Piles of Pets

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Text copyright © 1993 by Judy Delton

  Illustrations copyright © 1993 by Alan Tiegreen

  All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.

  Originally published by Yearling, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc., in 1993.

  Random House and the colophon are registered trademarks and A Stepping Stone Book and the colophon are trademarks of Random House, Inc.

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  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Delton, Judy.

  Piles of pets / by Judy Delton ; illustrated by Alan Tiegreen.

  p. cm. — “A Stepping Stone Book.”

  Summary: To earn a badge during “Be Kind to Animals Week,” Molly opens her house to a variety of needy creatures, but must then ask the Pee Wee Scouts to help her find permanent homes for her temporary pets.

  eISBN: 978-0-307-78692-0

  [1. Pets—Fiction. 2. Scouting (Youth activity)—Fiction.] I. Tiegreen, Alan, ill.

  II. Title.

  PZ7.D388Pil 2009 [E]—dc22 2008043608

  Random House Children’s Books supports the First Amendment and celebrates the right to read.

  v3.1

  For Craig,

  the newest member of the family.

  —J.D.

  Contents

  Cover

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  1 Good Deeds All Around

  2 Pet Talk

  3 Homeless Pet Home

  4 A Squirmy Winner

  5 The Last Temporary Pet

  6 A Permanent Pet

  About the Author

  About the Illustrator

  Good Deeds All Around

  BE KIND TO ANIMALS WEEK, said the poster on the tree in the park.

  Underneath those words were smaller words.

  Adopt a Pet, it read. Give a Home to a Four-Legged Friend.

  There was a picture of a big shaggy dog face with sad eyes on the poster.

  “We have a pet already,” said Mary Beth Kelly. “We have two. A dog and a cat.”

  “Mrs. Peters has Lucky and Tiny,” said Molly Duff. Mrs. Peters was the Pee Wee Scout leader of Troop 23.

  “I’m allergic to pets,” said Tracy Barnes. She sneezed. “See, I sneeze if I even look at a picture of a dog.”

  “That’s silly,” said Lisa Ronning.

  “No, it isn’t,” said Rachel Meyers. “It’s psychological.”

  No one in the Pee Wees knew such big words as Rachel.

  “You mean it’s all in her head,” shouted Roger White. “Ha, Barnes, it’s all in your head!”

  Tracy gave Roger a punch on the shoulder.

  “Ow, ow, ow!” shouted Roger, pretending the punch had hurt. “Oh, my poor arm!” He fell to the ground and pretended to be wounded.

  Tracy gave him a kick. “It’s not in my head.” Then she sneezed again.

  “My mom won’t let me have a pet,” said Rachel. “She said animals have germs and they shed hair all over the furniture.”

  “A dog is man’s best friend,” said Sonny Stone. “What does a little hair matter?”

  Rachel shuddered. “Well, I don’t like to eat dog and cat hair in my cereal, thank you.”

  Molly wished she had a pet. She didn’t have any brothers or sisters. It was the least her parents could do, she thought. They could buy her a pet to keep her company. A pet to stroke and cuddle and feed and love and take for a walk. Maybe Be Kind to Animals Week was the time to ask for one.

  The Pee Wees were on their way to their Scout meeting. When they got there, Mrs. Peters was waiting for them. She had a big smile on her face. Her baby, Nick, was smiling too.

  The Pee Wees sang their song and said their pledge.

  Then they told the good deeds they had done during the week.

  Everyone wanted to be first.

  “Mrs. Peters, I shared my ice cream cone with a stranger,” said Tim Noon.

  “You aren’t supposed to talk to strangers,” muttered Lisa.

  “I didn’t talk to him,” said Tim.

  “Hey, how can you share an ice cream cone?” shouted Roger. “You can’t cut it in half!”

  “I’ll bet he gave someone a lick,” said Mary Beth.

  Mrs. Peters looked as if she did not know whether Tim’s good deed was a good deed or not.

  “He was my brother’s friend,” said Tim.

