
Roxy stopped in her tracks and looked back at him.
Hmmm, I don’t know that one. Can you explain what you want?
“Drop it,” Charles whispered.
Immediately, Roxy ran up to Janice and dropped the bag into her outstretched hand. “Oh!” said Janice, picking up Roxy and cradling her in her arms. “What a good girl.” She was so busy kissing the top of Roxy’s head that she ignored the bag in her hand.
“Open it!” called Charles. He couldn’t stand the suspense a moment longer.
Janice looked down at the bag. Holding Roxy carefully, she fumbled with the satin drawstring and untied the bow. She opened the bag and pulled out a small blue box. Then she looked up at Mr. Mason, and a smile lit up her face.
Mr. Mason looked back at Janice, blushing and smiling.
“Open it!” Charles yelled again. This time, he was joined by Derek, Sammy, and a bunch of other kids and parents who had gathered around.
Janice flipped the box open, still clutching Roxy. Charles saw the sparkle of the diamond ring Mr. Mason had told him was inside.
“Janice,” said Mr. Mason as he knelt down on one knee. “Will you marry me? I want you and me and Derek and Roxy to be a family together.”
Now Janice was crying fat tears that slid down her cheeks. But she was smiling, too. She looked over at Derek, who gave her two thumbs up. “Yes,” she said, turning back to Mr. Mason. “Yes, of course.” She handed Roxy to Charles and ran to Mr. Mason for a hug and a kiss that made everybody hoot and break into cheers and applause.
Derek grinned at Charles from across the crowd. Charles grinned back. It had worked! Even though Mr. Mason had given the wrong cue, Roxy knew just what to do. The smart little pup had known exactly how to prove that she belonged as part of this new family. Charles was going to be sorry to see Roxy go, but he knew she would be in good hands. Plus, he had a feeling that his family and Derek’s were going to be friends, which meant he would be seeing a lot more of Roxy. Suddenly, Charles didn’t care whether his science project won a prize or not. After all, how could this night be any more perfect?
What should you do if you find a sick or injured puppy or dog? First of all, tell an adult. Not all injured dogs should be moved. If you have a blanket or a sweater handy, you can put that over the dog to keep him warm and cozy while you wait for help. You can stay with the dog and help to keep him calm by stroking him gently or speaking in a quiet voice — but only if the dog seems comfortable with that. Even gentle dogs may behave in a fearful or angry way when they are hurt. A grown-up can help you take the dog to a vet’s office or a pet emergency care center. If you would like to learn more about pet first aid, you might be able to find a class at your local animal shelter.
Dear Reader,
It can be so scary when your dog is sick or injured. I’ve been through some tough experiences with my dogs over the years. Django once ate something that made him very, very sick - so sick that he had to stay overnight at the vet’s! Zipper cut his leg badly on the sharp edge of my ski, and had to have stitches. And, long ago, my dog Jack actually broke his tail! He had to have it wrapped just like Roxy’s leg, and he looked very silly. I am thankful to have had great vets to take my dogs to, and with good care they all healed and went back to their happy lives.
Yours from the Puppy Place,
Ellen Miles
“Wow, I forgot how beautiful it is up here,” said Kamila. “Look at the way these huge old trees arch over the road. And the fall colors are amazing.”
In the backseat, Lizzie Peterson and her best friend, Maria Santiago, grinned at each other. “Amazing,” echoed Lizzie.
They were on their way to the Santiagos’ cabin in the country. Lizzie had been there many times before, but always with Maria’s parents. This time, they were with Maria’s cousin Kamila. She was a grown-up, but just barely—she was twenty-two and had just finished college. Going to the cabin with Kamila felt like a big adventure, and Lizzie was excited.
“When was the last time you were up here?” Maria asked her cousin.
“It has to be, like, eight years ago!” Kamila answered. “I remember I had this new camera I’d gotten for my birthday. I must have taken a thousand pictures. I probably still have some of them. You were the cutest thing, in your little pink overalls. You were such a curious kid, into everything.”
Maria laughed. “I remember my pink overalls but I don’t remember that trip.”
“You sure have grown up a lot since then,” said Kamila. “I really appreciate you and Lizzie coming up here with me to help me get settled in.”
Kamila was planning to stay at the cabin for a few weeks. She’d asked Maria’s parents if she could spend some time there while she decided what she wanted to do next in her life. Maria had told Lizzie that Kamila wasn’t sure whether she wanted to be a doctor or a writer. After this weekend, Kamila would drive Lizzie and Maria home, then go back up and be on her own at the cabin in order to figure it all out.
“I still can’t believe my parents let me come,” said Lizzie. “Maybe my mom just wanted me out of her hair for a while.”
“What?” Kamila asked. She met Lizzie’s eyes in the rearview mirror. “Why?”
Lizzie shrugged. “She says I’ve been acting like Eeyore lately, whining and complaining about everything.”
&nb
sp; “And—have you?” Kamila asked.
“Well, maybe a little,” Lizzie said. She didn’t know exactly why she’d been feeling so cranky lately, but for some reason it was easier to admit it to Kamila than to her mom.
Kamila laughed. “Hopefully this trip will help you break that habit,” she said. “I might even have some ideas that could help.”
