E-R+Book+Pair+4

By Mary and Michelle



//The Lonely Only Dog// by Adele M. Brodkin illustrated by Larry Di Fiori

Harry, the Irish setter, was a happy dog who had everything a dog could want; in the kitchen he had a big, soft pillow and a bowl of fresh food. He had water, toys, bones, and pillows all over the place. Harry was a spoiled dog who got treats for doing tricks and begging. Gwen and Greg, his owners, taught Harry to play fetch on the stairs; this convoluted game involved them throwing to the ball to Harry who barked at it. At the park, the trio would take long walks through the woods where Harry would sniff, see, and hear everything. When he got too tired, Harry would want to go home to his pampered life. One day, while strolling with his peeps, Harry saw some puppies in the pet store window and wanted to snuggle and wrestle with them; Harry was a lonely puppy. A pack of wild dogs ran past, playing and nuzzling each other -- only reminding Harry how alone he was. Selfish Harry wanted his owners to get another puppy so he wouldn't have to suffer alone. This loneliness sparked a sadness in Harry; none of his favorite activities brought him any joy because he didn't have anyone to share them with. Spiraling further into a dark depression, Harry refused to play ball with Gwen and Greg, so they took him to the vet who said nothing was wrong. Gwen finally had a realization: Harry needs a doggie companion. Greg remembered his friend Steven from Legends who had an Australian sheep dog named Arthur. Gwen and Greg invited Steven, Na-a, and Arthur over for a puppy play date. When Arthur showed up, Harry put on a show for him; he wagged his tail in an excited hello. They chased, ate, and curled up, spending the entire day together. The next day, the friendship quickly dissolved when Harry realized that Arthur was a no-good, dirty rotten thief. In the night, Arthur stole Harry's bone, ate all his delicious kibble, and drank all of Harry's spring purified water. Gwen and Greg played the stupid orange ball game on the stairs with Arthur infuriated. Infuriated, Harry growled and showed his teeth which made Greg scold him. That night, Arthur slept on Harry's big soft pillow while Harry shivered on the cold ground. The next morning, Steven and Na-a took Arthur home. Harry was very happy that he didn't have to ever live with another dog ever again.