Star

by Jennifer Li Shotz

  When Ms. Hollin had set the test on his desk, she hadn’t said anything. She’d just winked at him. When Julian flipped over the paper and saw the A, he couldn’t help holding it up to show Bryan, who flashed him a thumbs-up from across the room. Only then did Julian realize that everyone in the class had seen his grade, including Hunter.

  But before Hunter could say anything snarky, Isabelle leaned forward at her desk. “Nice going, Julian.”

  “Thanks.” Julian stared at the big red A scrawled right beneath his name.

  “I heard you’re helping out with the new pet care program at the shelter,” Isabelle said. “I’m hoping my parents will let me sign up. Maybe you can tell me about it sometime.”

  “Uh, sure—I’d be happy to,” Julian said. He glanced at the back of the room. Hunter sat with his arms crossed, glaring down at his desk.

  Julian imagined that his backpack felt different now that it was carrying around an A. It wasn’t just the weight of his homework anymore. He had a bubble of success in there, too. He couldn’t wait to show it to his family. He knew he owed a lot of it to them.

  Julian and Bryan raced up the driveway, as they did every day. They couldn’t wait to see Star, and she was just as excited to see them. She was always standing by the door, as if she’d sensed them coming from blocks away. Maybe she somehow knew the minute the final bell rang and they bolted out of school.

  Julian dropped his bag and knelt on the floor. Star bowled him over, giving him a million licks and nuzzles. He petted her soft fur and scratched behind her ears and told her what a good girl she was. After she greeted Julian, she ran over to Bryan for more attention, then circled around them until they took her out for her walk.

  “Hang on a sec, girl.” Julian removed his test from his backpack and set it on the kitchen counter, where his parents would see his A as soon as they got home. He left Bryan with Star while he ran upstairs to get a warmer sweatshirt. When he came back down, Henry was in the kitchen, holding a bag of potato chips and reading Julian’s test.

  “Great job, Julian!” Henry held up his hand for a high-five. Julian slapped his palm, grabbed the bag from his other hand, shoveled a handful of chips into his mouth, then let Star lick the potato chip grease off his fingers.

  “It wasn’t so hard this time. I’m really into the book we were being tested on—” Julian didn’t think he’d ever said those words before, but they were true. Reading still wasn’t easy, but it was a whole different experience for him now that he’d learned a few new ways to tackle it. “Bryan and I are going to listen to the last chapters after we walk Star.”

  “Then I won’t spoil the ending.” Henry handed Star a potato chip. She gobbled it down. “But you’ll be really surprised—”

  “Stop it!” Julian snatched Star’s leash off its hook by the door and snapped it on her collar. He raised his eyebrows at Bryan. “Let’s get out of here before he ruins the book.”

  Henry’s laughter followed them out the door. Julian shook his head, but he didn’t really mind. Henry had been a lot nicer to him, especially since Star came home. Julian replayed his brother’s compliment in his head as he walked down the street with Bryan and Star.

  Julian and Bryan had mapped out at least ten different routes around the neighborhood that would take them on different adventures. Today they decided to take the route to the park, where Star could climb on the jungle gym if there weren’t a lot of little kids there.

  “What did Isabelle say to you?” Bryan asked.

  “She wants to join the pet care program,” Julian said. “I bet a lot of kids are going to want to do it. Maybe even Hunter.”

  Bryan shrugged. “Maybe it’ll make him nicer. Dogs make everyone better.”

  Julian agreed. He’d sure changed, thanks to Star.

  When they got to the park, there was a group of little kids bundled in their fall coats on the playground, so Julian, Bryan, and Star walked all around the neighborhood surrounding the park. The boys talked as Star explored all kinds of smells on their new route.

  When they finally headed toward home, Bryan said, “We’ll need to map this out. There are probably half a dozen other routes just around this park.”

  Julian had been thinking the same thing. “It feels like we can keep mapping out our own town for years and still find new places.”

  “It must have been so hard to be the first people drawing maps, without GPS or anything,” Bryan said.

