Shadow Read Online Free

soon as she had time.
    The minute the morning meeting began, Lizzie raised her hand. When Mrs. Abeson called on her, she started telling all about how her family was fostering Shadow and about how cute and funnyand smart he was. “He even kept my little brother from falling down the stairs!” she reported.
    Maria gave her an admiring glance. “He sounds like a great puppy,” she said. “I wish my family could take him, but we already have a dog. His name is Simba, and he —”
    â€œI forgot to say that Shadow already knows how to come when you call his name!” Lizzie interrupted. She didn’t mean to be rude. She was just excited about Shadow. When she saw Maria’s face fall, she felt bad. But it really was still her turn to talk. “Anyway, if anybody hears of a really nice family that’s looking for a dog, let me know,” Lizzie finished.
    â€œWe’ll be sure to do that,” said Mrs. Abeson. “A wonderful puppy like that deserves a special home.”
    After that, Noah had to tell about how his guinea pig was going to have babies, and Daniel said that his pet snake was shedding its skin, and Caroline said that her cat, Flower, liked to catchmice and leave them in her dad’s slippers. It was like pet day at morning meeting.
    â€œWe’re going to meet a very special pet tomorrow, as part of our unit on Helen Keller,” Mrs. Abeson said. Her eyes were sparkling. “But it’s a surprise.” Lizzie saw her glance over at Maria. Maria blushed. What was
that
about?
    Before she could ask any questions, Mrs. Abeson said it was time for math. As they headed for their desks, Lizzie touched Maria on the shoulder. “Is it your pet that’s coming?” she asked.
    â€œIt’s a surprise,” Maria whispered.
    Lizzie made a face. Maria was probably just still mad because Lizzie interrupted her. Oh, well. She could keep her dumb secret.
    Once again, the school day dragged by. All Lizzie wanted to do was spend time with Shadow before she had to give him up. When the day was over, she raced out of school, hardly waiting for Sammy and Charles.
    â€œWhere’s Shadow?” she demanded when she found her dad in the kitchen.
    â€œProbably upstairs with your mom and the Bean,” Dad said. “Want me to make you some ants on a log for a snack?”
    Ants on a log was one of Lizzie and Charles’s favorite snacks. It was celery sticks with peanut butter spread on them, and raisins sprinkled onto the peanut butter. The raisins were supposed to look like ants on a log. Really they just looked like raisins on peanut butter. But still, Lizzie loved the snack. “Sure,” she said. “But first I have to find Shadow.”
    She ran upstairs. “Mom!” she said when she found her mom working at her computer. “Where’s Shadow?”
    â€œDownstairs with your dad, I think,” her mom said, staring at the screen.
    Lizzie shook her head. “Not there,” she said. “Where’s the Bean?”
    â€œNapping,” her mom said. “He and Shadow played hard this afternoon.”
    Lizzie went down the hall to the Bean’s room. Shadow was probably sleeping right next to the Bean on the Bean’s new “big-boy bed.”
    But the puppy wasn’t there — and neither was the Bean.
    Lizzie ran back to her mom. “Mom, the Bean’s not in his bed! He and Shadow are
both
lost.”
    â€œWhat?” said Mom. She jumped up and ran to the Bean’s room.
    Lizzie ran downstairs to get Charles and Dad. “Shadow and the Bean are both missing!” she told them.
    Dad was just handing Charles a glass of milk. He stared at Lizzie. “Missing?” he asked. “How could that be? Your mom and I have been home all afternoon.”
    â€œWe’ll find them,” said Charles. “They have to be somewhere in the house.”
    They started by looking in all the bedrooms.
    No