From Shelter Pet Squad #1: Jelly Bean Dad calls my bedroom "Suzannah's Pet Shop," because stuffed animals have taken over! They play hide-and-seek between the books on my shelf. They bounce with me when I jump on my bed. They snuggle against my neck and beg for treats. It's fun pretending with my stuffed animals, but I wish I could have a real pet. Something soft and furry that could sit in the window, waiting for the school bus to bring me home. My pet would bound across the living room to greet me. He'd jump into my lap before I even sat down. If I couldn't have a big pet, I'd pick something little and busy. He could live in a cage in my room. I'd build him a fun playground with paper-towel-tube tunnels to scurry through and ramps to climb up and slide down. My pet would ride in my bathrobe pocket when I made breakfast: cereal for me, carrots for him. But the only pets I can have are stuffed animals. We live in an apartment, and the landlord says: No dogs. No cats. No pets of any kind. Only people can live in our apartment. I don't think that's fair. A fish wouldn't make a mess. A lizard isn't noisy. A hamster doesn't smell bad - well, not too bad. "Maybe someday we'll have our own house," Mom says. "And then we can make the rules. But right now, this apartment is a good home for us. Even if it's not perfect." Sometimes I put my stuffed-animal dog, Bentley, in the window to watch me come home from school. I carry Whiskers, my stuffed-animal mouse, in my bathrobe pocket while I make breakfast. Mom bought me a collar with a bell so that Oscar, my stuffed cat, doesn't surprise Tweets, my toy bird. "Pretending is fun, but it's not the same as really doing something," I told Mom. One day I was lining up my stuffed animals to watch TV with me. "Suzannah," Mom said, "I have an idea. I just read about a new program for kids to help at the animal shelter. I thought you might like to go." "What's an animal shelter?" I asked. "The shelter is a place for stray animals and homeless pets. The people who work there take care of the animals and try to find homes for them," Mom explained. "The new program is called Shelter Pet Squad. Kids from second through sixth grade can sign up to come in on Saturday mornings. They will help make toys and do special things for the animals. I think you might like it, Suzannah. Want to give it a try?" "It wouldn't be like having my own pet," I said slowly. "No, it wouldn't be the same," Mom said. "But it still might be fun." "What kinds of animals do they have at a shelter?" I asked. "Mostly dogs and cats," Mom said. "But some other animals, too." The shelter animals didn't have a home - not yet. And I couldn't have a real pet - not yet. But maybe we could borrow each other? Even if it was just for now and not "for keeps"? Even if it wasn't perfect. "Okay," I said. "I'll try it." Excerpted from Jelly Bean by Cynthia Lord All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.