The Runaway Puppy

by Ellie O’Ryan
illustrated by Kellee Riley

Simon Spotlight/Nickelodeon
New York London Toronto Sydney

DEG Puppies 1P int_NICKversion.indd 1 12/8/09 6:09 PM

 Chapter One

Bzzzz!
When the intercom buzzed, Dora jumped
up to answer it. “¿Hola?” she asked.
“Hey! It’s me!” a familiar voice called
back. “Buzz me in!”
Dora grinned as she pressed the buzzer.
She knew that voice.
It was one of her best friends, Kate!
BASED ON line TK
A few moments later there was a knock
SIMON SPOTLIGHT/NICKELODEON
at the door. “Hola, Kate!” Dora cried as she
An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020
opened the door.
Licensor Copyright Info TK
All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. “Hi!” Kate replied. “Who’s ready to go to
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For information about special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact Simon & Schuster
Special Sales at 1-866-506-1949 or business@simonandschuster.com.
the park?”
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First Edition 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
ISBN 978-1-4424-0806-7 3

DEG Puppies 1P int_NICKversion.indd 2-3 12/8/09 6:09 PM

 “Park! ¡El parque!” cried Dora’s little
brother and sister, Guillermo and Isabella.
The twins ran up to Kate and hugged her.
“I think we’re ready!” Dora said as she
looked in her bag. “Hats? Check. Sunglasses?
Check. Water bottles, snacks, and sunblock?
Check, check, and check!”
“Don’t forget these,” Kate said as she wig-
gled her fingers. “An extra pair of hands!”
Dora laughed. “Forget them? No way! I’m
counting on your help when the twins start
running in opposite directions!”
Isabella and Guillermo scrambled into
their double stroller and waited for Dora to
buckle them in.
Just then Papi stuck his head out of his
office. “Hola, Kate!” he said. “Enjoy the
park!”
“We will! Thanks!” Kate called back.
“¡Hasta luego!” they all yelled in unison.
Dora pushed the stroller down the hall to

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 the elevator. While they waited for the elva-
tor, she said, “Thanks for helping me take
the twins to the park, Kate. Mami left for
a conference yesterday, and Papi gets a lot
more work done when the apartment is
quiet.”
“No problem! I love little kids,” replied
Kate. “They make a great audience!”
Isabella tugged Kate’s hand as the eleva-
tor arrived. “Story!” she cried. “Tell us a
story, Kate!”
Kate’s eyes twinkled as she launched into
the tale of Little Red Riding Hood. The twins
loved the way Kate acted out every part—
even the wolf!
Dora grinned at Kate and thought, I’m so
glad she’s my friend! Kate was one of the great
friends Dora had made since her family had
moved to the city of Puerto Verde. She also
became close with Alana, Emma, and Naiya.
Together the five girls called themselves the
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DEG Puppies 1P int_NICKversion.indd 6-7
Explorer Girls. They were all really different,
but they had one important thing in common:
they loved living in Puerto Verde and wanted
to help make the city even better. In only
a few weeks the Explorer Girls had planted
flowers in the park, organized a bike-a-thon,
and cleaned up the beach—together! But Dora
knew that they’d just gotten started!
Dora’s friends weren’t the only reason she
loved living in Puerto Verde. She loved her
family’s apartment with its pretty terrace
and view of the ocean. She loved that her
grandmother, Abuela, lived right upstairs.
And Dora loved the city itself with its color-
ful buildings, tall palm trees, and cool ocean
breezes. In Puerto Verde it always felt like
something exciting was just about to happen!
After they stepped off the elevator Dora
pushed the stroller outside into the bright
morning sunshine. The park was just a couple
of blocks away, right across from the beach.
12/8/09 6:09 PM
 It was a perfect day to spend outside—and it Everyone listened quietly. Suddenly a howl
looked like most of the people who lived in pierced the silence.
Puerto Verde agreed. As they walked, Dora Aw-rooooooo!
saw people skating, bike riding, and enjoying “Who—or what—was that?” Kate asked.
the beautiful day. “I don’t know,” replied Dora, her brown
But the twins weren’t interested in any of eyes sparkling with excitement. “But I’m
that. They were focused on only one thing. going to find out!”
“¡El parque!” they yelled as soon as they saw
the tall, twisty slide.
Dora and Kate smiled as they lifted Isa-
bella and Guillermo out of the stroller. As
soon as they were on the ground, the twins
raced off.
“Hey! Wait for us!” Dora called as she and
Kate ran after them.
Suddenly Isabella stopped running. She
scrunched up her little face.
“Isabella?” asked Dora. “¿Qué pasa?”
“I heard something,” she said.
“Shhh,” Dora said. “I hear something too.
I wonder what it could be.”

