Grover, Benji and Nanna Jean Read online

  Published by Piccolo Nero,

  an imprint of Schwartz Publishing Pty Ltd

  Level 1, 220 Drummond Street

  Carlton VIC 3053, Australia

  [email protected]

  www.nerobooks.com

  Copyright © Claire Garth 2016

  Claire Garth asserts her right to be known as the author of this work.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior consent of the publishers.

  National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry:

  Garth, Claire, author.

  Grover, Benji and Nanna Jean / Claire Garth; illustrations by Johannes Leak.

  9781863958325 (paperback)

  9781925435276 (ebook)

  Garth, Claire. Grover McBane, rescue dog.

  For children.

  Rescue dogs—Juvenile fiction.

  Dogs—Juvenile fiction.

  Leak, Johannes, illustrator.

  A823.4

  Cover and text design by Peter Long

  Typesetting by Tristan Main

  Illustrations by Johannes Leak

  This book is dedicated to rescue dogs around the world, and to the humans who help them find their forever homes.

  And to my wonderful grandparents, Gloria & Edward and Grace & Ken, but especially to my Pa Ted.

  Thanks for being my biggest fan.

  CONTENTS

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  CHAPTER 1

  With his head halfway out the car window and the wind in his thick, fluffy coat, Grover McBane was grinning. The trip to work was his favourite part of the day!

  Now that he was the Office Dog at the animal shelter, Grover’s days were busier than ever. It was very different from the sad and lonely life he had lived with The Man With Big Boots.

  Since being rescued and going to live at Cavendish Lane with Annie and David, Grover had realised that every dog (and yes, even every cat) deserved a life filled with love and adventure. Now, along with Annie and Dr Cole, Grover helped to make sure that new arrivals to the animal shelter had their own second chance. It was hard work at times, but it was still the best job EVER!

  Grover met all sorts of animals there: dogs, cats, ducks, rabbits and birds. Once he even met a baby goat named Vincent! Sometimes Grover would help scared animals, and sometimes he spent the whole day just trying to get new arrivals to stop jumping all around the office. Puppies were the hardest to deal with. Grover now understood why they were so cute – it was so you couldn’t get mad at them!

  I wonder who I’ll meet today, Grover thought, as they drove the last few blocks to the shelter.

  When he walked through the office door, Grover headed straight for his fluffy round bed. It looked perfectly plump and ready for him to collapse onto. He’d run pretty hard at the park that morning before work, so a quick little nine a.m. nap was just what he needed.

  As he settled in for a little shut-eye, Grover heard footsteps approaching. He opened one eye and saw Annie and Dr Cole’s feet appear at his side.

  ‘Grover,’ said Annie, ‘we have a new little dog we’d like you to hang out with in here today. Can you wriggle over a little so he has some room on the bed?’ She softly nudged Grover’s side, and he moved across.

  ‘He’s a bit special, Grover, so I’ll need you to keep an eye out for him,’ said Dr Cole.

  I hope this new dog is up for a nap, because I’m beat! Grover thought.

  Dr Cole left the room, and when she returned she was holding a small, orangey-brown fluffball. It was the fluffiest dog Grover had ever seen!

  He wasn’t even sure which end was the head and which end was the tail!

  Dr Cole placed the little dog on the floor, and then she and Annie left the room.

  Putting his most polite paw forward, Grover got up from his bed and walked over to introduce himself.

  ‘Hello there,’ said Grover in a soft voice, so he didn’t scare the new dog. ‘My name is Grover McBane. I’m the Office Dog and I was wondering if you’d like to share my …’

  As Grover was speaking, the little fluffy dog walked straight past him. He didn’t even turn his head or say hello.

  That’s a bit rude, Grover thought. Somebody clearly forgot their manners today!

  Grover tried again. ‘Hey there, little dog, I was just saying that my name is Grover McBane, the Office Dog. I was wondering if you would like to share my bed. I was about to take a nap, you see, and you’re very welcome to join me …’

  The little dog walked all the way around the office. He sniffed everything and bumped into every wall, chair leg and filing cabinet. Then he lay down in the corner and rested his head on his paws, completely ignoring Grover.