  “But so exciting. I’d love to discover something that no one else knew was out there.”

  “You already did!” Bryan laughed. “I can’t believe I’m best friends with someone who found a real buried treasure.”

  Julian beamed. “Sometimes even I can’t believe all that really happened.”

  They followed Star as she turned the corner and led them onto another new block. She paused to sniff at a fence post, her tail wagging at scents that only she could detect.

  “I don’t think anyone else in the world could have found it,” Bryan said.

  Julian knew that Bryan was right. But he wasn’t thinking only about Star or the hidden box she’d discovered on Mrs. Winderhouser’s porch. They had found something special, all three of them. They had found one another.

  Julian thought about Star’s life so far—growing up in a house where no one knew she lived, being misunderstood at the shelter, facing down a huge bear to save his life. Just as people had walked by Mrs. Winderhouser’s place with no idea that there was a buried treasure right there for anyone to find, many people had passed by Star without realizing what an amazing dog she was. The same way people had looked right past Bryan and Julian all these years.

  Julian felt like he’d struck gold. And now that Star was his dog—and Bryan was his friend—he could barely remember what life had been like before he met them.

  “You know, I’m starting to think there’s buried treasure all over the place,” he said, reaching down and giving Star a pat on the head. “You just need to be willing to search for it.” Star looked up at him, her blue eyes sparkling with excitement for their next adventure. As they rounded the corner and Julian saw the Winderhouser place up ahead, he felt in his heart how true that was.

  ★ All About the Australian Shepherd ★

  * * *

  The Australian shepherd is a hardworking, intelligent, and athletic dog known for its stamina and trainability. Also called “Aussies,” these loyal and affectionate dogs are great companions for high-energy families.

  The Australian shepherd’s origins trace the breed’s way around the globe. Back in the 1800s, Basque shepherds living in Spain and France traveled to Australia in search of better fortune, with their best herding dogs in tow. From there, these shepherds settled in California, where admiring cowboys took notice and developed the breed. Though Australian is in the name, the first Australian shepherds were actually born in America!

  Aussies are incredibly smart and have keen herding and guarding instincts. They’re known to herd just about anything in sight: sheep, dogs, even kids! But don’t let that fool you into thinking they are single-minded, because they’re equally eager to shower their families with love and affection.

  Australian shepherds have lean, agile bodies and medium to long coats with patterns that often vary, from blue merle to red merle, black, or even red. Most have white or copper patches on their body, which are unique to each animal. They are known for having a penetrating gaze. It is common to see Australian shepherds with light blue eyes, or even a combination of two different colors! Aussies can be anywhere from 18 to 23 inches in height and between 40 and 65 pounds.

  They love to have jobs, and they thrive in their roles. Many Aussies still herd cattle and sheep out west. Others are excellent therapy dogs, search-and-rescue dogs, Seeing Eye dogs, and more!

  Australian shepherds have always been popular with ranchers, but they became quite famous for being frequent performers at rodeos! Crowds admire their skill at herding bulls and love the fantasti
c tricks they can perform.

  An Aussie is high energy, engaging, and friendly and makes a great pet for a family that has a very active household. A happy Australian shepherd is a loyal, obedient, and animated addition to a family. However, as is sometimes the case with intelligent breeds, they are prone to boredom, hyperactivity, and frustration if they don’t receive enough stimulation and exercise. Frequent training and activity are crucial for Aussies.

  An Australian shepherd that will be living mostly indoors will need consistent bathing and grooming. They have long, fluffy double coats that help keep them warm in the winter and cool in the summer. This also means that they will shed quite a lot when the seasons change. Weekly or daily brushing is encouraged to keep their fur from matting and oil from building on their skin. It will also help keep their fur from collecting on couch cushions!

  There is a huge variety of both purebred and mixed-breed dogs available for adoption from your local Pet Rescue. It is really important to think carefully about how your family will care for and interact with a dog so you can choose a breed that’s just right for your household. If you have questions about whether a certain type of dog is right for you, contact a local veterinarian or your local rescue, or do a thorough internet search to find the dogs that fit best with your family. This helps keep more dogs from returning to shelters and will help you enjoy a lifetime of happiness with your pet.