  “Then he wasn’t a stranger,” said Roger.

  “I never met him before,” said Tim.

  Roger hit his forehead with his fist.

  “And I ate half of the cone and gave the rest to George. That’s his name.”

  “Good for you, Tim,” said Mrs. Peters, relieved.

  Hands were waving.

  “I passed out ads for Congressman Kent,” said Kevin Moe. “I put one in every mailbox on our block.”

  Kevin liked politics. He wanted to be mayor someday. Molly liked Kevin. She secretly wanted to marry him when she grew up.

  “We had the mayor over to dinner last week,” said Rachel.

  “Hey, that’s no good deed,” said Roger.

  “It is too,” said Rachel. “It’s good to give someone dinner, isn’t it, Mrs. Peters?”

  “Well, it isn’t bad,” said their leader.

  “She just wants to brag about how her dad is a friend of the mayor,” whispered Mary Beth to Molly. “She wants to be a bigger politician than Kevin.”

  “I changed a lightbulb for my grandma,” said Kenny Baker.

  “I threw the old one away,” said Patty Baker, Kenny’s twin sister.

  “Hey, how many cowboys does it take to change a lightbulb?” asked Roger.

  Mrs. Peters frowned. “Let’s talk about good deeds,” she said.

  “I helped my dad park the car,” said Molly when she was called on.

  “Hey, you can’t drive!” shouted Sonny. “How could you help park the car?”

  “Crash, bang, whang!” said Roger, with his hands on an imaginary steering wheel. Soon more of the boys were careening around the room, parking imaginary cars.

  “Eeeeek, boing!” squealed Tim, pretending to park between two chairs.

  “I didn’t drive the car,” said Molly when Mrs. Peters had quieted the room down. “I got out of the car and saved the place till my dad backed the car in. And he didn’t crash.”

  “Good for you, Molly,” said Mrs. Peters. “Now we are ready to discuss something new.”

  The Pee Wees sat up straight. They wanted to hear about something new. Something new that they could get a badge for was the second most fun thing about Pee Wee Scouts. The first most fun was Mrs. Peters’s cupcakes.

  “Is it a treasure hunt?” asked Rachel. “We had a treasure hunt at my cousin’s birthday party.”

  “Is it a party?” asked Tracy.

  “A contest?” asked Kevin.

  Mrs. Peters held up her hand for silence.

  “It’s none of those things.” She laughed. “If you don’t keep quiet, I can’t tell you what it is!”

  The Pee Wees kept quiet. They turned a make-believe key in their lips, and threw it away.

  “What is new,” said their leader, “is Be Kind to Animals Week.”

  “Pooh,”
said Sonny. “That’s not new. There are posters all over the place about Animals Week.”

  Now everyone began to talk about the pets they had or used to have or were going to have, and Mrs. Peters had to hold her hand up again.

  “The thing that’s new,” Mrs. Peters went on, frowning at Sonny, “is that Troop 23 is going to do something special for Animals Week.”

  “I can’t adopt a pet, Mrs. Peters,” said Tracy. “I’m allergic.”

  “My mom says pets shed and have germs,” said Rachel.

  “We don’t have to adopt a pet,” said their leader. “We already have a mascot.”

  “Arf arf arf!” barked Lucky when he heard Mrs. Peters say “mascot.” He knew he was the mascot. He had been the mascot of the troop for a long time.

  “What I thought we could do for Animals Week,” she went on, “is learn how we can be kind to animals. Learn tips to make them happy. Find some good deeds we can do for them. If you know of a stray animal, find it a home. Offer to take a pet for a walk. Baby-sit a pet for an owner over a weekend. Maybe we could even start a pet club. Those with pets could meet and let their pets play together. You could make an animal toy, or grow some catnip in your garden, or make posters about being kind to animals. We might even have a pet race.

  “At the end of Animals Week, we will give out badges to everyone who has helped a pet in some way.”

  “Yay!” cheered the Pee Wees. They loved badges.

  “I think pets would fight in a pet club,” said Lisa. “I know my bird wouldn’t like to come to a club that had cats in it.”

