“So this is Dead Furry Friends Animal Shelter, huh?” Marcos nudged Alma. She nudged him back and almost knocked him to the ground.
Dr. V. waved Alma’s parents over.
“What are they doing?” Gaby watched them enter the shelter with Dr. Villalobos. “The presentation is going to start soon.” Alma put her arm around Gaby’s shoulder and steered her attention back to Marcos, who had already introduced himself to Rosa and was reading her palm.
A few minutes later, Dr. V. was at the microphone. “Thank you for coming!” he roared. Gaby and Alma joined Mrs. Kohler and their classmates on the lawn. “Welcome to our Barkapalooza open house.” Then, for the second time that afternoon, Dr. V. was quiet. He gazed at all the girls. “When Mrs. Kohler approached me about a school service project, I’d thought it’d be cool, but it turned out to be huge! Together we’ve learned that animals depend on us to take care of them.” He winked at Gaby. “I hope all of you will be my furry friends forever.” Everyone clapped. “Now, let me introduce the Jedi Master of dog training. If you have a dog that can roll over and sit and stay, it’s probably because of Alma. From what I understand, she also has that power over the boys on her block!” Marcos and Enrique shook their heads. “Alma Gomez!” Dr. V. yelled. Alma walked to the front as the crowd applauded.
“Thanks!” she said. “Please sit and stay!”
The crowd laughed. “I’d like to recognize our team of trainers. Please stand, chicas!” Gaby was always amazed at Alma’s ability to speak in front of crowds. There were no “ums” or “you knows.” As Alma called out their names, each girl waved, blew kisses, or did fist pumps. “Last, but not least, I’d like to recognize Gaby Ramirez Howard, who wrote all of the profiles for our flyers and website.”
Gaby stood and waved. It was her first real glimpse of everyone who had arrived. Chloe sat in a lawn chair with Pouncer on her lap. The strawberry family had Atticus and Finch. Snowflake was draped around Sister Joan’s neck. Cinder was getting her ears rubbed by the firemen at her side. Even her classmates had at least one parent present. Every family seemed complete. It made her wish for her mom and Feather. She looked toward the cat room. Maybe she could grab Feather really fast? Then things would be 99 percent complete. Not 100 percent, because there was still one hyper little black-and-white terrier missing. Spike hadn’t arrived yet.
“We will read a few samples of Gaby’s profiles,” Alma said. While Daisy stood to read Finch’s profile, one of the redheaded boys yelled, “She’s reading about Finch!”
Next, Mrs. Kohler read Puck’s profile. Gaby noticed that during the reading, Alma strained her neck to see the entrance. Gaby caught her eye. Alma smiled and shrugged. Gaby closed her eyes and prayed. “Please show up, Spike.”
When Mrs. Kohler finished, it was Dr. V.’s turn. He stood up and began to read. “Hi, my name is Feather, and I’m a cute tabby …”
Gaby sucked in her breath. What was going on? Why was Dr. V. reading Feather’s profile?
“… I was abandoned at a rest stop by an evil couple, but now I am healthy and safe …”
That wasn’t Feather’s profile! Gaby glanced over at Alma, who stood there with a big goofy grin. What was going on? Did this mean that the awful couple wasn’t coming back for Feather?
“… I am ready for a new adventure and excited about living with Gaby and the entire Gomez family!”
Dr. Villalobos stopped. Now, all of Gaby’s classmates were looking at her with the same goofy smile Alma had on her face. Mr. Gomez stood next to Dr. V., holding Feather. Alma ran to Gaby and dragged her to the front. “C’mon, Gaby!”
“Gaby, in special gratitude for your tireless work as our shelter scribe,” Dr. V. began, “you are now the proud forever family of Feather!” Dr. V. took Feather from Mr. Gomez and handed the cat to her.
“What? I don’t understand …” Gaby stammered. “What about those people? Are you sure?”
“They never came back and I told you that you were on the waiting list. So …” Dr. V. smiled. “She’s all yours!”
Gaby’s hands trembled as she took Feather from Dr. V. She couldn’t believe this was happening. She looked over at Alma and Alma’s parents to see if it was true. Their smiles confirmed it was real. Feather nuzzled up against Gaby’s cheek and meowed. “You’re right, Feather,” Gaby whispered. “We’re not strays anymore.”
Gaby had just given Dr. V. a hug when she saw a flash of black and white at the entrance out of the corner of her eye.
