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KIRSTEN MCDONALD
AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATOR
Carlos and Carmen: The Pet Show Problem
Summary: Carlos and Carmen want thier cat Spooky to be in the pet show. They try to teach Spooky to do tricks, but she's not interested. They try to make her the most beautiful cat around, but Spooky has other plans. Just when the twins are about to give up, they come up with the perfect solution to the pet show problem.
Word Count: 1000 words
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Chapter One: Spooky's Tricks
“¡Mira!” said Papá showing the twins a flyer. “There’s going to be a pet show.”
Carlos read, “All pets welcome.”
Carmen read, “Lots of prizes.”
“Our cat Spooky is a good mascota,” said Carlos.
“She could win a premio,” said Carmen.
“Especially if we taught her some tricks,” said Carlos.
Carlos looked at Carmen. Carmen looked at Carlos.
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” they said.
And because they were twins, they were.
Carlos and Carmen ran to find Spooky. They looked on Carmen’s bed. They looked on Carlos’s bed. They looked in all of Spooky’s favorite spots. Finally, they found her sitting on the back deck cleaning her paw.
“Sit, Spooky,” said Carlos. Spooky kept sitting. She kept cleaning her paw.
“Shake, Spooky,” said Carmen. She reached out and shook Spooky’s freshly cleaned paw.
“We’re good at mascota training,” said Carlos.
“Yes,” said Carmen. “We’ve already taught Spooky two trucos.”
Spooky stood up. She stretched out her front legs. She swished her tail.
“Fetch,” said Carmen rolling a bouncy ball.
Spooky ran. She pounced on the ball. She batted the ball around the deck.
“Bring me the ball,” said Carmen. Spooky batted the ball some more.
“Sit,” said Carlos. Spooky flicked the ball into the air.
“Shake,” said Carmen reaching for Spooky’s paw. Spooky swished her tail and jumped out into the yard.
“I’m not sure Spooky has learned any trucos after all,” said Carlos.
“Yo tampoco,” agreed Carmen.
Chapter Two: Brushes and Ribbons
Chapter Three: A New Plan
Chapter Four: The Pet Show