  “He could be in a cage, silly,” said Roger. “Anyway, Tweetie Pie always gets away from Sylvester.”

  Roger the Cat went diving after Sonny the Bird, who scrambled under the table where the Pee Wees were sitting, bumping into legs and knocking over chairs.

  Mrs. Peters clapped her hands.

  “We will work out all of those details later,” she said. “I just want you to be thinking about how Be Kind to Animals Week can apply to you. Now we will have our refreshments.”

  Mrs. Stone, Sonny’s mother, came down the steps with the cupcakes and milk. She was the assistant troop leader.

  After they had eaten, the Pee Wees drew pictures of pets. Molly drew a dog because that was the pet she wanted to have. Then they played games in the backyard, and sang their song again. It was time to go home.

  At the corner was another poster of the dog with sad eyes. When they got there, Roger got out his black crayon from his backpack and drew a mustache on the dog. Then he drew a pipe in the dog’s mouth, with smoke coming out of it. Last of all, he drew eyeglasses on the dog’s eyes that hooked over his shaggy ears.

  “Roger White, you are defacing public property!” shouted Molly. “You erase that this minute.”

  Molly got out her eraser. But it didn’t work. The crayon just smeared and made the picture worse.

  Roger roared with laughter.

  “Pet abuse! Pet abuse!” shouted Lisa.

  “It is not. I’m not hurting that dog!” cried Roger. “He doesn’t feel a thing!”

  “Rat’s knees!” said Molly.

  “Roger only does that stuff for attention,” said Mary Beth. “Just ignore it and walk away.”

  But when the Pee Wees left, Molly looked over her shoulder and noticed that Roger was drawing a red hat on the dog’s head.

  “We should tell Mrs. Peters,” said Molly.

  But she knew that wouldn’t stop Roger. Roger was mean. And Mary Beth was right. He liked attention. And he would do anything to get it. Well, almost anything, thought Molly.

  Pet Talk

  At suppertime Mr. Duff said, “What was new at Pee Wee Scouts today? What badge do you earn next?”

  He passed Molly the pasta with seafood.

  “Be Kind to Animals Week is coming up,” said Molly. “And I have no pet.”

  “Do you have to have a pet to get a badge?” asked Mrs. Duff.

  Molly wished she could lie. Here was her chance. If she said yes, her mother might get her a pet of her own! If she told the truth, she would have to admit that Mrs. Peters had not said they must have a pet to get a badge.

  Molly shook her head. She could never lie to her own mother. Or father.

  “But we have to do something nice for an animal, and it would be easier if I had one of my own. If we adopt one, we can get our badge just like that. Just for taking him out of the pound.”

  “How about a goldfish?” said Mr. Duff.

  Molly stared at her father. A goldfish was pretty, but surely not a good pet. It couldn’t do a thing but swim. And eat. You couldn’t hold it or cuddle it or take it for a walk or buy it toys.

  “Then if you got tired of it, we could pop it in our pasta and have it for supper!” he said.

  Now even Mrs. Duff looked shocked.

  “Daddy!” said Molly. “You could never eat a pet!”

  Even if the pet was a fish with no personality, thought Molly.

  “I should hope not!” said Mrs. Duff, pushing her seafood to the side of her plate.

  Mr. Duff cheerfully took seconds.

  “I’d like a dog of my own,” said Molly wistfully.

  “You can visit Lucky anytime you want,” said her mother.

  “It’s not the same as my own,” said Molly. “It’s lonely without any brothers and sisters. A pet would help.”

  A tear rolled down her cheek. Now Molly felt guilty. This was corny, she could see that herself. Trying to trick her parents into getting her own way!

  “You have me!” said her father. “Arf! Arf! I can play ball with you and sit up.”

  “A pet is a problem when we want to go out of town to Grandma’s,” said Mrs. Duff. “Or on a vacation. And they need to be walked and groomed and go to the vet for shots. Now that I’m working part-time, we can’t do all those extra things.”

