Alphabet Adventures

A Town for Paper Puppies

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Two folded paper puppies wait in John’s little cart beside Julia and a cardboard box on a rainy day.
Rain taps the window. Two paper puppies stand in John's little cart. "They need a home," says Julia. "And an adventure," says John. They spread newspaper on the floor.
John and Julia wear teal and yellow aprons beside the paper puppies.
Aa

A is for Apron

Say it: AY-pruhn

Aprons on. The puppies watch. "Yours would be very small," John tells them.
John peeks into an empty cardboard box while Julia welcomes the puppies.
Bb

B is for Box

Say it: BAHKS

Box on the floor. "A house!" says Julia. John peeks in. "Hello, anybody home?" "Not yet."
Julia holds a broad flat cardboard panel above the two paper puppies.
Cc

C is for Cardboard

Say it: KARD-bord

Cardboard for a roof. Julia holds it up. The puppies look rather small underneath it. "Room for tall ears."
Julia knocks on a cardboard flap door in the roofless box.
Dd

D is for Door

Say it: DOR

Door swings open. Julia knocks anyway. John answers for the puppies. "We're still waiting for the roof."
The flat roof panel lies on newspaper beside the box.
Ee

E is for Experiment

Say it: ik-SPAIR-uh-munt

Experiment time. Will a flat roof stay up? Flop! "That's a floor," says John.
Julia holds one folded cardboard panel like a little tent.
Ff

F is for Fold

Say it: FOHLD

Fold in the middle. Now the roof stands like a little tent. Julia peers inside. "Still room for the ears."
Julia presses a glued folded roof tab against a cardboard wall.
Gg

G is for Glue

Say it: GLOO

Glue here. Press there. Wait, wait, wait. "The puppies are being very patient," says Julia. John isn't.
John’s palms stick together while Julia offers a cloth.
Hh

H is for Hands

Say it: HANDZ

Hands stick together. "We made a hand sandwich," says John. Julia brings a cloth. The house will have to wait a little longer.
Julia sketches a bridge and John draws a very large dog on a paper sheet.
Ii

I is for Idea

Say it: eye-DEE-uh

"Idea!" says John. "A bridge for their adventure." Julia draws one. John draws a dog too big to cross it. "Smaller dog?" "Bigger adventure."
The children press a flat bridge deck onto two strong box ends; the puppy cart waits beside it.
Jj

J is for Join

Say it: JOYN

Join the cardboard. Two strong ends and a top. John parks the puppies beside it. "No crossing till we're ready."
Julia ties a short string to a little coral flag on the house.
Kk

K is for Knot

Say it: NAHT

Knot the string. A flag flies from the house. "So the puppies can find home," says Julia.
John draws a tiny cat in one window beside two plain drawn windows.
Ll

L is for Line

Say it: LYNE

Line after line after line. Windows for the house. John adds a tiny cat in one. "The neighbors have arrived."
Julia stirs red and blue paint into violet while John leans closer.
Mm

M is for Mix

Say it: MIKS

Mix red. Mix blue. Julia makes violet paint. John leans closer. "That house is going to be very purple."
John rolls the two paper puppies over crinkled newspaper.
Nn

N is for Newspaper

Say it: NOOZ-pay-per

Newspaper crinkles under John's knee. He gives the puppies a ride over it. Rrrrumble! "Bumpy road."
Julia holds the puppy cart safely on dry newspaper beside a violet paint spill.
Oo

O is for Oops

Say it: OOPS

Oops! The violet paint tips onto the newspaper. "A lake!" says John. Julia lifts the puppy cart to dry land. "Now they need that bridge."
John paints the house violet and has a purple dot on his nose.
Pp

P is for Paint

Say it: PAYNT

Paint the house. A little on the brush. A little on John's nose. "You've got a purple window," says Julia.
John holds up the cart while Julia points at its wheels.
Qq

Q is for Question

Say it: KWES-chuhn

Question: how will the puppies get onto the bridge? John holds up the cart. Julia points to the wheels. "They can't climb stairs."
The puppy cart starts up a cardboard ramp resting against the low bridge.
Rr

R is for Ramp

Say it: RAMP

Ramp up. Ramp down. Julia rests the ends on blocks. John gives the cart a tiny push.
A ramp has slipped sideways and Julia catches the cart on the floor.
Ss

S is for Slide

Say it: SLYDE

Slide! The ramp slips sideways. Julia catches the cart on the floor. "Exciting," says John. "Too exciting," says Julia.
John and Julia test the taped bridge joint.
Tt

T is for Tape

Say it: TAYP

Tape down the wobbly end. John tests it. Julia tests it. No slide. "Ready, puppies?"
Julia presses a blue tape strip against the underside corner of the cardboard bridge, with her wrist and orange cuff visible.
Uu

U is for Under

Say it: UN-der

Under the bridge goes Julia's hand. She presses the last strip of tape. "No wobbles underneath, either."
From behind the two paper puppies, the children look across the bridge toward the violet house.
Vv

V is for View

Say it: VYOO

View from down here: a bridge, a violet lake, and home beyond it. John lowers his chin. "I see the cat."
The cart’s four wheels rest on the bridge while John and Julia celebrate.
Ww

W is for Wheels

Say it: WEELZ

Wheels turning. All four. Up the ramp. Over the bridge. Down the other side. "They did it!"
John knocks at the violet house; the puppy cart waits beside a blue parking X.
Xx

X is for X

Say it: EKS

X marks the parking spot. The puppies stop outside their house. John knocks. "We're home!"
Julia lays a coral yarn road beside the violet paint lake while John pretends to be a dog.
Yy

Y is for Yarn

Say it: YARN

Yarn makes a road beside the lake. "Another ride?" asks Julia. John answers for the puppies. "Woof!"
John pushes the puppy cart along the little town’s bridge as Julia points out the way.
Zz

Z is for Zigzag

Say it: ZIG-zag

Zigzag past the cat. Zigzag round the lake. The puppies take the long way home. Then they take it again.
John holds up his giant paper dog drawing while Julia rests a hand on another empty box.
The rain is still tapping. Inside, the little town is busy. John picks up his enormous paper dog. "Room for one more?" Julia looks at the very small door. "We're going to need another box."

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