Sally Rippin - The Cutest Pet Ever

Table of Contents Billie B Brown has two finished puzzles, three half-read books and one broken Lego castle. Do you know what the B in Billie B Brown stands for? Bored . Billie B Brown is bored, bored, bored. Usually when Billie is bored she can play with her best friend, Jack. But Jack is away this weekend so Billie has no-one to play with. Billie cant even play with her baby brother Noah because he is having a nap.

And anyway he is too young to play properly. He just messes up her games or tries to eat her Lego. He can be so annoying! Just then Billie has an idea. A super-dooper idea. She knows exactly what she needs. A pony! If Billie had her own pony, she would never be bored again.

Billie runs downstairs to tell her dad. Billies dad is in the kitchen. He is baking bread. The kitchen is warm and smells yummy. Hey, Dad, Billie says. If I had a pony, I would brush it and feed it and ride it every day. If I had a pony, I would brush it and feed it and ride it every day.

Billies dad smiles. Billie, where would we keep a pony? A pony needs lots of space and lots of food. But how about a pet frog instead? I had a frog when I was a little boy. They can be lots of fun. Billie frowns. A frog? she says.

You cant pat a frog. A frog is a terrible pet. She stomps upstairs to find her mum. Billies mum is having a nap with Noah. Billie knows she is not supposed to wake her mum unless it is for something very important. But this is something very important.

She tiptoes into the bedroom. Mum! Billie whispers into her ear. Guess what? Billies mum opens one eye. Billie, she says. Is this something important? Very important, says Billie seriously. Billies mum sighs.

She turns over carefully so that she doesnt wake Noah. Then she pats the bed next to her for Billie to lie down. Billie cuddles in next to her mum. She is warm and smells like milk and flowers. Whats up, love? Billies mum asks. Im bored, says Billie.

I need a pet to play with. I want a pony but Dad said no. Billies mum smiles. What about Noah? she says, pointing to Billies baby brother. He is curled up next to Billies mum, snuffling like a piglet. Hes a bit like a pet.

Mum! says Billie crossly. Dont be silly. Im serious! Sorry, Billies mum says. She makes her face serious. Dad is right. A pony is much too big.

But how about a pet cockatoo? I had a pet cockatoo when I was a little girl. I taught it to say hello. A cockatoo is a very good pet. Billie frowns. But you cant cuddle a cockatoo! What about a puppy? Oh Mum, lets get a cute little puppy. Please? A puppy is a lot of work, Billie, says her mum.

I can look after it! says Billie. Ill feed it and walk it and play with it every day. Sorry, Billie, says her mum. We are much too busy with Noah to look after a puppy right now. Maybe when hes older. Billie feels very cross .

Its not fair! she says loudly. Noah wakes up and begins to cry. Oh Billie! says her mum. Now youve woken Noah. Billie scrunches up her fists and stomps out of the room. She is feeling very cross.

Its all Noahs fault. If Noah wasnt around, Billie is sure her parents would buy her a pony and a puppy. But then Billie feels bad for waking Noah. She really does love her baby brother. Billie picks up a puppet and puts it on her hand. Peekaboo, Noah! Billie says, poking the puppet out from behind the door.

Noah squeals with laughter. Billie and her mum laugh too.

That afternoon, Billie and her mum go to Westland Shopping Centre. Billie helps Mum put Noah into the stroller. He wriggles but Billie snaps the buckles tight. Snap! Snap! Billie and her mum walk around the shopping centre looking in the shop windows.

Ooh look, the pet shop! Billie says. Can we just take a peek? Please? All right, Billie, says her mum, but quickly. We still have lots of shopping to do. And Noah will need a feed soon. The pet shop smells like hay. All around Billie animals squeak and squawk and purr .

Billie sees tumbling kittens and rolling puppies and teeny tiny mice. All the pets are so cute. Billie wishes she could bring them all home with her. Then, right at the back of the shop, she sees a cage all on its own. At first Billie thinks it is empty. But then she bends closer and spots a little round ball of ginger fur.

Hello, Billie calls softly. A little pink nose pokes out from all the fur. Then two shiny black eyes. Then two pink claws. Can you guess what it is? Its a guinea pig! And its the cutest guinea pig Billie has ever seen. Mum! Billie calls.

Come and look at this guinea pig. Isnt it adorable? Billies mum comes over with the shopkeeper. Shes the last one left, the shopkeeper says. Shes a very special guinea pig. Just waiting for a very special girl, I think. He winks at Billie.

Billie looks at her mum. Oh, please can we have her, Mum? she begs. I promise Ill look after her and feed her every day. Well says Billies mum. Please? begs Billie. Just then Noah begins to cry.

He is fed up. Let me think about it, Billie, her mum says. Come on. The guinea pig will still be here when weve finished our shopping. Billie squeals with excitement . Thats almost a yes! All afternoon Billie helps her mum look after Noah.

She minds him while her mum tries on shoes. She wipes the banana off his hands and face. She even passes her mum a nappy after he has done a stinker!