by Cynthia Lord
Everyone was waiting for me to put Jelly Bean in his cage. They were waiting for Ms. Taylor to take him away to his new life in kindergarten.
I stroked him behind his ears. “Good-bye, Jelly Bean.” I placed him carefully inside his cage on the backseat. “I’ll miss you a lot.”
“Thank you all so much,” Ms. Taylor said. “I’ll take good care of him. I promise.”
Ms. Flores, Ms. Kim, and the whole Shelter Pet Squad stayed at the edge of the parking lot. We waved until Ms. Taylor’s car drove out of sight.
I blinked back tears, a little sad and a little happy. “When animals are adopted, I always feel a little bit sorry to see them go,” Ms. Flores said. “Only for a moment, though. Then I’m happy that the pet has a home of his own with someone to love him.”
“Jelly Bean will have lots of someones to love him,” Jada said.
“A whole entire kindergarten class!” Allie Pink Girl said.
I couldn’t talk. Ms. Kim put her arm around my shoulders.
I hoped Jelly Bean would be brave and Ms. Taylor would love him as much as we did. He had what Ms. Kim said every shelter pet wanted.
He got his second chance.
All week, I imagined Jelly Bean in his kindergarten class. The kids would be so happy to see him that maybe they’d squeal or clap with joy or all want to hold him. It might scare him at first.
But Ms. Taylor seemed like a nice person who cared a lot about Jelly Bean. She’d make it okay. And I knew the kids would learn how to make him happy.
He’d poke his head out of his hidey house during math.
During reading, he’d peek at the kids from his cage.
And at lunchtime?
He’d be up on his hind legs, checking to see if anyone had carrot sticks. I hoped Ms. Taylor would remember to bring him one.
On Saturday, it felt strange to go to the shelter. Jelly Bean wouldn’t be there. We had apples at home, but I had no pet to bring one for.
That feeling lasted only until Mom drove into the parking lot, though. I had helped Jelly Bean find his new home, but there were other animals at the shelter. They needed things to play with. They needed people to care about them while they waited for their second chance, too.
By the time I walked through the door for Shelter Pet Squad, I was ready. Ready for a new adventure and a new mission. Maybe there would be puppies to read to. Or dogs that needed toys. Or cats that needed petting. As Ms. Kim said, those are little things we can do for the animals, but little things matter.
“Suzannah, we’ve been waiting for you,” Ms. Kim said. “Come see the bulletin board!”
And there was a surprise so wonderful that I laughed out loud.
I saw Jelly Bean’s happy ending.
• A guinea pig is also called a cavy.
• Male guinea pigs are boars. Females are sows. Babies are pups.
• Guinea pigs are rodents. They aren’t related to pigs at all!
• Guinea pigs usually live five to seven years.
• They are originally from South America.
• When they’re happy, guinea pigs make a soft purring sound. They can also squeak (wheeek!) and chuff.
• Guinea pigs are not good climbers or jumpers, but they can hop a few inches into the air when they’re excited. That’s called “popcorning”! They look like popcorn popping.
• Guinea pigs’ teeth grow all the time. They must gnaw hay, wood, and other firm things to wear them down.
• Many rodents are nocturnal (awake at night, asleep during the day), but not guinea pigs. They take small naps, but they are awake for most of the day.
• Guinea pigs have no tails.
• Guinea pigs are social animals. Most like the company of other guinea pigs and people.
You can learn more about guinea pigs at the library and online.
• Volunteer! Ask if your local shelter has programs for kids. The shelter might have age rules about working directly with the animals, but there are other important jobs, too, like making signs and posters or mixing up treats.
• Donate needed supplies. Animal shelters always need donations: old towels, sheets, blankets, pet toys and food, kitty litter, and office supplies. Many shelters have a “wish list” on their websites.
• Maybe you or your friends have pet equipment at home that you aren’t using.
