Emergent4-55 min

Lost Puppy Search

A small puppy wanders out of sight, and two friends search carefully using clues from the neighborhood.

Problem solving and paying attentionA leafy neighborhood with porches, puddles, and a small playground

Page 1

Dot is missing

Poppy clipped Dot's leash to the porch rail while she tied her shoe. When she stood up again, the leash was loose and Dot was gone.

Read-aloud prompt: How do you think Poppy feels?

Page 2

Looking for clues

Jay came over with a calm voice. 'Let's look low and listen first,' he said. They spotted tiny muddy paw prints leading toward the sidewalk.

Read-aloud prompt: Can you find the clue that shows where Dot went?

Page 3

The puddle path

The paw prints stopped by a puddle, but a squeaky bark came from farther down the block. Poppy and Jay followed the sound instead of guessing.

Read-aloud prompt: What clue did they use this time?

Page 4

Behind the slide

At the playground, Dot wiggled out from behind the slide with a leaf on her nose. She had followed a butterfly all the way there.

Read-aloud prompt: Where was Dot hiding?

Page 5

A safer plan

Back on the porch, Poppy held Dot close and made a new rule: shoes first, leash second, walk together. Jay smiled. 'That is a smart plan.'

Read-aloud prompt: What new plan will help next time?

Characters and vocabulary

PoppyJayDot the Puppy
clueporchpuddlelisten

Caregiver notes

Invite your child to notice one clue on each page.
Use the story to practice calm searching instead of panicked rushing.

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After-story questions

What clue helped Poppy and Jay most?
What would you do if you lost sight of a pet?
Lost Puppy Search | TinyTotLot