A barking kindergartner does not make for a very fun pet. Grace’s youngest brother has taken on the role of family dog while they wait for their parents to agree to a real pet. As luck would have it, Grace’s best friend’s dog just had puppies—but Grace is pretty sure she prefers cats. How will she get her allergic-to-cats mom and her I-had-fish-when-I-was-your-age dad to agree to a furry four-legged member of the family? See how the Ericksons take it one pet at a time as they start their menagerie with some free goldfish from the school carnival. But at what cost is free? What happens to the fish—and the family—will have you wondering if a puppy is the right choice for this family. Nancy Cortelyou Saffron Writes