"Paws"itive Pals

by Angela O' Toole

Overview

Have you ever been "as sick as a dog" when it came to taking tests? Nathan is a nervous puppy when it comes to test day and his pals come up with a plan to ease his worries. The message Nathan is delivering is one we all need to remember. No matter what the test measures, as long as you try your best and give it your all, you will be successful. It is important to maintain a positive outlook and have faith in yourself that you can achieve anything and everything!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781546223177
Publisher:	AuthorHouse
Publication date:	12/30/2017
Pages:	24
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.07(d)

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CHAPTER 1

"One day, you just wait, squirrels, I will finally catch you," promised Nate. "Hey, Doug, where were you when I needed you to teach these squirrels a lesson?" questioned Nate. Speaking of lesson, Doug was there to walk to the bus stop so they wouldn't be late for class at their schools. Nate attends Top Dog Elementary School while Doug goes to Feline A"Cat"emy. Suddenly, Nate started "coughing" and walked wearily back home. Nate was going to be out "sick" again. That would make four days in a row. Doug thought something was fishy about Nate's behavior. As Doug boarded the bus with his "cat"mates, Reggie and Boots, he pondered what to do.

Ms. Fusco called attendance and once Nate didn't bark when his name was said, his classmates looked at each other in dismay. "Does anyone know what is wrong with Nathan?", asked Ms. Fusco. "We have our big test coming in two weeks and he is really missing a lot." "I did see him at the park yesterday and he seemed to be the picture of health," stated Mittens. "Maybe he got sick after the park," suggested Speedy. Nate's pupmates decided to visit Nate that day.

Nate was sunning himself, belly up, in the window when some of his friends surprised him. He quickly jumped into his robe and grabbed the tissue box. "Nate, buddy, what's wrong?" asked Mittens. "We miss you in school and will help you with all the work you are missing," explained Ruby. Nate looked the least bit interested and changed the subject to the latest squeaky toy he received. The moment school was mentioned, it was as if the cat had Nate's tongue.

"I hope Nate comes in tomorrow. Class isn't the same without him," whimpered Jackson. "Yeah, he always has the best snacks during lunchtime," chimed in Jake. Some of Nate's friends weren't convinced that he in fact was "sick". Jameson and Bailey decided to get to the bottom of it. Together, with Gizmo and Betsy, the foursome headed to Nate's.

On the way over, they met up with Jax, Yogi, and Rascal and the crew made a bee line to Nate's house. They were surprised to see most of the class outside Nate's door. Nate, "coughing" and sluggish, made his way outside. "Hey, guys, what's going on?" inquired Nate. Layla presented Nate with important notes he missed the days he was out. Putting them quickly aside, Nate said he would look at them later. "Thanks for checking on me but I must go and rest," said Nathan.

Nate's mom decided it was time for a vet visit. Even she thought it was "paws"ible that Nate was pulling her leg. As the doctor examined him, he discovered something interesting. Each time the word "test" was mentioned, Nathan would shake and put his tail between his legs. To be on the safe side, Dr. Gastaldi called in his assistants, Jasper, Jax, and Bailey. The Lab and cats were ordered to perform some exams on Nate. Once they were completed and the results came back, everyone was even more perplexed. The "lab" report and "cat scan" didn't show anything unusual.

The doctor decided to talk to Nathan alone and asked a plethora of questions. Upon further investigation, the vet came to a conclusion and diagnosed Nathan with a case of test anxiety. The upcoming exam he is supposed to take next week has made Nathan as sick as a dog. The remedy suggested was to surround Nate with his "paws"itive pals to help him work through this issue. The friends put their heads together to devise a plan.

Chloe and Sandy decided to coax Nathan back to school with the perfect method! They lined the street to school with "squirrels" knowing that Nathan would run up to each one and eventually end up in his classroom. The morning came and everything went as planned. Nate sprinted up to each "squirrel", investigated it, realized it was a fake, and went on to the next. Nate made his way to Top Dog Elementary School much to his displeasure.

All of Nathan's friends and Ms. Fusco were waiting for him. "I can't take the stress of the test! Please let me go home!" pleaded Nate. "Don't stress the test!" Ms. Fusco stated. "A test is just a test. What you do in class on a daily basis allows me to really see if you mastered the skills taught." Artie went up to Nathan, put his paw on his shoulder and said, "You see, so what we told you all along is true." "Yes, there is no need to get stressed out so much that you made yourself sick. If you do all the work each day and try your best, you will be successful. One test doesn't determine everything," stated Simba.

Nate sat there, surrounded by his pals, and finally came to understand the reason for "the BIG test". It is meant to determine the academic growth of each student from the previous year. The teachers use the results as a small piece of the picture of the whole student. After this "pup"talk, Nate changed his tune about school. Of course, Nate will put his best paw forward on that test and every one he will take in the future but it will no longer be the reason to keep him from attending school.

The day of the test was upon the pups. One by one, they listened to commands and performed what was asked. It was Nate's turn. He strutted into the room, head held high and was attentive to the words of Ms. Fusco. With each request, Nate aced one after the next and his confidence built. Once it was over, a weight was lifted off his shoulders. He and his pals shared a treat in celebration.

(Continues…)

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Excerpted from ""Paws"itive Pals"
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Copyright © 2018 Angela O'Toole.
Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse.
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