Ivy and Her Kitten

Sample story

Ivy bounces down the stairs so fast her socks nearly slip on the wooden floor. Today is going to be the BEST day ever! Whiskers is curled up on the sunny patch by the window, his orange fur glowing like a little campfire. His tail flicks softly — swish, swish — as he dreams his tiny cat dreams. "Whiskers! Wake up!" Ivy scoops him into her arms and squeezes him tight. She wants to dress him up, push him in her toy stroller, and have a tea party with all her stuffed animals. Whiskers wiggles. His ears flatten against his head, and he lets out a small, scratchy meow. Ivy frowns. "Don't you want to play with me?" She looks into his big green eyes. They blink slowly, once, twice. His whiskers tremble. Something feels different today. Whiskers isn't purring the way he usually does. His little body feels tense under her fingers. Then Grandma's voice drifts in from the kitchen: "Ivy, sweetheart — have you checked his water bowl today?" Ivy looks down at the empty bowl on the floor, and her tummy does a little flip...