Bowen James - My Name is Bob

To Kitty, Twig, Penelope, John, Sue and, always, Bob J.B. To Cilene, Gabriella and Tom G.J. For Vicki, Lucie, Kirsten & James G.K. MY NAME IS BOB A RED FOX BOOK First edition for North America published in 2014 by Barrons Educational Series, Inc. Published in Great Britain in 2014 by Red Fox, an imprint of Random House Childrens Publishers UK A Random House Group Company Text copyright James and Bob Limited and Connected Content Limited, 2014 Illustrations copyright Random House Childrens Publishers UK, 2014 Illustrated by Gerald Kelley Photograph on bottom left of copyright Sue Buswell, 2014 All other photographs used in this book copyright Garry Jenkins, 2014 Red Fox Books are published by Random House Childrens Publishers UK, 6163 Uxbridge Road, London W5 5SA www.randomhousechildrens.co.uk www.randomhouse.co.uk All rights reserved. All inquiries should be addressed to: Barrons Educational Series, Inc. 250 Wireless Boulevard Hauppauge, NY 11788 www.barronseduc.com ISBN: 978-0-7641-6725-6 eISBN: 978-1-4380-9276-8 My name is Bob
and Im a street cat. Shall I tell you my story?
Then come with me... I wasnt always a street cat. I wasnt always a street cat.

I grew up in a quiet house with a kind old lady. She looked after me. She loved me and I loved her. I would curl up in her coziest chair and listen to the beautiful music she played. I thought I was the luckiest little cat in the world. Then one day the old lady wasnt well.

I wanted to make her better so I sat on her lap, watching over her from morning till night. But there was nothing I could do to help her. One day, some men in an ambulance came. I hoped they could make her better, so I chased after them down the road. I ran and ran and tried to keep up. I jumped onto a bus thinking it would follow her.

But instead it took me on a long journey into the big city. After a time, the driver made me jump off the bus. The streets were busy and noisyeverybody was rushing around so fast. I wish I could go back home, I said to myself. But I didnt have a home anymore. Get lost! one of them spat. Get lost! one of them spat.

I felt frightened and ran away. I ran and ran through the crowded streets, not knowing where I was. That night I slid inside a cardboard box in the doorway of a shop. It was warm and cozy and it made me think of home. I miss curling up in my chair. The next morning a big man woke me up. The next morning a big man woke me up.

Scram! he shouted, shaking me out of my box. I ran away. Days passed. Everywhere I went, people chased me off. Weeks passed. And then one morning I heard a friendly voice. And then one morning I heard a friendly voice.

Hello, pussycat, do you want to come home with me? Yes please, I purred. I was so happy that someone wanted me. But his mother wouldnt let me in. Im not having that smelly cat in my house, she said, and she slammed the door closed. I stared at my reflection in a puddle. The face in the water didnt look like me.

I was so scruffy and dirty, as though I hadnt washed for a year. I was cold and hungry and too tired even to lick myself clean. Will I ever find a home again? I thought. Day after day I walked and walked. Nobody wanted to take me in. Nobody wanted to be my friend. Winter came, but my life hadnt changed. Winter came, but my life hadnt changed.

I was alone, hungry and cold, on the streets. But then, when spring came, my luck changed... I heard music, beautiful music! I followed the sound and saw a man playing his guitar. I could tell he was sad and lonely like me. He looked like he needed a friend.