Bo and Ms. Beanz by Jane Kirkland Read Free Book Online Page B

I pick her up and she stands on her hind legs and puts her front paws on my shoulder. I pet her and she calms down. Then she goes back to sleep—just like a baby.
    Maybe she dreams that we will take her back to the shelter. We will never take her back. We love her. We are her family now. This is her forever home.
    We are her friends. Friends stick together.
    Do you have friends that stick by you?

    We bought a pet stroller for Ms. Beanz so she could come with us when we take Bo for walks. I decorated the stroller and put her name on it.
    At first, Ms. Beanz didn’t like the stroller. We zipped it up so she couldn’t escape. Each time she rode in it, she liked it a little bit more. By the end of one week, she liked it a lot.
    Today she loves her stroller and doesn’t even want it zipped up around her! She feels safe in her stroller. When people see us, they smile and laugh because they’ve never seen a cat in a stroller before. It’s fun to make people smile and laugh.
    We love Ms. Beanz. She makes us smile. She makes us feel happy. We have fun with her. We are so happy that we could give her a forever home and be her friends.

Chapter Four
Bo & Ms. Beanz
    Whatever Bo does, Ms. Beanz wants to do.

    Bo walks on a leash. He taught Ms. Beanz how to walk on a leash, too. At first, Ms. Beanz didn’t like her harness or her leash. She didn’t know that she should stand up and walk in it, but Bo pulled her gently and she stood up. It was amazing to watch him teach her, even though they couldn’t talk.
    Now Ms. Beanz rides in her stroller wearing her harness and her leash. That way, she can get out when she wants. She stretches her legs, arches her back, and then walks on the leash. When she wants to, she jumps back in the stroller.
    Have you ever taught a friend how to do something? Has a friend ever taught you? What was it?

    Sometimes Bo and Ms. Beanz get into mischief. On their first Christmas together, I was decorating the tree when our phone rang. I went to the kitchen to answer the call.
    When I came back, Ms. Beanz and Bo were playing with the decorations. It looked like they were helping to decorate!
    Bo and Ms. Beanz follow me around the house. If I am working in my office, they are in my office, too. If I am watching TV, so are they. When we go to bed at night, they lay on our bed. If I’m decorating the tree, well, they are there, too.
    Have you ever gotten into mischief with your friends? What happened?

    Bo and Ms. Beanz come with us when we shop or travel or go on vacation. They even come with us when we paddle around the lake in our canoe.
    Can you believe that a cat likes to be in a canoe? I couldn’t believe it either, but Ms. Beanz loves it!
    People smile and laugh when they see Bo and Ms. Beanz in our canoe. That makes us smile and laugh!
    Bo and Ms. Beanz like to experience new things together. They trust one another. Ms. Beanz has never scratched or hissed at Bo. Bo has never chased Ms. Beanz or barked at her. They rely on each other. They watch out for each other.
    Do you have friends or family that you rely on? Do you like to share new experiences with them?

    Bo and Ms. Beanz are so different. One is big and the other is small. They don’t like the same food. Bo likes to swim and Ms. Beans does not. One is a dog and one is a cat.
    Even though they are different, Bo and Ms. Beanz do have a lot in common. They both like to take walks, to climb, to ride in the canoe and the car. They like to hang out with their family, explore new places, and meet new people. They like to sleep together. They are both gentle and happy animals.
    To be friends you must have trust and respect for yourself and for your friend. It’s good to have things in common with friends, but it’s also good to be different. Friends enjoy being together, learning together, and growing together, no matter how old they are. Friends help each other. Bo and Ms. Beanz are best friends.
    Who are