In the Dog Library, Margaret the librarian arranged all the stories that were written by dogs. Dogs wrote their stories by choosing different smells from a basket in Margaret’s office. She called it the Dog Writing Basket. Or sometimes the Basket of Smells. The stories had to include just the right smells so other dogs could understand them.
When the dogs started to write
The dogs usually needed help when they started to write their stories, so Margaret gave them some ideas. One idea was to write a story called The Dog Park. The other was The Pet Store.
For example, Margaret thought The Dog Park story should include the smell of tennis balls, frisbees, dog poop, and a mixture of dog fur. But certainly not the smell of grooming supplies or anything from the vet.
The Pet Store story was a little harder to write. There were a lot of good smells the dogs could choose from. Biscuits, yes, new bones, yes, and stuffed toys, absolutely. But definitely not anti-itch spray or that dreaded ear cleaner. It was supposed to be a happy story.
When the dogs finished writing
When the dogs were finished with their stories, Margaret gave them to the book group. They were like the story police. If they didn’t understand a story because it didn’t have the right smells, they gave it back to Margaret. She let the dogs try writing again, but this time with different smells from her Dog Writing Basket.
