Free A New Home for Truman by Catherine Hapka Page A

you going to do to celebrate your birthday tomorrow?”
    That made Janey’s smile get even bigger. “I can’t wait until tomorrow,” she said. “I’m pretty sure Mom and Dad are getting me something really special this year.”
    â€œReally? What?” Lolli was digging into her lunch bag again. While she wasn’t looking, Janey nudged Adam. Then she broke off more than half of her cupcake and slipped it to him. She put a finger to her lips,and he nodded.
    Adam popped the cupcake into his mouth in one big bite. He chewed and swallowed quickly. Then he gave Janey a thumbs-up.

    Janey smiled gratefully. Adam was pretty skinny, but he ate a lot. And he liked almost everything, including the cafeteria’s baked beans. Even Lolli’s dog, Roscoe, wouldn’t touch those!
    Thinking about Roscoe reminded Janey of her big news. She turned back to Lolli. “I think my parents are finally getting me a dog,” she said.
    Lolli’s head snapped up in surprise. “Huh?” she said. “But your dad is so allergic to animals.”
    Janey’s father’s allergies were the reason Janey had never had a pet, even though she was crazy about animals of all shapes and sizes. Whenever Mr. Whitfield was around any creature with fur or feathers, he started wheezing and sneezing. His eyes turned red, and his nose turned redder. He sniffled nonstop. It even happened when he was around Janey’s aunt’s poodle. Janey had read that poodles weren’t supposed to bother people with allergies as muchsince they didn’t shed. But her parents had explained that it didn’t really work that way.
    â€œI know. But I figured out a way to compromise,” Janey told Lolli. “See, I did some research on the Internet. I found out there are allergy shots for people with animal allergies! Isn’t that great?”
    â€œAllergy shots?” Lolli looked uncertain. “You want your dad to get shots so you can have a dog?”
    â€œUh huh. I printed out some articles about the allergy shots.” Janey broke off a tiny piece of cupcake and ate it. “I started leaving them lying around the house about a month ago. I figured that would give Dad plenty of time to talk to his doctor about getting the shots. I also left some pictures and information aboutmy favorite dog breeds.”
    â€œReally?” Adam looked up from his lunch. “What breeds did you pick?”
    Adam was very interested in dogs. Even though he was only nine, he’d been running his own successful pet-sitting business for over a year. He fed and walked people’s dogs for them after school and any other time they needed him. He also helped people train their dogs sometimes. He’d taught Roscoe how to shake hands and balance a dog treat on his nose.
    â€œI was thinking about a Maltese or a papillon,” Janey told him. “They both seem really cute and fun. And I thought maybe a small dog like that would mean Dad needs to get the shots less often.”
    Adam nodded. “I walked a Maltese once.I liked her.”
    Lolli laughed. “You like every dog you walk, Adam,” she said. Then she turned to Janey. “Maybe you don’t need a fancy breed. What’s wrong with a nice all-American mutt like Roscoe?”
    â€œThat would be fine, too. Roscoe is totally fab,” Janey said. She meant it, too. Roscoe was a big, lovable goof who had come from the local animal shelter as a puppy. He was part rottweiler, part Labrador retriever, and part who-knew-what. Janey had spent many happy hours at Lolli’s place playing fetch with Roscoe, swimming with him in the pond, or just lying in the grass rubbing his belly.
    â€œI bet you could find a dog just as great as Roscoe at the Third Street Animal Shelter,”Lolli said. “The dogs and cats there all really need homes. My parents and I go there sometimes to volunteer. Actually, Mom said we might go tomorrow to