Judy Young - A Pet for Miss Wright

Miss Wright is a writer. She enjoys her work. Each day she sits at her desk and writes stories about marvelous characters that live exciting lives. But, except for the click-click-click of the keyboard, it is quiet in Miss Wrights office. Too quiet. And too lonely.

So Miss Wright decides she needs a pet to keep her company. But finding the perfect pet may not be as easy as it sounds. A mynah bird is too quiet, a monkey plays with the keyboard, a cat sleeps all day, and a hamster running around and around on its wheel makes Miss Wright dizzy. Whats a lonely writer to do? As the happy ending to her story, Miss Wright finds not only the perfect pet but also the perfect helpmate to her work.

A Pet for Miss Wright is Judy Youngs eleventh childrens book, but she didnt write any of her award-winning fiction, nonfiction, or poetry books alone. Shes always had a dog to help her! Currently, a big black Lab named Hobo not only listens to all Judys stories, but wants to be her secretary, too.

He thinks it should be his job to answer the phone when schools nationwide contact Judy to come speak to their students. Judys other books with Sleeping Bear Press include A Book for Black-Eyed Susan; The Hidden Bestiary of Marvelous, Mysterious, and (maybe even) Magical Creatures; and R is for Rhyme: A Poetry Alphabet. She lives near Springfield, Missouri. Read more about her at www.judyyoungpoetry.com.

Andrea Wesson studied Illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design and has illustrated several picture books, including Not Just Another Moose; Opera Cat; and Argus. Andrea lives in Maryland with her husband, son, and daughter, and her cats, Ernie and Lavern.

She would love to live in Miss Wrights house by the beach, but maybe not with a monkey for a pet. In honor and memory of Roca,
who inspired and helped me write this book Judy For Libby Andrea

Written by Judy Young Illustrated by Andrea Wesson Miss Wright was an author. It was a very lonely job. Every day, she sat by herself at her desk and typed. All sorts of exciting things happened in the words that filled the computer screen. Characters had adventures in exotic places.

They talked and laughed with their friends. They narrowly escaped their enemies. But, except for the click of the keyboard, it was silent in Miss Wrights office. Its too quiet, Miss Wright thought. I need something to keep me company. So Miss Wright went to the pet store.

I have just the thing, said the man in the pet store. He brought out a bird. Mynahs repeat everything they hear. It will talk to you. But when Miss Wright took the bird home, the mynah did not say any words. Miss Wright took the mynah back and brought home a monkey. The monkey certainly kept Miss Wright entertained, but now her stories made no sense. The monkey certainly kept Miss Wright entertained, but now her stories made no sense.

When Miss Wright typed, the monkey put his hands on the keyboard, too. A scramble of mixed-up letters filled the computer screen. Nothing exotic, Miss Wright told the man at the pet store as she returned the monkey. Maybe just a fish. The fish stared at Miss Wright from its bowl with its large, goggly eyes. Miss Wright stared back.

Soon they had hypnotized each other and no words appeared on the computer screen for days. Miss Wright thought a hamster might be better. It ran around and around and around on its wheel. Miss Wrights eyes went around and around and around, too. She became too dizzy to write and had to lie down to rest. It was lazy and liked to lie all day in the sun. It was lazy and liked to lie all day in the sun.

The sun shone through the window across Miss Wrights desk. The cat stretched out across the keyboard, quite comfy until dark. Miss Wright fell asleep trying to write at night. No more pets, Miss Wright said. But when she took the cat back, the man at the pet store insisted, You must try a dog.

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