Kamila turned off the tree-lined highway and onto a narrow, bumpy dirt road. “Almost there!” she said. “We’ll have a lot to do when we arrive: unload the car, get firewood, start a fire, get dinner going, set the table …”
At home, Lizzie would have groaned if she’d heard a list of chores like that. But the cabin was different. She could hardly wait to get there and get to work. There was something really special about the Santiagos’ cozy little cabin in the woods.
The only thing missing on this trip was a dog. Usually Simba would be along. Maria’s mom was blind, and she usually had her guide dog, Simba, at her side. He was a total sweetheart, and Lizzie loved it when Mrs. Santiago told her it was okay to pet and cuddle him a bit, when he was off duty. But since Maria’s mom wasn’t going to be there this weekend, that meant Simba wasn’t, either.
Lizzie would have liked to bring her puppy, Buddy, to the cabin, but that idea had been vetoed by everyone else in the family. The Petersons were all in love with Buddy. Lizzie could just imagine the scene at home: Her two younger brothers, Charles and the Bean, would be squabbling over whose room Buddy would sleep in that night. Mom would be slipping him extra treats “just because,” even though Lizzie always told her that he should have to earn them by doing tricks. And Dad would be ruffling Buddy’s ears and asking him over and over if he was a good boy. Buddy sure did get plenty of attention at the Petersons’ house!
“Buddy face,” said Maria, poking Lizzie in the ribs.
“What’s that?” asked Kamila, glancing into the rearview mirror.
Lizzie and Maria giggled. “It’s just the face Lizzie makes when she’s thinking about her puppy—or really about any dog,” explained Maria. “Which is basically all the time,” she added, with another giggle. Maria knew that Lizzie was totally dog crazy. She’d spent plenty of time in Lizzie’s room, which was decorated in everything dog. She knew that Lizzie had dog-themed socks, pajamas, and even underpants, and that Lizzie collected dog books, dog figurines, and of course every color and breed of dog stuffie.
“Lizzie’s family fosters puppies,” Maria told her cousin. “They’ve taken care of so many adorable puppies who needed help. They find the best homes for every one of them! Their puppy, Buddy, was a foster puppy at first, but now he’s their forever dog.”
“That’s so cool,” said Kamila, smiling at Lizzie in the mirror. “But isn’t it hard to give up the puppies when it’s time? I don’t think I could handle it.”
“It’s never easy,” admitted Lizzie. “But it helps to know that they’re going to great homes. It also helps that we have Buddy.”
“Well, those are some lucky pups to have had you in their lives,” said Kamila as she turned the car onto an even narrower, bumpier road. “Okay, keep an eye out for the parking spot,” she told the girls. “I think it’s coming up any minute.”
Lizzie loved how you couldn’t drive all the way up to the Santiagos’ cabin. You had to park at the bottom of a trail and carry everything in. There were two red wagons, stored in a small shed near the parking area, that they used for hauling things. It was a lot of work, but it made visiting the cabin even more special. You really felt like you were in the wilderness. She peered out the window, watching for the big old oak tree that stood by the parking area.
“Wait, slow down!” she said suddenly. “What’s that?” She pointed to a flash of white and gray, slipping between the trees on the side of the road. “Whoa! I know there are coyotes around here— but that looks more like a wolf!”
“Where? Where?” asked Maria as Kamila slowed the car down to a crawl. “I don’t see it.”
Now Lizzie didn’t see it, either. Had she been imagining things? She stared into the woods. Yes! There it was again. She spotted a bushy white tail and a pair of pointy ears. “There!” she shouted, pointing. “And you know what? It’s not a coyote or a wolf. It’s a puppy!”
Ellen Miles loves dogs, which is why she has a great time writing the Puppy Place books. And guess what? She loves cats, too! (In fact, her very first pet was a beautiful tortoiseshell cat named Jenny.) That’s why she came up with the Kitty Corner series. Ellen lives in Vermont and loves to be outdoors with her dog, Zipper, every day, walking, biking, skiing, or swimming, depending on the season. She also loves to read, cook, explore her beautiful state, play with dogs, and hang out with friends and family.
Visit Ellen at ellenmiles.net.
Don’t miss any of these other stories by Ellen Miles!
Angel
Bandit
Baxter
Bear
Bella
Bentley
Bitsy
Bonita
Boomer
Bubbles and Boo
Buddy
Champ
Chewy and Chica
Cocoa
Cody
Cooper
Cuddles
Daisy
Edward
Flash
Gizmo
Goldie
Gus
Honey
Jack
Jake
Liberty
Lola
Louie
Lucky
Lucy
Maggie and Max
Mocha
Molly
Moose
Muttley
Nala
Noodle
Oscar
Patches
Princess
Pugsley
Rascal
Rocky
Rusty
Scout
Shadow
Snowball
Spirit
Stella
Sugar, Gummi, and Lollipop
Sweetie
Teddy
Ziggy
Zipper
Copyright © 2019 by Ellen Miles
Cover art by Tim O’Brien
Original cover design by Steve Scott
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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
First printing 2019
e-ISBN 978-1-338-30307-0
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