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Chapter Two
Dora grabbed the twins’ hands and walked
through the park, peeking under the swings
and over the slide. “¿Hola?” Dora called.
But no one was there.
“Do you think it’s a pirate ghost searching
for buried treasure?” Kate asked excitedly.
“Or a lost mermaid trying to get home?”
“Probably not,” Dora giggled. Kate’s imag-
ination was always running away with her!
Dora took a few steps closer to the palm
trees and heard the noise again—louder this
time. She could feel her heart pounding as
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DEG Puppies 1P int_NICKversion.indd 10-11
she stepped closer to the bushes. Dora took
a deep breath and peeked under a bush with
big pink flowers.
Suddenly a furry creature bounded out of
the bush! It ran right past Dora and headed
straight toward Kate and the twins!
“¡Un perrito!” exclaimed Dora. “It’s a
little puppy!”
“A little puppy with a great big howl,”
Kate added.
Everyone laughed as the puppy grabbed
Guillermo’s hat in his mouth and jumped
around.
“Where did you come from?” Dora asked
the puppy. “Do you have a home?”
“He doesn’t have a collar or tags,” Kate
pointed out.
“Poor little puppy, you need somebody to
take care of you!” Dora cooed. “I wish I could
keep you, but I already have my own dog.”
“I’d keep him if I could,” Kate said. “But
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12/8/09 6:09 PM

my mom is allergic to dogs.”
“Well, we can’t leave him here,” Dora
said. “Hmm. I know! Let’s take him to the
Puerto Verde Animal Shelter. I just wish I
had a leash.”
Then Dora noticed Kate’s stylish outfit—
which gave her an idea.
“Kate, can I borrow your belt?” Dora
asked, pointing to the thin braided belt that
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DEG Puppies 1P int_NICKversion.indd 12-13
Kate had wrapped around her waist several
times.
“¡Claro!” Kate replied as she took off her
belt. “It will look great with your capris!”
“I’m not going to wear it,” Dora said with
a smile. “I want to use it as a leash for the
puppy!”
“Oh. Right,” Kate said. “¡Buena idea!”
Dora turned the belt into a collar and a
leash for the puppy while Kate settled the
twins back in the stroller. On the way to the
animal shelter they stopped by Dora’s apart-
ment to leave the twins with Papi and tell
him where they were going. As they walked,
Dora remembered something. “Doesn’t Alana
volunteer at the shelter on Saturdays?” she
asked.
“Ooh, you’re right! Maybe we’ll see her
there,” replied Kate.
Sure enough, when they got to the animal
shelter, they found Alana playing outside
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12/8/09 6:09 PM
 with a pair of beagles. “¡Hola, chicas!” Alana
exclaimed. “What brings you here?”
“We found this puppy in the park,” Dora
said. “But neither one of us can keep him. So
we brought him here.”
“Oh, he’s so cute!” Alana squealed. “Let’s
bring him inside to Señora Alvarez. She runs
the shelter, so she’ll know what to do with
this little guy.”
Dora and Kate followed Alana into the
shelter where they found Señora Alvarez
working at her desk. Alana introduced Dora
and Kate to Señora Alvarez and explained all
about the puppy they had found.
“What a handsome little fellow!” Señora
Alvarez exclaimed as she scratched the pup-
py’s ears. “Thanks for bringing him in. We’ll
get him checked out by the vet and ready to
be adopted.”
Dora could see rows of cages behind
Señora Alvarez. Each one contained a lovable
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DEG Puppies 1P int_NICKversion.indd 14-15
puppy or cuddly kitten. Dora was surprised
to see so many animals without homes. “Do
you think it will take a long time to find a
home for this puppy?” she asked.
Señora Alvarez smiled, but her eyes
looked worried. “It’s hard to say. Adoptions
have been pretty slow lately,” she admitted.
Dora couldn’t bear to think of the sweet
little animals waiting day after day for some-
one to adopt them. “There’s got to be some-
thing we can do,” she replied. “I just know
that people would adopt the animals if they
saw how wonderful they are.”
Suddenly Dora gasped. “That’s it!” she
exclaimed. “Let’s have a party where people
can meet the animals and adopt them!”
“Buena idea, Dora!” Señora Alvarez said.
“But we’re really shorthanded already. We
would need a lot of help to make it happen.”
“This sounds like a job for the Explorer
Girls!” Dora cheered. “I’m sure all of the
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12/8/09 6:09 PM
 girls would love to help with such an impor- “I know he’d love the company.”
tant event!” “Whoa—is it noon already?” Kate asked
“My mom works at the Arco Iris Café,” suddenly. “I’ve got rehearsal for the drama
Alana spoke up. ”Maybe they’ll donate club! Dora, call me later, okay? ¡Hasta luego!”
refreshments.” “The vet is here today,” Señora Alvarez
“What about Emma’s band?” Kate added. said to Dora and Alana. “Why don’t you take
“They could put on a concert to help bring the puppy to her for a checkup?”
out a crowd!” “Okay! Come on, Dora,” Alana said.
Señora Alvarez smiled. “It sounds like Dora gave the puppy a hug. “We have to
you guys are going to be great volunteers!” make sure you’re healthy, little guy!” she
she said. “Now when do you want to have said.
this party?”
“How about next Saturday?” asked Dora.
“¡Perfecto!” Señora Alvarez said. “Thank
you so much!”
“We’ll come over every day after school
to help get ready for the adoption party,”
Dora promised. “I can’t wait to tell the rest
of our friends!”
“And feel free to come play with the
puppy you found too,” Señora Alvarez said.