  Molly’s mom had a part-time job at Ace Insurance Company.

  “Maybe a small pet,” said her dad. “A turtle or a snail that could take care of itself.”

  Molly would rather have no pet than have a turtle or a snail! All the kids who couldn’t have a real pet got those. The kids who were allergic, or had babies in the family, or whose mothers hated fur and germs.

  “Could you rent a pet?” asked Mr. Duff. “You know, keep it till you have your badge, and then take it back?”

  “You mean I can have a pet for a little while?” said Molly.

  Her mother looked at her father.

  “Well, temporarily, I suppose,” said her mother.

  “Like a guest,” said her dad. “It could visit and then go home.”

  Having a guest pet sounded interesting. If she couldn’t have a permanent pet, a guest might be the next best thing. It gave Molly an idea.

  The next morning on the way to school, Mary Beth said, “What are you going to do to get your badge?”

  “I’m going to take in homeless animals,” said Molly. “I’m going to cheer them up and then I’ll find them a home.”

  “Really?” said Mary Beth. “Boy, that’s a real good thing to do for Animals Week! Will your mom let you?”

  Molly nodded. “She said temporary was okay.”

  Her mother hadn’t said how many temporary pets she could have. But she hadn’t said “You can only have one pet” either. She must have meant as many as Molly wanted as long as they would not stay forever.

  “All I can think of is taking pets for a walk,” said Mary Beth. “Like Mrs. Graf’s old Shep.”

  Shep was old, thought Molly. But not as old as Mrs. Graf. She could use some help walking him.

  “That’s a good idea,” said Molly warmly.

  “But not as good as yours,” said Mary Beth.

  She was right. It would be more fun to have a home for homeless animals than it would be to walk Shep.

  When they got to school, all the Pee Wee Scouts were talking about what they wanted to do for Be Kind to Animals Week.

  “I’m going to don
ate my services to the local pound,” said Rachel. “I can brush the cats or something.”

  “My dad said I could adopt a pet,” said Roger. “Maybe I’ll get a lion or a tiger.”

  “Ha ha ha,” said Sonny. “Those aren’t pets. Those are zoo animals.”

  “Well, I’m getting a rare animal,” said Roger. “I don’t want any old dog or cat like everyone else.”

  “I’m getting a more rarer animal,” said Sonny. “Something you won’t ever get. I might adopt a leopard.”

  “Sure, Stone,” said Roger. “And he’d leap up on your bed at night and eat you!”

  “So would a tiger or a lion!” shouted Sonny. “You think you’re so smart!”

  All week the Pee Wees thought about how to get their pet badge. They thought about what good deeds they could do for a pet. And Molly kept her eyes open for strays without homes.

  At the next Pee Wee meeting, Mrs. Peters listened to ideas.

  “I think Molly’s idea is wonderful!” she said. “Just be sure you can carry out your good deed. Think about it before you begin. Molly must be sure she can find homes for the animals she takes in, in order to get her badge. Those who adopt a pet must be sure to give it a good home and care for it. Feed it, exercise it every day.”

  Molly was sure she could find a home for a pet. Everyone wanted a pet. Pets were fun to have. And hers would be free. They would not cost money like in a pet store.

  “I’m going to choose something easy,” said Lisa. “Like growing catnip and selling it.”

  Mrs. Peters clapped her hands. Everyone stopped talking.

  “I have a little surprise today, boys and girls. We have a guest from the animal pound to speak to us. He is an animal expert, and can give us lots of tips on animal care, and tell us some things we don’t know about animals.”

  A man came down Mrs. Peters’s steps. He was tall. He was smiling.

  But the thing the Pee Wees saw first was what he had on his shoulder. It was a bright red-and-green-and-blue parrot. The parrot had a sort of leash attached to his foot. The other end was in the man’s hand.

  “Oh, I want one!” shouted Sonny. “I want a parrot!”

  Everyone laughed.

  “Of course he’d want one,” said Mary Beth to Molly in disgust. “He wants everything. He’s such a baby.”