  ★ Acknowledgments ★

  * * *

  The American Dog team is Best in Show! Thank you, Emilia Rhodes, Catherine Onder, Samantha Ruth Brown, Julie Yeater, Celeste Knudsen, Kaitlin Yang, Helen Seachrist, Elizabeth Agyemang, and the wonderful design, sales, marketing, and publicity teams at HMH; and Les Morgenstein, Josh Bank, and Sara Shandler at Alloy Entertainment. Trophies for Agility, Herding, Showmanship, and Best of Breed go to Laura Barbiea, Romy Golan, Robin Straus, Katelyn Hales, Hayley Wagreich, the talented Stephanie Feldstein, Kayleigh Marshall, Rosina Siniscalchi, Ryan Dykhouse, and my dear, wise friend Laurie Maher.

  These folks might be tired of hearing how much I love and appreciate them, but too bad. Thank you for everything, Brian, Virginia Wing, Geoff Shotz, Xander Shotz, Katherine Mardesich, Kunsang Bhuti, Tenzin Dekyi, Susan Friedman, and Vida the Great and Terrible.

  ★ Chapter 1 ★

  * * *

  * * *

  “Megan Lucille!” Meg’s mom called from downstairs. Her tone told Meg that she had slept in long enough, even if it was her birthday. She could smell coffee and bacon and hot butter bubbling in the skillet. She heard the distant bustle in the kitchen as her sister and brother fought over the pancakes as soon as Dad flipped them onto the platter. Meg knew if she didn’t get down there soon, they’d take all the perfectly golden ones. Sighing, she untangled herself from the warm flannel sheets, the heavy quilt, and the fuzzy blanket that wrapped her like a burrito.

  She shivered as her feet hit the floor. She quickly found her fluffy robe and pulled on a pair of thick socks. Moving closer to the window, she saw that a crust of snow—maybe an inch or two—had fallen overnight. It sparkled like glitter in the morning light.

  Grinning, Meg rushed into the bathroom to brush her teeth and hair. Ever since she was a little girl, she’d been convinced that snow on her birthday was good luck. Now that she was twelve, she was old enough to know it was a silly superstition, but even so . . . it couldn’t hurt. Could it? Anticipation bubbled in her chest.

  Meg caught sight of her frizzy brown bed head and sleepy face in the mirror. She took a deep breath and reminded herself not to get her hopes up. She pulled her hair into messy bun, then ran downstairs.

  “Well, good morning, sleepyhead.” Dad laughed as he slid a stack of two pancakes onto Meg’s plate. “I thought maybe you were going to sleep all day.”

  Meg giggled, slathered a thick layer of butter on her pancakes, then drowned them in syrup.

  Her older sister, Sarah, looked at Meg’s plate and her eyes went wide. “Want some pancakes with that syrup, kiddo?”

  Meg just smirked and took a huge bite. It was absolutely delicious. Just the way she liked it. “It’s my birthday. You can have as much syrup as you want on your birthday,” she mumbled through a mouthful of pancakes.

  Sarah laughed. “Birthday or no birthday—we’re going to need all hands on deck.” She looked out the window. “Sunny days like this always bring the crowds.” Sarah was seventeen and the coolest, smartest person Meg knew. She wanted nothing more than to be like her big sister when she grew up.

  Their brother, Ben, groaned. “Maybe if we’re lucky, it’ll start to rain.” At fifteen, Ben was slightly less cool and less smart than Sarah, especially since he was always teasing Meg and reminding her that she was the baby.

  Sarah elbowed him in the ribs. “Tough luck. It said on the weather app it’s going to be sunny all day. Which means . . . Say it with me, Ben.”

  Ben squeezed his eyes shut and tipped his head back. “Ugh. It means—”

  “It’s going to be a great day for trees,” he and Sarah chanted in unison before bursting out laughing.