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Chapter Three
While the vet examined the puppy,
Dora and Alana spent time with some of
the other animals. They walked the dogs,
cleaned the cages, and gave the kittens lots
of cuddles. Dora breathed a sigh of relief
when the vet told her that the puppy was
in perfect health. “I’ll see you tomorrow,
little guy,” Dora promised as she tucked
a blanket around the tired puppy. Then
Dora and Alana waved good-bye to Señora
Alvarez.
“That was great,” Dora said as they
walked home. “I loved taking care of all of
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DEG Puppies 1P int_NICKversion.indd 18-19
the animals.”
“¡Yo también!” Alana said. “I volunteer
there every Saturday when I don’t have a
soccer game. And the best part is when
somebody adopts an animal! Everybody’s so
happy!”
“I can’t wait for the adoption party!” Dora
exclaimed as they reached her building. “I’m
going to e-mail the rest of the Explorer Girls
right now.”
“Hasta luego, Dora!” said Alana.
Inside Dora’s apartment the delicious
smell of Papi’s arroz con pollo wafted from
the kitchen. “Mmm! Dinner smells so good,
Papi!” she called.
“Gracias, Dora,” Papi answered. “Would
you please set the table?”
“Sure thing!” Dora replied.
After Dora finished setting the table,
she sat down at her computer to write an
e-mail.
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12/8/09 6:09 PM
 !"#$%&''()*+),-$./+0/12-$34%+'/,5(3-$*)(/657/6(
89":#$;<=,&)()5>&)/
9;#$?4==0$=)&@('6$AAA
!"#$-$;<=,&)()$B+),%A
C)/D0$E/64)F/0A$G/6($/HF$I$J&4HF$/$)(/,,0$'46($
=4==0$K$6L($=/)7$M$M$M$N46$L($L/%$H&$L&3($&)$
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6&3&))&Q$/J6()H&&H$K$6L($V)'&$I)+%$C/JWA
>M
Before she sent the e-mail,
Dora uploaded a picture of the
puppy from her cell phone.
She was eager to show him to
Naiya and Emma.
“Dora! Dinner’s ready!”
Papi called.
Dora hit SEND and hur-
ried into the kitchen to
help Papi serve dinner.
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DEG Puppies 1P int_NICKversion.indd 20-21
She couldn’t wait to hear back from her
friends!
* * *
When Dora got to the Arco Iris Café the
next day, Alana was waiting for her.
“Hola, Dora!” Alana called. “I came into
work with my mom this morning and guess
what! Nobody reserved the private court-
yard, so we can use it!”
“¡Fantástico!” Dora said. The breezy
courtyard, which was full of beautiful tropi-
cal plants, was often reserved for private
parties. But when no one else was using it,
the Explorer Girls got to hang out there. It
was one of Dora’s favorite places in Puerto
Verde. When they got to the courtyard, there
was a surprise waiting for Dora—the frisky,
frolicking puppy she had found!
“Hi, boy!” Dora cried. “What are you doing
here?”
“I stopped by the animal shelter to take
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12/8/09 6:09 PM
 him for a walk, but when I realized what
time it was, we both hurried over here,”
Alana replied.
“Now Emma and Naiya can meet him too!”
Dora said.
“Meet who?” Naiya asked as she walked
in with Emma and Kate. “Oh, my gosh! Is
this the puppy? He’s even cuter in person! Or
in dog, I guess.”
The puppy bounded up to Naiya and started
licking her ankles. “Ah! That tickles!” Naiya
laughed.
“We can’t keep calling him ‘puppy,’ he
needs a name.” Dora said. “Any ideas?”
“What about Buster?” asked Kate.
“Hmmm . . . maybe something cuter,”
Emma suggested. “Like Fluffy?”
“That sounds like a name for a cat,” Naiya
replied.
Just then Alana’s mom walked in, carrying
a tray of smoothies and snacks. “I thought
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DEG Puppies 1P int_NICKversion.indd 22-23
you might get hungry while you worked,” she
said.
“What are those?” Kate asked, pointing
to a plate. “Cookies?”
“Kind of,” Alana giggled. “They’re dog
biscuits! Mom and I baked them last night!”
She offered a biscuit to the puppy, who
gobbled it up and started running in circles,
begging for more!
“He sure has a lot of pep,” Alana’s mom
remarked.
“That’s it!” Dora exclaimed. “We can call
him Peppy! Peppy the puppy!”
“That’s a great name!” Emma said.
“It’s perfect!” added Naiya.
“What do you think, little Peppy?” Dora
asked. “Do you like that name?”
As if on cue the puppy barked and licked
Dora’s face.
“Or maybe you just want another biscuit!”
Dora laughed. Peppy ate another biscuit, then
23
12/8/09 6:09 PM
 curled up in Dora’s lap.
“Okay! Let’s get to work,” Dora said. “I
made a list of everything we have to do
before the adoption party. We need to make
posters to put around town.”
“I can do that,” Kate volunteered.
“Great,” Dora said. “And we’ll need food
for the adoption party.”
“That’s all set,” Alana spoke up. “My
mom talked to the owner of the café, and
he’s happy to donate food and drinks.”
“¡Excelente!” Dora replied. “Now what
about entertainment? Em, would your band
play at the party?”
“Yes, I think so,” Emma said softly. “Let
me check with everybody to make sure
they’re free.”
Dora gave Emma a grateful smile. Emma
was very quiet, but she always did everything
she could to help out. “Thanks, Emma,”
Dora said. “Your band rocks! Oh, and I have
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DEG Puppies 1P int_NICKversion.indd 24-25
another idea! What if we had a raffle to raise
money for the animal shelter? We could ask
stores and restaurants to donate prizes.”
“I love it!” said Naiya. “I’ll help you.”
“Gracias, Naiya!” Dora replied. “Señora
Alvarez is handling everything else. But
there’s one more thing to discuss—Peppy! We
all should spend as much time with him as
possible.”
“Let’s each take a different afternoon
this week,” Kate suggested.
“¡Buena idea! Peppy will get lots of love
and attention,” Dora said happily.
Everything was working out perfectly!
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12/8/09 6:09 PM

