The Fear of Show and Tell: A Puppy Kisses Story
It was Emily’s favorite day and her least favorite day all at once: Show and Tell.
She loved seeing the special treasures her friends brought to school. But speaking in front of the whole class made her tummy feel like it was full of jumpy frogs.
This time, she had something truly special to share. It was a smooth, pearly seashell that her grandmother had given her. When she held it to her ear, she could hear a soft whoosh like the ocean. It was her favorite possession.
All morning, she kept her paw on the shell in her pocket. When Mr. Flock called on the first pup, the jumpy frogs in Emily’s tummy started their gymnastics. Her heart beat a little faster.
Scarlett, sitting next to her, noticed Emily’s worried expression. She leaned over and whispered, “What did you bring?”
Emily shyly showed her the beautiful shell.
“It’s amazing!” Scarlett whispered back. “You just have to tell everyone the story you told me—about how it sounds like the ocean.” Seeing Emily still looked nervous, she added, “When it’s your turn, just look at me. Pretend you’re only talking to me.”
A few more pups went. Then, Mr. Flock called her name. “Emily, you’re next.”
The jumpy frogs did a flip-flop. Emily’s paws felt shaky as she walked to the front of the room. She held the shell tightly. All the eyes in the classroom were on her. She looked at the floor, her voice a tiny squeak.
“This… is a shell,” she started.
She felt her face get warm and forgot all the other words. Her mind went blank. Then, she remembered what Scarlett had said. She looked up and found Scarlett’s friendly, smiling face in the crowd. Scarlett gave her a small, encouraging nod.
Emily took a deep breath and looked right at her friend.
“My grandmother gave it to me,” she said, her voice a little stronger. “She found it on the beach. If you hold it to your ear, it sounds like the real ocean.”
She held the shell up for everyone to see. Jacob raised his paw. “Can you really hear the ocean?”
“Yes!” Emily said, a real smile appearing on her face. “It’s my favorite sound.”
When she was finished, the whole class clapped. As she walked back to her seat, Emily felt a warm, bubbly feeling inside. The jumpy frogs were gone, replaced by a quiet pride. She had been scared, but she had done it anyway. Scarlett gave her a high-five.
Emily learned that courage wasn’t about not being scared. It was about being scared, and doing it anyway—especially when you have a good friend cheering you on.
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