  Meg watched her siblings and couldn’t help feeling a pang of jealousy. She knew that her older brother and sister loved her, but they were closer to each other than they’d ever be to her. It was almost as if they spoke a secret language only the two of them understood, and they could crack each other up with barely a glance. Meg wanted to be part of the club. She wanted them to think she was just as hilarious as they were—and just as helpful, too.

  Meg’s family owned and operated a Christmas tree farm. They lived in a house on one end of their land and sold the trees from a lot at the front. Meg had been helping around the lot since she was little, but now that she was twelve, her parents were finally going to let her run one of the registers all on her own. Today was her first day, and Meg couldn’t wait to get started.

  Suddenly, her mom’s hands slid over Meg’s eyes, and she kissed the top of Meg’s head. Meg could feel the rough calluses of her mother’s hard work on her hands and smell the sap on her fingers. “Happy birthday, Meggie.”

  Her mom uncovered Meg’s eyes and there, in the center of the table, was a box wrapped in red and green Christmas paper. It looked big enough to hold a toaster, and it had a bright silver bow stuck to the corner.

  For a split second, Meg’s stomach tightened with disappointment, then she scolded herself for being so selfish. She couldn’t deny the truth, though: there was no way that box held what she really wanted. She’d asked for the same thing every birthday and Christmas for four years, ever since her best friend, Colton, and his rowdy but friendly dogs had moved into the house down the road.

  But she’d come to realize that her parents would never get her a dog.

  They’d had a family dog when she was a baby. His name was Bruiser. By the time Meg was born, Bruiser was very old. Her family had to scrape and save to afford his medical bills. Her dad was always saying that they would never get another dog because they were too expensive. But Meg suspected that her dad never actually loved Bruiser—not really. And with money being tight, the chances of getting a dog went from slim to none.

  “Well, go on, then,” Meg’s dad said, using tongs to put another slice of bacon on Ben’s plate. “Or are you waiting for next year to open it?” He winked at Meg.

  She put down her fork, pushed her plate to the side, and tried a smile. She pulled the box toward her and ran a finger across the top of the bow. “Thank you,” she said before peeling back the first piece of tape gently.

  “Meg!” Ben laughed. “You are the slowest gift unwrapper ever!”

  Meg scowled at him, but it quickly turned into a grin. “You know I keep the paper for crafts!” she said, taking her own sweet time. She liked that she did something that made Ben laugh, so she did it on purpose every time she opened a gift.

  Her mom sat down on a stool and sipped her coffee. “If you don’t like it, we can always return it,” she said, watching Meg carefully. “I want to make sure tha
t it’s the one you like best.”

  Gifts were rare in the Briggs family, and even more so for Meg since her birthday and Christmas fell so closely together. She thought she might not even get a present this year. Only after she’d removed the paper without tearing it and folded it gently into a square did Meg lift the lid off the box.

  Her breath caught in her throat. Her gaze fell upon a crisply folded, perfect new winter coat. It was bright purple with sparkling silver fur around the hood. Lightly, tentatively, she ran her fingers over the fur.

  The last time she’d gone to the mall with Sarah, Meg had touched this same coat. She had imagined, for an instant, how cool she would look wearing it. But she never would have asked for it—it was too expensive, too frivolous. It was the sort of thing she couldn’t truly imagine owning, even as it sat on her own kitchen table.

  “Oh my gosh!” Meg exhaled, lifting it gingerly out of the box as if it would break. “I love it!” she said, standing up to try it on. “How did you know?”

  Sarah laughed. “You made me go back to the same store to look at it four times, kiddo. I figured it was a pretty good guess. Do you like the color? Mom and I had a hard time picking between purple and blue.”

  “Yes, the purple is perfect!” Meg slid her arms into the sleeves and zipped it up, enjoying the tickle of fur on her cheeks as she pulled up the hood. Then she threw her arms around her mom, whose eyes were glistening as she looked at Meg. “Thank you, Mom. I love it, really.”

  Next, she hugged her dad. He wiped his hands on the kitchen towel before squeezing her back. “Happy birthday, Megs. I love you, sweetheart.”