  ‘HEY!’ Grover barked.

  ‘What! Who’s there? Who said that?’ the fluffball cried, jumping up in fright.

  ‘Whoa there, calm down! It’s just me. I’m Grover McBane, the Office Dog,’ said Grover. I’ve told you that three times! he thought.

  ‘Sorry, did you say your name was Rover Von Shane?’ the little dog said loudly.

  ‘No,’ said Grover, raising his voice. ‘It’s GRO-VER MC-BANE.’

  Rover Von Shane? Is this dog for real? Grover thought.

  ‘Sorry about that, Grover. I’m Benji, and I’m a little deaf.’ The small dog hung his head and Grover could see that he was trembling.

  ‘Oh, that’s alright. I can talk louder,’ Grover said kindly. ‘Are you okay, Benji?’

  ‘To be honest, Grover, I’m a little scared,’ said Benji. He stared into the distance, frozen to the spot.

  ‘I understand, Benji. It can be scary when you first get here, but you’re going to be just fine. Trust me – I know!’ Grover said, with a proud smile.

  Benji didn’t move.

  ‘What are you staring at?’ Grover asked, twisting his head to see what was worth looking at for so long.

  ‘Are you talking to me?’ Benji asked.

  ‘Of course I’m talking to you,’ Grover said, feeling confused. ‘Can you see anyone else in the room?’

  ‘Um, no, I can’t,’ said Benji. ‘Actually, I can’t see anything at all.’

  ‘You can’t see?’ Grover asked, quite concerned.

  ‘No,’ said Benji in a very small voice. ‘I’m blind.’

  I can see why Dr Cole asked for my help, Grover thought. This new dog is going to need extra special care.

  CHAPTER 2

  Grover stared at Benji, thinking hard. How could he help the little dog move safely around the office?

  Suddenly there was a loud CRASH! Benji had walked straight into a wooden noticeboard and knocked it over.

  ‘HELP!’ cried Benji. ‘THE SKY IS FALLING!’

  Grover wasn’t quite sure what to do. This dog was hard work. There would be no time for a nap this morning!

  ‘Just calm down, Benji, and stand still,’ Grover said in a clear, calm voice. ‘The sky is not falling. You bumped into a noticeboard and it fell on you.’

  ‘It’s just that I don’t know this place,’ said Benji. ‘There are so many things and the room feels so big, and I can’t see anything, Grover!’

  ‘I have an idea!’ Grover exclaimed. ‘Benji, from where you’re standing, there is a big filing cabinet on your left and an office chair on your right. I’ll guide you to safety. You just have to f
ollow my directions, okay?’

  Benji nodded.

  ‘Okay, Benji, take four steps forward in a straight line,’ said Grover.

  Benji started to walk forward slowly, counting each step as he went.

  ‘Now turn to the right and take six more steps,’ Grover said, taking time to really look at the path he’d planned for Benji, to make sure he wouldn’t bump into anything along the way.

  Benji took six steps forward. He was now standing directly in front of Grover’s bed.

  ‘Now if you take just one more step forward, you will find a wonderfully soft, extremely comfortable, perfect-for-napping bed. Make yourself at home!’ Grover said.

  Benji stepped forward and threw himself down onto the plush bed. It felt SOOOO good. He wriggled his little body with glee.

  ‘Oh boy, this is a comfy bed. Can I keep it?’ Benji asked cheekily.

  Grover smiled. ‘You can borrow it for today, Benji, but I’m sure you’ll soon be heading back home to your own bed soon!’ he said.

  Benji stopped wriggling. ‘I don’t have a home anymore,’ he said quietly.

  ‘What happened to your home?’ Grover asked.

  ‘Well,’ Benji said, ‘my human was called Nancy. She and I had been best friends for years, ever since I was a pup! We did everything together. We went on walks every day, and sometimes we even went on holidays. We took naps in the sun, and every afternoon we did the crossword puzzle.’

  Benji looked sad.

