Five minute story about a dog for beginning readers.
Emma grumbled, kicking a stray pebble. Today was her 10th birthday, but it was also moving day. That meant leaving her best friends and the only home sheโd ever known. The big moving truck rumbled into the driveway, waiting to swallow up all her stuff.
The new house felt cold and strange, nothing like the cozy nest she’d always known. In her new room, the boxes seemed to loom like grumpy giants. To make matters worse, when the movers carried her bike into the garage, rain began to fall, heavy and gray, just like her mood.
โCheer up, kiddo.โ Her dad ruffled her hair, but it wasnโt much help. Just then, a muddy nose peeked around the corner of the garage, followed by a blur of yellow fur and a wildly wagging tail. A dog!

Emma knelt, ignoring the mud now splattering her jeans.โThatโs Bentley,โ a voice called from next door. โHeโs what you call a ‘free-range dog’ around here.โ A boy, a little older than Emma, leaned against the fence. โSeems like heโs taken a liking to you, though.โ
Bentley most definitely had. He licked Emmaโs face, nudged her with his head, and rolled onto his back, inviting a belly rub. His fur was rough and smelled like old socks, but Emma didnโt care. She smiled for the first time all day.
From then on, Bentley became Emmaโs furry shadow. When the sun came out, theyโd explore the overgrown field behind the house. On cold, rainy afternoons, Bentley would curl up by the fireplace while Emma read. Sometimes, theyโd sit in the backyard, Emma sharing secrets Bentley couldnโt repeat. But he always listened with a serious tilt of his head.

One crisp fall afternoon, while chasing leaves in the park, Emma spotted a group of kids playing soccer. She loved soccer but hung back shyly. But Bentley ran straight towards the kids, snatched the ball in his teeth, and raced back to Emma, dropping it triumphantly at her feet.

Laughter erupted from the group. A girl with a bright pink headband dashed over.ย โThatโs the coolest trick! Can you get him to do it again?โ she asked. Before Emma could answer, the game was on, with Bentley as the star player, chasing the ball and making everyone laugh. Soon, Emma was laughing too, making new friends and feeling like maybe this new town wouldn’t be so bad after all.
Months passed with muddy walks, warm snuggles, and endless games of fetch. Bentley was the best kind of constant โ a happy, wagging dose of joy no matter what.ย He didnโt care about Emmaโs bad days or grumpy moods. He was always there, ready to lick a tear or nudge a hand for a scratch.
One year later, on a pile of leaves bigger than both of them, Emma hugged Bentley tight. Today was her birthday again, but it didnโt feel sad anymore.

โThank you,โ she whispered into his soft fur, โfor making this my best birthday ever.โ
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