Hide and Seek by Sue Stauffacher

Author:Sue Stauffacher [Stauffacher, Sue]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-375-89704-7
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2010-09-14T04:00:00+00:00

“What a scaredy-coyote,” Keisha said. She got down on her hands and knees to search for the puppy.

“So we’ve found our little runaway?” Keisha heard Daddy’s voice behind her.

“We did, but then the sound of your footsteps scared him,” she said.

“That’s our second D.I.D. this week.”

Keisha thought for a moment. “Oh, right. Dog in Distress. Don’t forget our G.I.D.”

Daddy held up the ice pack. “Right. I’m on my way to our Grandma in Distress.”

Chapter 6

Had a school day ever gone so slowly? During math, Keisha made up story problems about how little difference it would make to add one coyote pup to the feeding schedule. Everyone worked extra hard in social studies because Mr. Drockmore had decided to let them do their oral reports in any costume they wanted. The extra-credit points would still be given, but they would be based on costume creativity. Keisha was almost as happy as Aaliyah that she didn’t have to wear the funny hat and the apron in front of the whole school. Since her report was already written, Keisha spent her social studies time rereading Phillis Wheatley’s poetry to see if she ever mentioned dogs. In art, she pressed her clay eraser into the shape of a puppy head with ears that stuck up and little button eyes. What a relief to get to the end of the school day and use up some of her puppy-wanting energy in jump rope practice.

Usually they practiced in the multi-purpose room, but the janitor was polishing the floor, so they had to share the gym with the boys’ basketball team. In all the confusion made by boys and basketballs, they couldn’t count out their jumps to synchronize, so Mr. Rose just had them practice speed jumping and double unders. Keisha jumped until her heart thumped as fast as she swung the rope. Between sets, she told Aaliyah and Wen what had happened the night before.

“So let me get this straight …,” Aaliyah said after they started another set (Aaliyah was the only one who could talk while jumping). “You want us to help you figure out how to get your mama—not an average mama who doesn’t already have lots of animals to take care of, like Wen’s or mine, but your mama—to let you keep a puppy that howls at the moon loud enough for the whole neighborhood to hear?”

Mr. Rose blew the whistle, signaling the end of practice.

Keisha stopped jumping. She nodded her head. “In addition to being adorable,” she panted, “he’s the only puppy Razi’s not afraid of. It’s my best chance.”

Wen sat sideways on the bleachers, hugging her knees. Keisha noticed that one of Wen’s socks had fallen down to her ankle while she was jumping.

“I guess we can’t use the guard dog argument,” Wen said. “If he’s afraid of your daddy’s boots and Razi’s screaming.”

“But he is so cute!” Keisha pulled a mat back out on the floor to get the gym ready for Mr. Rose’s K–2 class the next day. “When

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