  ‘But Nancy got older faster than me. I tried to take care of her. I fetched her slippers every morning, and I brought her the newspaper, too. But living on our own got too hard. A few years ago Nancy had to go and live somewhere else. And dogs weren’t allowed, not even best friend dogs. So I had to go and live with some new humans.’

  Benji looked so upset, Grover didn’t know what to do.

  ‘I’m sorry about your Nancy,’ he said. ‘But won’t your new humans be coming to get you?’ Grover knew if he were lost, Annie and David would come and find him in a flash.

  ‘No,’ Benji said. ‘I think they’re happy I’m gone.’

  Grover couldn’t believe his ears. ‘Oh Benji, don’t say that! I’m sure they’re looking for you right now!’ he said.

  ‘When a dog gets old, it changes things. You’re a young pup – you wouldn’t understand,’ Benji said. He curled up on the bed and let out a big yawn.

  ‘Try me,’ Grover said. ‘I want to help.’

  ‘Well,’ said Benji, ‘as I got older, my hearing became worse and worse. And then one day, I woke up and I couldn’t see anything. I guess my eyes had been pretty bad for a while, but I had always managed. I can make out shadows sometimes, but other than that I’m completely blind now.’

  ‘Oh Benji, I’m so sorry,’ Grover said. He made his way over to the edge of the bed. ‘A dog shouldn’t be abandoned because they’re blind and a bit deaf. That’s just crazy!’

  ‘It might be crazy, but it’s true,’ Benji replied sadly.

  Grover wanted to tell Benji that he was wrong. Is this really what happens to old dogs? Grover thought. Are they just sent off to an animal shelter?

  Grover felt angry thinking about it. But he could see that what Benji needed right now was a friend, so he curled up on the bed beside him, wrapping his whole body around the small fluffy dog.

  ‘I think they’re crazy for not coming to get you,’ Grover whispered in his ear.

  Benji didn’t reply. He just wriggled backward so that he was completely surrounded by Grover.

  Completely surrounded and completely safe.

  For now.

  CHAPTER 3

  Since starting his job at the animal shelter, Grover had met all kinds of dogs. Sometimes new dogs would join him for only a few hours in the office, until they settled in. Other times the new arrivals would stay for a few days. Grover had learnt new things from every single visitor, and he had a feeling that he was going to learn a lot from Benji, too.

  Grover lay awake, thinking about Benji. His heart was so heavy. Who would abandon a sweet little dog like Benji? Grover thought.

  Annie stepped quietly into the office. ‘Is Benji still sleeping?’ she whispered to Grover.

  Grover looked up, but he didn’t dare move in case he woke Benji.

  ‘Shall we take this little guy home with us tonight, Grover?’ Annie asked. ‘The shelter can be scary when you can’t see, and Benji gets worried when he’s on his own. I’m going to need you to take care of him tonight.’

  Annie bent down to gently scratch behind Grover’s ears. It felt AMAZING. Grover would agree to anything Annie asked if she was scratching his ears. It was his weak spot!

  Annie leant down further and gave Benji a little pat too. His eyes opened slowly.

  ‘Grover, is that you?’ Benji asked, his voice sounding a little shaky.

  ‘I’m right here,’ Grover replied, ‘but that’s my human Annie patting you. She’s a lovely lady, so you don’t need to be afraid.’

  Grover watched Annie’s hand disappear beneath the layer of cloud-like fuzz on top on Benji’s head. Benji must be really quite tiny under all that fluff!

  ‘Annie said you can come and stay at our house tonight, Benji. Is that okay?’ Grover asked.

  ‘So I’d be with you the whole time? I don’t have to stay here on my own?’ Benji said, suddenly jumping to his feet.

  The thought of staying with Grover must have cheered him up!

  ‘Yep, I’ll be there the whole time. Great, let’s go!’ Grover said. He jumped off the bed and ran over to the door.

  ‘Aren’t you forgetting something, Grover?’ Annie asked, looking back to where Benji was standing.

  Oh geez, Grover thought, two minutes in and I’ve already forgotten my job!