• Gather up any unwanted tennis balls or small stuffed animals and donate them to your shelter for dog toys. Before you bring stuffed animals to the shelter, check them over carefully and remove any parts that the dog might swallow (such as plastic eyes or batteries). If you can’t remove those parts, it’s not a good toy to donate. If you’re not sure, you can show the toys to the people at the shelter and let them decide.
• You could even hold a donation drive to collect things the shelter needs. Ask if you can place a donation box and a list of items to donate at school where everyone will see it. Then bring those donations to the shelter.
• Many shelters have someone who will visit classrooms and clubs to talk about their work and the animals they serve. Most shelters also offer tours of the shelter. You can suggest these ideas to your teacher or club leader.
• Interview someone from your local shelter for your school newspaper.
• Create a poster featuring adoptable animals at your shelter. Be sure to ask permission before you hang your poster at school or in your community.
• Participate in your local events. Shelters often hold walkathons, contests, bake sales, pet shows, and more.
• At your next birthday party, ask guests to bring a donation for a shelter (dog food, kitty litter, toys, or other pet items) instead of presents.
• Read about animals so you can make good decisions for your pets and for animals everywhere.
To make the dog treat puzzles that Suzannah makes in the story, you will need:
• An empty cardboard toilet-paper tube or a paper-towel tube cut in half
• Small treats for dogs, such as: cheese cubes, broken-up dog biscuits, pieces of hot dog
1. Pinch one end of the tube. Fold over the edge about half an inch to close the bottom of the tube. Fold it firmly so nothing will fall out of the tube.
2. Hold the tube with the open end up, like it’s a cup. Put treats in the tube. Don’t fill it all the way to the top.
3. Pinch the open end of the tube. Fold over the top edge about half an inch, sealing the treats inside. If you can’t fold over the top, remove a few treats and try again.
4. Give it to a dog and watch him have fun! When he’s done, be sure to clean up the ripped bits of paper tube.
To make the braided fleece cat toys that Suzannah makes in the story, you will need:
• Fleece fabric in different colors
• Safety scissors
• Measuring tape
1. Cut your fleece into strips 3 inches wide and 40 inches long.
2. Choose three different colored strips and lay the strips one on top of the other.
3. Knot the three strips together by tying a knot a few inches from the top of the strips.
4. Braid the three strips, stopping a few inches from the bottom.
5. Stop braiding a few inches from the bottom of the strips. Tie a knot. Now you have a knot at both ends with braiding in the middle.
6. Have fun! Drag your toy along the floor for cats to pounce on, or hang it in a place where cats can swat it.
After you’ve tied the top knot, spread out the three strips. You will have a left strip, a middle strip, and a right strip. The different color strips will change their positions as you braid, but you will always have one strip on the left, one in the middle, and one on the right.
• Pick up the left strip. Cross it over the middle strip. Pull them tightly.
• Pick up the right strip. Cross it over the strip that’s now in the middle. Pull tightly.
• Continue braiding left-over-middle, right-over-middle, pulling tightly.
Hint
: One way to get a tight braid is to sit down and hold the top knot between your knees. That way you can hold the strips securely as you braid with your hands.
Guinea pigs can make wonderful pets. Bringing a pet into your family is a big decision, though. Here are some questions your family should think about if you are considering a guinea pig as a pet.
• Does everyone in your family agree that a guinea pig is a good pet for you? Adding a pet is a family decision, even if the pet lives in a cage in your room.
• Do you have time for a guinea pig? Every day you will need to be sure your guinea pig has food, water, hay, and a clean cage. Guinea pigs also need daily attention from their owners and/or other guinea pigs.
• Is anyone in your family allergic to animals or timothy hay? If so, a guinea pig might not be a good pet for your family.
• Do you have money for a guinea pig? In addition to buying the guinea pig or paying the adoption fee, you will need: a cage, water bottle, food dish, things to chew, as well as regular purchases of bedding and food. You will also need to take your guinea pig to the vet if he becomes sick.