Chapter Four
After school the next day Dora and Naiya
went to all of their favorite shops and res-
taurants in Puerto Verde to ask for dona-
tions for the raffle. In just a few hours they
had received dozens of donations for the
pet adoption party!
“Hey, look at that store,” Dora asked,
pointing at a building across the street. “Très
Chic Pet Boutique. Is that French?”
Naiya nodded. “It means ‘very fancy,’”
she replied.
Dora was always impressed by the fact
that Naiya spoke three languages—French,
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DEG Puppies 1P int_NICKversion.indd 26-27
English, and Spanish—and was learning a
fourth, Mayan, from her parents.
“Let’s check it out,” Dora said.
When Dora and Naiya walked into Très
Chic, they were surprised to find Kate and
Peppy there!
“Look at Peppy!” Kate cried. “I thought
he needed a little makeover before the party.
So I brought him here and gave him a bath,
and the owner helped me clip his nails and
trim his fur! Doesn’t he look great?”
“¡Sí!” Dora laughed as Peppy leaped into
her arms. “And he smells great too!”
“And guess what?” Kate added. “The
owner offered to donate some fancy collars
for the raffle!”
“¡Fantástico!” exclaimed Dora. “That’s
the perfect prize for someone who’s adopt-
ing a new pet!” Dora added the collars to the
bags of prizes that she and Naiya had col-
lected for the raffle. “We better head back
27
12/8/09 6:09 PM
 to the animal shelter,” she said. “These bags
won’t hold any more donations!”
* * *
A few days before the adoption party
the Explorer Girls gave Señora Alvarez an
update.
“Here’s our schedule,” Dora began.
“The adoption party starts at noon, so the
refreshment area will be open then. Emma’s
band will play at one o’clock, and right after
that we’ll have a pet parade to show off the
animals. Then we’ll have the raffle. And we
have about a dozen volunteers who will walk
the animals around all day until the party
ends at six.”
“Girls, I’m so impressed!” Señora Alva-
rez said. “What time can you get here in the
morning to help set up?”
“I think we can be here by eight,” said
Dora as she glanced at her friends. The other
Explorer Girls nodded.
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DEG Puppies 1P int_NICKversion.indd 28-29
“¡Perfecto!” Señora Alvarez said. “I hate
to cut this meeting short, but I have some
paperwork to finish.”
“Do you need any help with the animals
today?” asked Alana.
“Always!” Señora Alvarez replied. “They
could use some exercise!”
Dora and the Explorer Girls let several
puppies out of their cages and took them
into the animal shelter’s yard. The girls had
a great time playing fetch with the puppies.
“Hey, everybody!” Naiya called from
across the grass. “Watch this!”
Dora, Kate, Alana, and Emma walked over
to Naiya, who had spent the whole afternoon
with Peppy.
“Sit,” Naiya said loudly.
And Peppy promptly sat down!
“Wow!” exclaimed Dora. The Explorer
Girls started to applaud.
“Wait! We’re not done!” Naiya said with a
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grin. She leaned down to Peppy and told him
in Spanish, “¡Siéntate!”
Amazingly Peppy sat again!
When the Explorer Girls cheered, Peppy
jumped up to lick their hands. Then Naiya
told Peppy to sit in French, “Assis!”
Once again Peppy sat down, his tail wag-
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DEG Puppies 1P int_NICKversion.indd 30-31
ging faster than ever.
“Wow!” Dora cried. “Naiya, how did you
train Peppy in three languages?”
Naiya smiled and shrugged. “He’s a really
smart dog!” she replied. “He learned the
English command so quickly, I thought I’d
try Spanish and French too!”
Suddenly Dora had an idea. “You know
what? I think it’d be great to take this smart
pooch to show-and-tell at the twins’ pre-
school tomorrow!” she exclaimed.
“Kids love dogs—and Peppy loves little
kids,” Kate said with a laugh.
“Yeah, it will be hard to tell who loves it
more —the kids or the puppy,” added Alana.
“Something tells me that everyone will
have a great time,” said Dora as she cuddled
Peppy.
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12/8/09 6:09 PM