“It’s Spike!” Gaby shouted. The guests turned to find the source of the commotion.
Alma bolted and wrapped her arms around Spike. Soon all the girls were on their knees huddled around him, too. Spike barked and slobbered them with kisses. The whole time his tail wagged like he was swatting flies.
“He smells so good!” Alma gushed. The girls buried their noses into his fur and nodded.
“It’s the organic shampoo we use. Animal-friendly stuff,” the woman said, brushing blond bangs away from her green eyes. “Sorry we’re late.”
“Spike has arrived,” Dr. Villalobos announced over the microphone. “Please be sure to watch your punch and cookies! Thanks for coming, everyone!”
After the guests left, Dr. Villalobos and Daisy walked the girls to the parking lot and hugged each girl good-bye.
“Don’t forget to howl every once in a while,” he said as the girls walked to their parents’ cars. All of the girls turned around and answered with screams and howls. Dr. V. laughed and gave a thumbs-up. “That’s what I’m talking about.”
Marcos opened the car door for Gaby. “He seems like a cool dude.”
“The coolest,” she said. The four kids crowded into the backseat. Feather rested on Marcos’s lap. She purred while he absently scratched her behind the ears. As they drove away, Gaby looked back to see Dr. V., still waving good-bye. She missed him already.
“Hey, slug bug!” Enrique slugged Gaby in the arm.
“Ouch! Where did you see the slug bug?” She rubbed her arm. “I didn’t see one.”
“It’s right there. The one with that Spike dog you all were slobbering over earlier.”
“Spike?” Gaby and Alma said at the same time. The girls looked out and saw Spike with his head out the back window of an orange Volkswagen bug driving alongside them, a lane over.
Alma rolled down the window and yelled out, “Bye, Spike!”
Spike barked and his owners waved before taking a right turn.
“Why do dogs stick their heads out like that?” Marcos asked.
“It means they’re happy,” Alma answered. “If you were happy, wouldn’t you want to stick your head out a window?”
Feather looked up at Gaby from Marcos’s lap and mewed, as if saying, “Go ahead.” Gaby lowered her window. She couldn’t wait to tell her mom that Feather was now a permanent member of their family. Her mom would do the happy dance for sure.
Gaby closed her eyes and stuck her head out into the wind. The warm breeze blew her hair back, as the sun’s rays pressed against her smiling face.
Acknowledgments
This novel started out as my undercover plot to convince my husband that we needed to adopt a puppy from the animal shelter, but over time it’s become so much more. I am grateful to the many people who helped me complete this book. Special thanks to Christine Taylor-Butler for inviting me to a writer’s workshop where I’d meet my future kick-butt literary agent. You are so right, Christine: The universe works the way it should — bringing the right people together at the right time.
Mil abrazos to Adriana Dominguez Ferrari of Full Circle Literary Agency for believing in me and this story. Muchisímas gracias to my editor, Anna Bloom, and everyone at Scholastic for being my partners in the puppy plot.
Hugs to the Firehouse Five in Kansas City: Lisa Cindrich, Victoria Dixon, Tessa Elwood, Janet Johnson, and Jane True for the tireless edits and encouragement every step of the way. Fist bumps to my young editors: Alyssa, Carly, Claire, Riley, and S
ofia, for being awesome.
Thanks to my friends and family who asked me, “How’s the book going?” Your interest kept me going. Muchos besitos to my husband, Carlos Antequera, for my beautiful writing room. And you still owe me that puppy.
Most important, big hugs to all the Gabys out there. I hope I’ve done your story justice. Stay strong, hermanitas.
Con cariño,
Angela
About the Author
Angela Cervantes is a poet, storyteller, and animal lover. Her poetry and short stories have appeared in various publications, including Chicken Soup for the Latino Soul. When Angela is not writing, she enjoys hanging out with her husband in Kansas and eating fish tacos every chance she gets. Gaby, Lost and Found is her first middle-grade novel. She is currently at work on her second book. Keep up with Angela at www.angelacervantes.com.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Available
Text copyright © 2012 by Angela Cervantes
Jacket photography by Michael Frost
Author photography by Kenny Johnson
Jacket design by Nina Goffi
All rights reserved. Published by Scholastic Inc. SCHOLASTIC and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc.
First printing, August 2013
e-ISBN 978-0-545-63186-0
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher. For information regarding permission, write to Scholastic Inc., Attention: Permissions Department, 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012.
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