  ‘Sorry, Benji, I forgot to help you.’ Grover ran back over to the bed.

  ‘What’s that? Your pots are brand new?’ Benji asked.

  Pots are brand new? Grover thought, laughing to himself. ‘No, I said I FORGOT TO HELP YOU,’ he barked.

  Tonight is going to be interesting, Grover thought.

  Grover directed Benji through the doorway and out into the main reception, where they waited for Annie to clip on their leads.

  As they stepped outside, Grover watched Benji carefully. He’s in my care now. I can’t let Annie down, he thought.

  When they got to the front step, Benji stopped and pointed his nose to the sky.

  He took a deep breath.

  ‘Do you smell that, Grover?’ Benji said. ‘Someone is cutting their lawn. I do love rolling in freshly cut grass. Don’t you?’

  Grover put his nose in the air, but he couldn’t smell cut grass at all.

  ‘I don’t smell it, Benji,’ he said. ‘I can smell the cars, and the cat down the road, and the chicken shop at the end of the street, but I don’t smell cut grass …’

  ‘Try harder,’ Benji replied. ‘You need to close your eyes and take it all in.’

  Grover tried again, closing his eyes just like Benji had told him to. Suddenly, Grover could smell cut grass! And there was another smell, something delicious. What was it?

  ‘PIZZA!’ Benji exclaimed.‘Are you getting a whiff of that, Grover?’

  ‘I am!’ Grover cheered. ‘I really am!’ Grover couldn’t believe all the things he could smell. ‘How did you learn to do that?’ he asked.

  ‘When your life changes, you have to learn new things,’ Benji said with a smile. ‘I may not be able to see, but I sure can smell!’

  CHAPTER 4

  Grover, Benji and Annie walked towards the car. Grover gave Benji lots of directions, so he didn’t bump into anything.

  Gosh, thought Grover, Benji is so brave. Grover couldn’t imagine not being able to see where he was going, but Benji seemed to think it was just part of life. Even so, Grover couldn’t help feeling that Benji was missing out on some things.

  The jacaranda trees out the front of the shelter were in full bloom. Most of the time they were leafy an
d green, but once a year the big trees were covered in the most beautiful purple flowers. It was like walking under a purple umbrella. Grover’s heart sank at the thought that Benji didn’t get to see beautiful things like that anymore.

  As they walked down the street, Grover had an IDEA.

  ‘Benji, you might not be able to see, but you have a good imagination, right?’

  ‘Yes, I’d say so,’ Benji replied, a little confused.

  ‘I’m going to help you see again!’ Grover announced.

  ‘Oh Grover, that’s very kind of you, but believe me, there’s nothing you can do,’ Benji said. ‘I’ve seen tons of vets and they’ve all said that I’ll never get my sight back.’ He sounded a little sad.

  ‘Just wait and see,’ said Grover. ‘Do you trust me, Benji?’

  Benji did trust Grover. In fact, it was the first time since Nancy had left that Benji felt he could really trust someone.

  ‘Okay, I trust you,’ Benji said. ‘What should I do?’

  ‘You just need to listen, Benji. Listen and imagine,’ Grover said, smiling.

  ‘So,’ Grover began, ‘right now we’re walking past a big yellow building with lots of people walking in and out of it. That’s the animal shelter. Some of the people are with dogs and others are with cats in carriers.’

  Benji was listening carefully, his nose in the air.

  Grover went on. ‘On the other side of the footpath there is a row of big trees. They have bright purple flowers covering every branch. Soon the flowers will fall off and it will be like there’s a soft purple carpet all along the path. Up ahead there are some other dogs out on a walk. It’s a sunny day, so some of them might be going to the beach down the road … Can you smell the beach, Benji?’

  ‘I CAN, I CAN!’ Benji said happily, his tail wagging.

  ‘That loud chirping you can hear is a brown bird in a tree. He has a long beak and small white spots on his body. I think he’s looking after a nest, because I see him on that branch most days,’ Grover said.

  As they got nearer to Annie’s shiny blue car, Grover pointed out lots of things along the way, explaining them very carefully so Benji could imagine them all.