Chapter Five
The next day Dora could hardly wait to
take Peppy to the twins’ show-and-tell. Dora
hurried to the animal shelter. Peppy was
so happy to see her that he jumped up and
down.
“Down, boy!” Dora said, laughing. “I mean,
sit! ¡Siéntate!”
Peppy sat down right away.
“Good Peppy!” Dora praised him. She
clipped on his leash and said, “Let’s go!
¡Vamos!”
Peppy trotted next to Dora as they walked
to the preschool. When they reached the
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DEG Puppies 1P int_NICKversion.indd 32-33
twins’ classroom, Dora knocked softly on
the door.
The teacher, Maestra Julia, stepped into
the hall. “Hola, Dora!” she said. “Is this
Peppy? What a sweetie! Thanks for e-mail-
ing me to ask if it was okay to bring him to
show-and-tell. The kids will love him! Wait
here while I get them ready.”
Dora peeked in the window as Maestra
Julia helped the kids sit in a circle. Then
the teacher announced, “¡Atención, niños!
Guillermo and Isabella’s big sister, Dora, has
brought a very special guest for show-and-
tell!”
Dora held open the door while Peppy
pranced into the classroom. All of the kids
gasped in excitement.
“Hi, everybody!” Dora said. “This is Peppy.
Isabella, Guillermo, and I found him at the
park last weekend!”
“Wow!” yelled Marcos, one of the twins’
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12/8/09 6:09 PM
 friends. “I love that dog! Does he live with
you?”
“No, Peppy lives at the Puerto Verde
Animal Shelter,” Dora explained. “They take
good care of animals who don’t have homes.
We hope somebody will adopt him soon,
though. Until then Peppy is learning lots of
new things. Watch this!”
Dora showed the kids how Peppy could be
commanded to sit down in English, Span-
ish, and French. Soon all the kids were call-
ing out “Siéntate” or “Assis” or “Sit!” Dora
and Maestra Julia giggled as Peppy sat down, One by one the kids lined up to stroke
jumped up, and sat down again. He loved Peppy’s silky fur. Little Marcos lingered. “I
playing with the children! But eventually the wish I had a dog like Peppy,” he said. “He’s
little puppy grew tired. the best dog.”
Dora sat on the floor so Peppy could crawl “He really is,” Dora agreed. “Thanks for
into her lap. “Peppy is getting sleepy,” she petting him so nicely!”
explained to the kids. “I need to take him “Boys and girls, let’s thank Dora for
back to the animal shelter. But you can give bringing Peppy to see us today,” Maestra
him a gentle pet before we leave.” Julia said.

