Excerpt:

Dylan wanted a puppy more than anything else in the world, Any kind of puppy.

He didn't care if it had long legs or short, if it was black or white or brown or spotted. He just wanted a dog.

He would look after it, and play with it, and take it for walks and teach it tricks.

And he would name it Toby.

Dylan looked everywhere for Toby. He looked in pet shop windows; he looked at ads in the paper.

He looked all over town for signs that said "Puppies to give away." But the answer was always the same:

He was not old enough.

"Puppies are like babies," said his mother. "They need a lot of care. You're too young enough to look after one."

"Maybe when you're older," said his father. Dylan wished he was older now.