Hello there! I’m Amanda Bynes, and you might know me from some fun TV shows like “The Amanda Show” or movies like “Big Fat Liar.” Today, I’m excited to share a special story about a dog. I love dogs, and I have two of my own! This story is called “The Night I Followed the Dog,” and it’s written and illustrated by Nina Laden. Let’s dive into this amazing adventure!
I have a dog who seems pretty ordinary. He can fetch, roll over, and shake hands, but mostly he just loves to eat and sleep. I used to think our neighbor’s dog was the coolest because it could sing and even change TV channels! But everything changed the night I decided to follow my dog.
Every night, I let my dog out, and he runs off into the dark. One morning, I saw something surprising. My dog jumped out of a fancy limousine wearing a tuxedo! I couldn’t believe my eyes. So, that night, I decided to follow him and find out what he was up to.
I dressed in dark clothes and got my bicycle ready. When I let my dog out, I quietly followed him. He went into his doghouse, and I peeked inside. It wasn’t just a regular doghouse—it had a living room, a bathroom, and lots of fancy clothes! My dog put on a tuxedo and walked out like it was no big deal. I hopped on my bike and followed him.
After a short ride, my dog got into a limousine, and I pedaled as fast as I could to keep up. We ended up in a quiet part of town. My dog went into a building with a sign that said “The Dog House.” I sneaked in and saw it was a club for dogs!
Two bulldogs stopped me at the door, but my dog told them I was with him. Inside, my dog explained that this was a place where dogs could relax and have fun. They could sit on sofas, get treats, and just be themselves without any rules. It was a paradise for dogs!
We sat down, and a friendly cocker spaniel offered me some water and biscuits. Dogs of all kinds came in, dancing and chatting. They were all so friendly! My dog even introduced me to an Afghan dog with a camera, and we took a picture together. I felt like a star!
As much as I was enjoying myself, I realized it was getting late. I told my dog I had to go home. He nodded and gave me the photo we took together. As I left, I thought about how amazing it was to see my dog in a whole new way.
As I rode my bike home, I thought, “Maybe being in the doghouse isn’t so bad after all!” I hope you enjoyed this magical dog adventure as much as I did. Maybe you can share it with your own pets!
Create Your Own Dog Adventure: Imagine your pet or a favorite animal has a secret life just like the dog in the story. Draw a picture or write a short story about what they do when you’re not around. Do they have a secret club? What fun activities do they enjoy? Share your adventure with a friend or family member.
Dog Detective Game: Go on a mini-adventure in your backyard or a local park. Pretend you are a detective following a mysterious animal. Look for clues like paw prints, feathers, or interesting plants. What do you think the animal was doing? Write down or draw your findings and share your detective story with the class.
Design a Dog Clubhouse: Using building blocks, cardboard, or any craft materials you have at home, create a model of a clubhouse for dogs. Think about what fun things dogs might like to have inside. Would there be a pool, a snack bar, or a dance floor? Present your clubhouse to your family and explain why dogs would love to visit it.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Hi, welcome to the Screen Actors Guild Foundation BookPALS. I’m Amanda Bynes, and you may know me from “All That,” or Nickelodeon’s “The Amanda Show,” or “Big Fat Liar.” Today, I’m going to be reading a story about a dog, and I have two dogs, so I thought it was a pretty cool idea. It’s called “The Night I Followed the Dog,” written and illustrated by Nina Laden.
I have a dog. Nothing exotic or special, just an ordinary dog. In fact, I always thought he was a boring dog. What I mean is he can fetch, roll over, and shake hands, but mostly he sleeps and eats. I used to think that our next-door neighbors had the best dog in the world. Their dog can sing and change the channels on the TV. Their dog always wins medals in obedience school. But I don’t think their dog is so great now, not since the night I followed my dog.
Every night, I let my dog out, and he runs off into the darkness with his tail wagging. The next morning, I let him in, and he heads straight for the food bowl. But one morning, I knew something was funny when I opened the door a little bit earlier than usual and saw my dog jump out of a limousine wearing a tuxedo. Before I could look twice, he disappeared into the backyard, and I opened the kitchen door and whistled. When he came into the house, he was the same as he always is—hungry! I really wasn’t sure if I believed what I had seen. So that night, I decided to follow him.
I wore dark clothing so I wouldn’t be noticed, and I left my bicycle near the door so I’d have it close by. When I let the dog out, I slipped out too. I took out the garbage so he wouldn’t suspect anything. The dog went straight to his doghouse. I saw a light go on inside. Slowly, I snuck around the backyard and peeked into the doghouse. This is not the doghouse that I had helped build. Inside, there was a living room, a bathroom, and a huge closet full of fancy clothes. The dog was in the bathroom, wearing a tuxedo and fumbling with a bowtie. When he came out, he casually walked out of the doghouse, across the yard, and down the street. I grabbed my bicycle and followed him.
Two blocks later, I saw a limousine pull over. The dog got in, and the car took off. I started pedaling faster. The car headed across town. I thought I would lose them, but luckily they were stopped by a few red lights. After a while, I found myself in a part of town that I’d never seen before. The buildings all seemed to be empty, and it was very quiet. The limousine stopped. I hid and watched my dog get out. He disappeared into a building, and the limousine pulled away. There was nothing on the outside of the building, just two brass fire hydrants on either side of the entrance. I opened the door. At the end of the hall, there was a neon sign that said “The Dog House.” I crept closer. It looked like some kind of club. I decided to get a closer look.
The moment I opened the door, two bulldogs appeared and said, “You can’t come in here.” I didn’t know what to say, so I said, “But, I saw my dog. I think my dog’s in here.” Just then, my dog walked over and said, “It’s okay, he’s with me.” The bulldogs said, “Sure, whatever you say.” For a minute, it seemed like forever, I waited. Then my dog said, “I knew you’d find out eventually. Well, now you know. This is my place.” I looked around and finally asked, “What is this place?” My dog said, “This is a place where dogs come after a hard day. It’s a place where we can relax. It’s a place where we can talk about our problems. See all the sofas? We can sit on the sofas here. We can get treats without having to do tricks. And if we want to chew on a shoe or chase our tail, no one will stop us. We have no masters here, no leashes, and no rolled-up newspapers. This is a place where dogs can be dogs.”
We sat down. A cocker spaniel came by and asked me if I would like a bowl of water or some biscuits. Little by little, dogs of all kinds started coming in. Some danced. Some talked. They all looked at me a little funny, but when they saw who I was with, they smiled and shook my hand. At one point, my dog waved to an Afghan with a camera. She came over to our table and took a picture of us together. Being with my dog made me feel like a movie star.
Just when I was really starting to enjoy myself, I looked at my watch. I told my dog I had to leave or I’d get in trouble. He nodded. I think he was about to say something, but a glamorous greyhound grabbed his paw and whisked him onto the dance floor. As he was getting up, he tossed me the photo of the two of us. Then he bowed slightly and disappeared into the crowd.
It was way past my bedtime. As I pedaled home into the cool night, I thought to myself, “Now I’m really going to be in the doghouse. But then again, that might not be so bad.” The End.
What did you think? Yeah, I thought it was really great, too. I should go home and read this to my dogs.
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Let me know if you need any further modifications!
