Maggie and Max by Ellen Miles Read Free Book Online

began.
    Sammy was third, after a Scout who sang “Silent Night” and a funny skit by Charles’s mom and dad. Charles was impressed by how well his friend recited “The Night Before Christmas.” Sammy didn’t make one mistake! Charles gave him a high five when he got back to his seat. Then they sat together and watched all the other volunteers perform. The audience loved everything!
    Then Charles saw Mr. Baker look at him and give a secret wink. As Charles made his way tothe front of the room, Mr. Baker disappeared, slipping out through a side door.
    For a second, standing up there in front of everyone, Charles felt his hands go all sweaty. His knees felt like Jell-O. But then he looked out at the audience and spotted Evan, who smiled and waved. Charles took a deep breath. “Hi, everybody! Merry Christmas! I wrote a special poem, just for tonight.” His voice was a little squeaky, so he cleared his throat. “Um, so here it is.” Then he began.
    “‘Twas the night before Christmas,
A time to be glad,
But inside the Nest
Lots of people were sad.

They lay awake wishing
That Santa would say,
‘Merry Christmas to all!
Max and Maggie can stay!’

But that wouldn’t happen,
As everyone knew.
If one pet was a handful,
How could they keep two?

Mr. Baker’s so busy,
With the Nest in his care,
He can’t handle one pet,
Much less have a pair.

Danny loves dogs
But he doesn’t have space
And he isn’t allowed
To keep pets in his place.

Miranda loves cats
But their fur brings on sneezing—
And how could she answer
The phone if she’s wheezing?

Beverly’s got
All the kids in her care —
Just think of the noise
With two animals there!

But wait! Look outside—
Can you hear Santa’s call?
He’s bringing the Nest
the best present of all . . .”
    Just then Mr. Baker reappeared in the doorway — but now he was dressed up like Santa, in a red suit and a very obvious fake white beard! He walked down the aisle, leading Maggie on her bright red Christmas leash. Maggie carried a big red-and-white-striped knitted stocking in her mouth — and in the stocking was Max, his bright eyes looking all around.
    The audience broke into excited whispers and giggles. From the stage, Charles saw Evan’sface light up when he saw his favorite animal friends.
    Soon Mr. Baker was standing next to Charles. They smiled at each other. Now it was Mr. Baker’s turn to finish the poem. He faced the audience and began.
    “I thought and I thought
To come up with a way
For our dear Max and Maggie
To come here to stay.

Two pets are a handful
For one person, it’s true.
But with everyone’s help,
Look at all we can do!

Beverly, Danny,
Miranda, and me,
We’ll pitch in together
To make it easy, you see.

The kids can help, too,
Each night and each day —
So, Merry Christmas to all!
Max and Maggie can stay!”
    For a second, the whole room was quiet. Then the audience burst into cheers and applause. Suddenly, Charles felt almost as if he might start crying, so he quickly knelt down and threw his arms around Maggie’s big, furry neck. Charles could hardly believe he had finally gotten Mr. Baker to change his mind. It had taken a lot of work to convince him, but Mr. Baker had finally understood that if everyone at the Nest pitched in, they could take care of both a puppy and a kitten.
    “I think you’ve both found a wonderful home,” Charles whispered to Maggie and Max. “Merry Christmas.”

Puppy Tips
    Holidays are so much fun — but they can be dangerous for pets! With all the excitement going on, it’s especially important to take good care of your dog.
    There are lots of unfamiliar things to play with and eat at holiday times. Your pet can get an upset stomach if she eats holiday table scraps that are too rich. Some holiday plants, like poinsettias and holly, can make dogs very sick if they eat a leaf or a berry. You might think chocolate would make a nice special treat, but it is poisonous for dogs, too. Tinsel, wrapping paper,