34 35

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 “Gracias, Dora!” called the kids.
“¡De nada!” Dora replied as she waved
good-bye.
Dora carried sleepy Peppy all the way back
to the animal shelter. She knew that he was
going to be so happy when he had a family
of his own.
She only hoped that someone would adopt
him soon.
* * *
On Friday the Explorer Girls were full of
excitement. The adoption party was only one
day away! They went to the animal shelter
right after school.
“I can only stay for a little while,” Alana
said. “I promised to help out at the Arco Iris
Café this afternoon while the owners get all
of the food ready for tomorrow. I saw the
menu that they planned—everything is going
to be delicioso!”
“Naiya, let’s organize the raffle prizes
36
DEG Puppies 1P int_NICKversion.indd 36-37
tonight,” Dora suggested. “There’s so much
stuff! It will take hours to get it all done.”
“I can’t believe we used up all of the
paint when we made the posters!” Kate
exclaimed. “I’ll go buy more so we can make
signs tomorrow. ¡Hasta mañana!” Kate waved
good-bye and closed the door behind her.
“I was thinking that—,” Dora began, but
she was interrupted by the sound of the
front door opening. “Kate must have forgot-
ten something,” Dora said as she walked to
the front of the shelter.
But it wasn’t Kate. A friendly-looking
couple stood on the doorstep. “Hello,” the
man said. “We’re looking for a dog—specifi-
cally, a dog that knows commands in three
languages?”
Dora’s eyes grew wide. “Peppy?” she
asked.
“Yes, that’s the one!” the woman
exclaimed. “My son, Marcos, met him at
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12/8/09 6:09 PM
 preschool yesterday and can’t stop talking
about him. Tomorrow is Marcos’s birthday,
and we think Peppy would be the perfect
birthday present!”
“Oh, Marcos is your little boy?” Dora
asked. “Soy Dora. My brother and sister go
to preschool with Marcos. In fact I’m the
one who brought Peppy to school for show-
and-tell!”
“¡Encantada! Soy Señora Diaz,” the woman
said with a big smile.
“This is Peppy,” Dora said as the puppy
pranced up to them. Everyone laughed as
Peppy jumped right into Señora Diaz’s arms.
“He’s very friendly, and he loves kids! I think
he’d be a great addition to your family!”
“He seems like a wonderful dog!” Señor
Diaz exclaimed. “Here, boy! Sit! ¡Siéntate!”
“I only taught him a few commands,”
Naiya spoke up. “But he’s a quick learner. I
bet you could teach him anything!”
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DEG Puppies 1P int_NICKversion.indd 38-39
“Come with me,” Alana said. “There are
some forms you need to fill out.”
Dora, Emma, and Naiya were quiet as the
couple followed Alana, with Peppy trotting
after them. “Wow,” Dora finally said. “So
Peppy’s found a home of his own.”
“All thanks to you!” Emma said as she
gave Dora a quick hug. “If you hadn’t brought
him to the twins’ preschool, the Diaz family
never would have met him!”
“Marcos is a sweet boy,” Dora said. “I
think he’ll take great care of Peppy.”
“I’m really going to miss that puppy,”
Naiya said.
“Yo también,” Dora sighed.
Just then Señora Alvarez walked into the
room. “Great job, girls! The Diaz family will
come to the pet adoption party tomorrow
to take Peppy home!” Then she noticed that
the Explorer Girls looked a little sad. “It’s
always hard to say good-bye to the animals
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12/8/09 6:09 PM
 when they leave,” she continued. “But do
you know what makes it easier?”
“Knowing how happy the pets will be in
their new homes?” Dora guessed.
“¡Exactamente!” replied Señora Alvarez.
“And thanks to all of your hard work this
week a whole bunch of pets will be very
happy—very soon!”
“Then we’d better start sorting the stuff
for the raffle,” Dora said. “Because the adop-
tion party starts in less than twenty-four
hours!”
40
DEG Puppies 1P int_NICKversion.indd 40-41
Chapter Six
The next morning Dora jumped out of
bed before her alarm clock rang. The day of
the adoption party had arrived at last! She
dressed in one of her favorite outfits—a tan-
gerine-colored dress with a twirly skirt—and
hurried into the kitchen for a quick break-
fast. Papi was cooking at the stove.
“¡Buenos días, hija!” Papi said.
“What are you doing up so early?” Dora
asked.
“I wanted you to eat a good breakfast
before your busy day,” Papi explained. “I
made your favorite!”
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12/8/09 6:09 PM
 “Mmm, pancakes!” Dora said. “Yum!”
“And I have some good news,” Papi con-
tinued. “Mami got an early flight home from
the conference. She’ll be back this after-
noon!”
“All right!” Dora said. “I can’t wait to see
her!”
“I’ll pick her up at the airport with the
twins, and then we’ll come to the adoption
party,” Papi said.
