Sample Chapters

LITTLE BUG

Ann Marie Potter

“Woo, woo, woo, woof!”
That’s the sound our dog Murf makes when he meets new people. Or when he sees food. It’s dinnertime and Murf has plopped himself down in front of my little brother’s high-chair. He’s staring at the French fries in my brother’s hand, waiting for them to fall.
The gooey, ketchupy mess hits the floor. “Glop!”
Murf’s tongue goes into action. “Slurp!”
The baby laughs.
I’ve only had a baby brother for a week. He didn’t come the usual way, from Mom’s tummy. We adopted him because his real mom and dad were too young to take care of him. My mother and father call him Baby Noah, but I call him Little Bug. I call him that because he is really small and Mom told me I have to be careful not to squish him when we play.
Little Bug has blue eyes and a little bit of red hair on the very top of his head. His fingers are teeny, but he has a strong grip when he grabs my hand. He’s noisy when he is upset, like when he’s hungry or needs a new diaper. But he is happy most of the time. Little Bug laughs a lot. He doesn’t have any teeth, but he has a big, big smile. I have to admit he’s pretty cute.
Yesterday, we took a trip to visit my Grandpa James and Grandma Caroline. Grandpa wears suspenders and glasses that sit on the very end of his nose. Grandma bakes the best chocolate-strawberry cookies and always pours me a glass of milk. The minute she saw Little Bug she pulled off her oven mitt and scooped him up into her arms.
“Have mercy!” she said. “Aren’t you just a precious thing!”
Little Bug gave her a big, big smile.
My Grandpa just looked grumpy. “I don’t know why you had to take in someone else’s child,” he said. “That little boy isn’t even family.”
“Daddy,” my mother said, “We’ve been so blessed. With a happy family, plenty of food, and a comfortable, warm house. We feel like God wants us to share that with this wonderful baby.”
“Babies are treasures,” said my father. “No matter how they come into our lives.”
“I love him,” Grandpa,” I said. “Isn’t that what makes a family?”
Grandpa James stared at the floor. Then he nodded and said, “Well, looks like I have another grandson!”
Little Bug gave him a big, big smile.
Next month, Little Bug and I will be getting a big sister. Her name is Amara, and she is coming all the way from an orphanage in Africa. Murf will welcome her with a happy “woo, woo, woo, woof!” I’m going to give her some of my toys. Little Bug will give her the best gift of all—a big, big smile!