Tractor in the field and made a wide circle around it. The noise meant cars, I was sure of it, even though the whooshes weren'tĮxactly the same as the one at the Merrions'. He froze in place and his hears stood up stiffly as he listened. Finally there were no more trees, and we were walking through a field, and then I heard a swishing noise that reminded me of the sound of cars on the road to the Merrions' house.īone heard the noise, too, and he stopped. I've known all these dogs, and I've been all of these dogs.īone and I walked and walked until the trees became fewer and we could see their separate shadows, and the shadows were long. I've known of dogs who were treated cruelly by human hands and dogs who were treated with the gentlest touch, dogs who starved and dogs who grew fat from too many treats.

I've known of dogs who looked longingly at warm homes, who were not invited inside, who stayed in a garage or a shed or under a wheelbarrow for a few days, then moved on. I've known of dogs who dined on fine foods and led pampered lives, sleeping on soft beds, and being served hamburger and chicken and even steak. And most certainly, not all dogs have the same experiences. I can't speak for all dogs, of course, since not all dogs are alike. Time, and settle onto the bed again, Susan smiling fondly at me from

The fire pops and I rise slowly, turn around twice, then a third And the many, many nights spent searching forīone. Woods under a blanket of stars, nights spent with Moon, nights in the Lying in the warmth remembering other nights - nights in the I'm lying near the hearth on a plaid bed, which Susan bought for The fire is crackling and my paws are warm. While living in the shed, Squirrel and Bone were befriended by a boy named Matthias Merrion, but now they are on their own. The second part of the book that I'm to read takes place much earlier in Squirrel's life, as she and her brother, Bone, are just starting to explore the world beyond the shed where they were born. The first section I'm going to read to you is the opening of the book, which gives an idea of what Squirrel's journey has been like over the years. Now I'm going to read to you from another book of mine, AĪ Dog's Life is the story of a stray named Squirrel. Teal, A Corner of the Universe, and Here Today. I also wrote several novels set in the 1960s: Belle You may know me as the author of the Baby-Sitter'sĬlub books. For the best experience, enable JavaScript in your browser.

Here Today by Ann M. Martin