Madison’s New Buddy

Friendship Advice

When school lets out, Madison follows the noisy crowd toward the exit, dragging her feet the whole way. Her stomach twists into knots. The next day is when the Shelter Dog Reading Project is beginning, and everyone else is so excited about it, they’d been talking about it all day.

Madison is relieved to see Mom waiting outside on the sidewalk, and she breaks into a run. She hugs Mom tightly, grateful for a steady arm to hold onto. Mom can guess right away that she had a rough day at school, and gently asks her about it as they begin the walk home.

Madison explains how everyone keeps talking about the reading project at the shelter, but she doesn’t feel ready to read out loud in front of anyone, dogs or not. Mom reassures her that Madison’s friends will understand. Madison guiltily admits that she hasn’t told her friends yet. She’s afraid of what they’ll think.

Mom says she thinks her friends will be very supportive. Perhaps she can talk to Ms. Chu instead. She can explain Madison’s hesitations and let her know she won’t be participating after all.

Madison suddenly stops walking and turns to stare up at Mom, alarmed. That cannot happen! If she backs out, then the class won’t win the pizza party, and her friends are all counting on her! Madison can’t be the reason they lose!

Mom nods her head, and once they reach home, sits down on the front step. She pats the ground beside her, and Madison settles in close. As Mom wraps an arm around her and holds her, she can’t help but let a few tears fall down her cheeks. Mom suggests that in that case, maybe it’s time to tell her friends the truth.

Madison gasps at the idea. She can’t tell them that. She’d be so embarrassed! What if they make fun of her? What if they don’t want to be her friends anymore? Mom explains that if they’re her real friends, that won’t happen. Madison knows Mom is right, but what if she’s wrong? What if her best friends aren’t there for her after they learn the truth?

The next morning, Madison wakes up feeling a bit better. She vows to take Mom’s advice and tell her friends the truth that morning. But first, Madison goes to her bookshelf and picks up the book sitting right on top: Bunnicula, a story about a vampire rabbit. The narrator is actually a dog, and Madison thinks it’ll be the perfect story to read to the dogs. Still, she knows it won’t be easy for her to read out loud.

Madison’s eyes skim the rest of the books on the shelf, one by one. They’re all books Mom reads with her. Then, she notices some books tucked on the bottom shelf, some of her favorite Dr. Seuss books from when she was first learning how to read. Madison grabs The Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs and Ham and slips them into her backpack. She won’t have to read from those books at all, since she can just recite them from memory. Finally, Madison has a plan for getting through the reading project.