• Can you set some good rules to keep your guinea pig safe? Always hold him securely. Be gentle, kind, and calm with him. Guinea pigs can be hurt if they are squeezed or dropped. Some are frightened by loud noises and sudden movements. A guinea pig that doesn’t feel safe might bite. So be sure to have rules about who can hold him and how to keep him safe.
• Should you adopt two or one? If you can adopt a pair of guinea pigs that live together, they will have each other’s company when you are not there. If you adopt a single guinea pig, he will need more attention from you.
• To learn more, there are many good books and websites about guinea pigs. Knowing as much as you can about guinea pigs will help you decide if they will be a good pet for your family.
A real guinea pig inspired this book. One day I received a newsletter from my local animal shelter. Inside there was a photograph of an adorable guinea pig. His name was Cookies and Cream, and he needed a new home.
Something about that guinea pig touched my heart. I kept looking at his photo and thinking about him. So we adopted him. Cookies and Cream was a long name to say, so we just call him Cookie.
At the shelter, one of the workers helped me carry his cage to my car. She told me that his first family had children. They had cried giving him up. That’s all I know about them. If I could talk to those children, I would tell them that Cookie is very loved at my house. His cage is in my living room (where he can wheek at anyone who walks by to bring him a treat! Lettuce and carrots are his favorites).
Now I volunteer at my local animal shelter. I love taking care of the animals and making things for them. I’m always excited when they find new families. Every animal has a story when they arrive at the shelter and another story begins when they leave us. That’s really where the idea for the Shelter Pet Squad series came from.
Right now I have four pets at my house: a dog named Milo, two bunnies (Blueberry and Muffin), and Cookie, the guinea pig. You can learn more about me and see more photos of my pets at my website: www.cynthialord.com.
— Cynthia Lord
I promise to be kind and gentle to all animals. I will make sure that any pets in my care are loved, comfortable, safe, and have enough food and water. If I want to approach a pet I don’t know, I will ask the owner first. When I am with an animal, I won’t only think about what I want. I will think about how that animal might feel and what he wants, too. I will do my part to make the world a better place for animals everywhere.
CYNTHIA LORD is the award-winning author of Rules, a Newbery Honor and Schneider Family Book Award winner, as well as the critically acclaimed Touch Blue and Half a Chance. She made her picture book debut with Hot Rod Hamster, which won several awards including the Parents’ Choice Award, and followed it with the beloved sequels Happy Birthday, Hamster; Hot Rod Hamster Monster Truck Mania; and Hot Rod Hamster and the Wacky Whatever Race, an early reader. She lives in Maine with her family and pets and is a regular volunteer at her local animal shelter. Visit her at www.cynthialord.com.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Lord, Cynthia, author.
Jelly Bean / Cynthia Lord. — First edition.
pages cm. — (Shelter Pet Squad ; Book 1)
Summary: No pets are allowed in the apartment where Suzannah and her family live, so she volunteers at a local pet shelter and plays with the dogs and cats there — but when a child whose family is moving brings in her pet guinea pig, Jelly Bean, Suzannah promises that she will find him the perfect home.
ISBN 978-0-545-63596-7 (alk. paper)
1. Animal shelters — Juvenile fiction. 2. Volunteers — Juvenile fiction. 3. Guinea pigs — Juvenile fiction. 4. Pets — Juvenile fiction. 5. Responsibility — Juvenile fiction. [1. Animal shelters — Fiction. 2. Voluntarism — Fiction. 3. Guinea pigs — Fiction. 4. Pets — Fiction. 5. Responsibility — Fiction.] I. Title.
PZ7.L87734Je 2014
813.6 — dc23
2014005097
Copyright © 2014 by Cynthia Lord
Illustrations copyright © 2014 by Scholastic Inc.
All rights reserved. Published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., Publishers since 1920. SCHOLASTIC, SCHOLASTIC PRESS, and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc.
This edition first printing, September 2014
Cover art by Erin McGuire
Cover design by Nina Goffi
e-ISBN 978-0-545-63598-1
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