The Girl and the Rescue Puppy

Eight-year-old Lucy has long wished for a puppy, and on a bright Saturday her mum brings her to an animal shelter with a green canvas tote filled with supplies. There she spots Max, a scruffy four-month-old found as a stray, sitting alone in a corner and trembling, his large dark brown eyes wide with fear. When Lucy offers her hand, he pulls away.

Instead of hurrying him, Lucy promises to be patient. At home she prepares a cozy bed and bowls, yet Max hides beneath the sofa. She reads aloud in a calm voice, lets him eat undisturbed, and learns to notice small signals, like a twitching ear or a turned head, that show he needs room. Jane MEADOW follows the quiet days as trust slowly grows, until a thunderstorm tests them both. This gentle tale can be read on Kids Tale Book.