“¡Muy bien! Just call my cell when you get
there,” Dora replied. She ate the pancakes
and gave Papi a kiss. “See you later!”
Dora hurried outside, practically skipping
to the animal shelter. The golden rays of the
early-morning sun made Puerto Verde look
even more beautiful than usual.
When Dora arrived at the animal shelter,
the gates were wide open as volunteers car-
ried in tables and boxes of food. The rest
of the Explorer Girls were in the courtyard,
42
DEG Puppies 1P int_NICKversion.indd 42-43
painting colorful signs to display around
the party. Peppy’s leash was clipped to the
fence, and the little dog seemed as excited
as the girls. He ran around in circles, barking
loudly.
“¡Hola!” Dora called. “You all must have
gotten up even earlier than I did!”
“I could barely sleep all night!” Kate
said as she bounced around. “I was too
excited!”
“Hey, Dora, grab a paintbrush,” Emma
called. “I hope these signs dry before we
have to put them up.”
“Oh! That reminds me!” Kate exclaimed.
“I got these awesome fabric-painting pens
at the store yesterday. I want to add some
fancy designs to Peppy’s collar. He should
look extra-special since he’s going to be a
birthday present today!”
Kate hurried over to Peppy. “Sit, Peppy.
¡Siéntate! Assis!” she called. But Peppy was
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12/8/09 6:09 PM
 too excited to sit; Kate had to repeat the
command several times before he finally
settled down. “Good boy,” Kate said as she
unhooked Peppy’s collar.
Suddenly Peppy saw a squirrel running
outside. He jumped up and started to run
after it!
“Peppy, stop! Come back!” Kate shrieked.
But the puppy didn’t pay any attention
to her. He bounded over the posters and
stomped through the wet paint. Dora and
Emma lunged for him, but the little dog was
too quick. Before anyone could stop him,
Peppy ran out the gate—and down the side-
walk.
“Oh, no!” Dora cried. “Somebody, help!”
But it was too late.
Peppy was gone.
“¡Qué terrible!” Emma moaned. “Poor
Peppy! He’s too little to be all alone in the
city!”
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DEG Puppies 1P int_NICKversion.indd 44-45
“And the Diaz family is bringing Marcos
to pick up Peppy today! What are we going to
tell them?” cried Alana.
“I’m so sorry,” Kate said miserably. “I
never thought he’d run out the gate like
that!”
“Of course you didn’t,” Dora replied. “It
was an accident.”
“How are we—,” Emma began.
But Emma was interrupted by a shout
from Dora. “¡Mira! ¡Mira!” she yelled, point-
ing at the sidewalk.
Everyone looked down to see a trail of
rainbow-colored paw prints on the ground.
“Peppy ran through the paint, so we can
follow his trail!” Dora exclaimed. “All we
have to do is catch up to him!”
The girls raced down the sidewalk, fol-
lowing the paw prints through the streets of
Puerto Verde. Suddenly right outside the city
carwash the trail went cold.
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12/8/09 6:09 PM
 “Oh, no,” groaned Naiya. “Peppy must
have run through some puddles and washed
the paint off his paws!”
“How will we find him now?” Kate cried.
“Where would Peppy go?” Dora asked.
“Where was he running?”
The girls were quiet for a moment. Then
Alana said, “He really loved those biscuits
we gave him at the Arco Iris Café. Maybe he
went there to get some more?”
“Maybe,” Dora said. “The café is only a
46
DEG Puppies 1P int_NICKversion.indd 46-47
block away. Let’s go!”
The girls hurried to the café.
“Mom! Mom!” Alana called as she ran up
to her mother. “Have you seen Peppy?”
But Alana’s mom shook her head. “No,
honey, I haven’t seen him. Did he run away?”
“Yeah—just a few minutes ago,” Alana
replied. “Call me if he turns up, okay?”
“I have an idea,” Naiya spoke up. “Peppy
loves different kinds of food! Maybe he went
to the farmers’ market!”
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12/8/09 6:09 PM
 “It’s worth a try,” Dora replied. “Follow would Peppy go? What does he love more
me!” than anything else in the whole, wide world?”
The girls ran three blocks over to the Suddenly Dora thought she knew exactly
farmers’ market. They hurried through each where Peppy was. She turned around and
aisle, peeking under every booth for Peppy. started running as fast as she could.
But the puppy was nowhere to be found.
“What now?” Emma asked.
“We could try the Très Chic Pet Boutique,”
Kate suggested. “Peppy loved getting a bath
there.”
“Let’s do it,” Dora said.
Once again the girls ran down the streets
of Puerto Verde. Dora was starting to get
worried.
What if they couldn’t find Peppy?
What if the little puppy was gone forever?
At the boutique Kate asked the owner if
she’d seen Peppy. But the puppy hadn’t been
there.
“Come on, chicas,” Dora pleaded. “We
need to think. What are we missing? Where

48 49

DEG Puppies 1P int_NICKversion.indd 48-49 12/8/09 6:09 PM


Chapter Seven
“Dora! Where are you going?” Alana yelled.
“¡Espera!” cried Kate.
The Explorer Girls took off after Dora,
who ran down the beach. Her heart pounded
in her chest. “Please be there, Peppy,” she
whispered. “Please, please, please.”
In moments Dora arrived at the park
where she and Kate had found Peppy a week
ago. Dozens of little kids were running and
jumping on the playground equipment.
“Peppy!” Dora yelled. “Peppy! Where are
you?”
A little girl ran up to her. “Who are you
50
DEG Puppies 1P int_NICKversion.indd 50-51
looking for?” she asked. “Who’s Peppy?”
“Peppy is a little puppy who got lost,”
Dora explained. “Will you help me find him?”
“Sure!” the girl replied. Soon all of the
kids at the playground were searching for
Peppy. The Explorer Girls arrived and helped
look too.
The minutes ticked away, and Dora started
to get even more worried. It looked like
Peppy hadn’t returned to the park after all.
Suddenly a furry creature bounded up to
Dora and jumped in her arms.
It was Peppy!
“Peppy!” Dora cried. “You’re safe! Hooray!”
Everyone at the playground cheered!
“Dora, how did you know that Peppy would
come back here?” asked Kate.
“I remembered how much Peppy likes
little kids,” Dora explained. “Remember how
he played with the twins when we found him?
And I never saw him happier than when I
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 took him to show-and-tell. So I guessed that
he would come back to the park—since there
are always lots of kids here!”
“I’m so glad you found him!” Alana
exclaimed. “I was really worried.”
“So was I,” Dora said. “Now let’s get this
little guy back to the animal shelter. The
adoption party starts soon. Come on, Peppy.
Your exciting day is just beginning!”
* * *
When the Explorer Girls returned to the
animal shelter, Dora could hardly believe all
of the activity. The adoption party had just
started, and there was already a big crowd!
“I’ve got to find the band and warm up!”
Emma exclaimed. “See you after the show!”
“I’d better go help at the refreshment
stand,” Alana said.
“I’ll make sure everything is ready for
the raffle,” added Naiya.
“¡Hasta luego, chicas!” Dora called after
52
DEG Puppies 1P int_NICKversion.indd 52-53
her friends. Then she turned to Kate. “Let’s
go help Señora Alvarez.”
As it turned out, Señora Alvarez was
looking for them. “Girls! Look who’s here!”
she called.
The Diaz family was with her! Little Mar-
cos’s eyes grew wide when he saw Peppy.
“Mom! Dad!” he yelled. “That’s the puppy
who knows three languages! He’s the best
dog ever!”
“Happy birthday, Marcos!” everyone cried.
“¡Feliz cumpleaños!”
“I hope you like your birthday present,”
Dora added as she handed Peppy’s leash to
Marcos.
“Birthday present?” Marcos repeated.
“Peppy is my birthday present?” A huge grin
spread across his face.
Dora’s eyes sparkled with happiness as
she watched Marcos play with Peppy. “You
were right,” she said to Señora Alvarez.
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12/8/09 6:09 PM

“This part does make it easier to say good-
bye.”
“We hope you won’t be saying good-bye
to Peppy,” Señora Diaz spoke up. “Please feel
free to visit him whenever you want. You can
bring the twins for a playdate!”
“¡Muchas gracias!” Dora replied. “I’d love
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DEG Puppies 1P int_NICKversion.indd 54-55
that! And so would the twins!”
“Dora!” a voice called.
It was Mami! Papi and the twins were
behind her.
“Mami! You’re back!” Dora cried. She
rushed over to give her mother a big hug. “I
missed you!”
“I missed you too, sweetheart!” Mami
replied. “Look at all of this! You’ve been very
busy while I was gone!”
“Everyone worked really hard,” Dora said.
“It looks like today is going to be a huge
success,” Señora Alvarez said with a smile.
“There’s already a line of people at the adop-
tion table!”
Dora looked around. She saw all of the
volunteers who had helped to make the
adoption party happen, and all of the people
who were opening their homes to the ani-
mals. And she saw all of the animals who
were about to start new lives with their very
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12/8/09 6:09 PM
 own families. Dora had never felt happier!
She knew that she wanted to keep helping
animals find homes of their own long after
the adoption party was over.
“Come on,” she said as she grabbed Mami
and Papi’s hands. “I want you to meet my
animal friends.”

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